MODULE 9

SOUL MAKING
(ARTMAKING)
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. Identify the meaning and nature of soul making;
2. Describe the categories of soul making; and
3. Appreciate the importance of artmaking
 LESSON 1.
Categories of Soul Making (Crafting Images,
Crafting Stories, Crafting Instruments and
Crafting Movements Performance)
As Dr. Norman Narciso, one of the leading Filipino thought
leaders in the art world, deeply explains soul-making, "Soul
making is an alternate place to know oneself and to look at
the depths and meaning of what we doing our daily lives.”
Soul making is a step towards a deeper comprehension of how the
world is perceived and how his or her own personality is seen. Soul
making plays a major role in art-production; it is a form of crafting
stories, transforming brief moments into images, symbols that
connect with people, understanding culture and embodying
tolerance, peace, and imagination
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THIS
ARTWORK?
 KNOWING ONESELF

In soul making, "who are you" is the topic that throughout the
process serves as a guidepost. Knowing oneself begins with
consciousness. In order to start the process, it is necessary to
realize and embrace one's truth, history and understanding of
existence.
 DEPTHS AND ESSENCE

Soul making is more than the soul's religious perspective. Soul

refers to a person's individuality that resonates with his or her
behavior. Since art is a human expression that is highly valued
and symbolic, a person typically uses different art forms to fulfill
the need to communicate and express him or herself. The human
desire to actualize his or her very being is strongly assisted by
soul making.
 WHAT WE ARE DOING

Art gives a person a sense of purpose about what he or she

is doing. As any artwork is an expression of one's
perceptions, feelings, emotions, and realities, the key to
personal cultural growth is the process of creating such
expression. Soul making utilizes every human experience
to build the influence that can make the artist himself and
others improve
 EVERYDAY LIFE

Life includes a lot of adventure, understanding the

challenges that come with each adventure, and
understanding how each person has a unique way of
perceiving things as life happens to them. Soul making
is a method that can be gone through by anyone.
 DEFINITION OF SOUL
MAKING

▪ An alternative venue for knowing ourselves and looking into the depths and
real meaning of what we are doing for our everyday life (Narciso, 2012)
▪ To develop the artist in us awakening the art in us that has been stagnant or
undeveloped for numerous years.
▪ It is an exploration and application of the imagination in an active way.
▪ It is a form of crafting stories are transforming brief moments into images are
symbols does connecting with people understanding culture and embodying
tolerance and peace.
▪ Can be an innate or learned skill or a combination of both.
▪ It is like with inspiration it plays a major role in art production
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

1.Seeking
The first step is seeking or finding. At this point, we recognize
that each of us who are interested in our own growth and the ways
of our world is a 'seeker.’ We are looking for a discipline or method
that can help us live in and make sense of the world and heal the
wounds of 'self. ‘The best thing about searching is that it is a vital
stage in our growth as soul builders.
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

2. Settling
Soul making is about communicating as profoundly as
possible with the soul, with other human and non-human
beings (and this means the future of humans and non-
humans) and with the world. If we are perpetually
wondering, we cannot do this. We must find ourselves
settled at some point in our lives.
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

3. Surrender
If it is permitted to surrender, with all its pain and
vulnerability, something magical will happen. We tend to
note in the midst of the crashing that our activities begin
to be in the service of the soul. The capacity to surrender,
of course, is restricted by the amount of pain and
uncertainty that we can bear! True surrender takes us up
and throws us down; calls for the wounds we bear to be
accepted; forces us to spend time living in the darkness.
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

3. Surrender
If it is permitted to surrender, with all its pain and
vulnerability, something magical will happen. We tend to
note in the midst of the crashing that our activities begin
to be in the service of the soul. The capacity to surrender,
of course, is restricted by the amount of pain and
uncertainty that we can bear! True surrender takes us up
and throws us down; calls for the wounds we bear to be
accepted; forces us to spend time living in the darkness.
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

4. Soul making
At some point in the variations between the Settling and Surrender dual
polarities, we begin to perceive our practice and life in the universe as Soul
Making. We are beginning to become an expert, an injured healer. We're starting
to grow up enough to feed our girls, our children, our children. We accept that
there's no way to ever get it right. Soul Making is the fourth stage, in which the
individual transitions from a stage of improving reflective practice to becoming a
practitioner of soul making. However, this is still not to be completely settled in,
since it holds all the strengths and disadvantages of the previous levels. Both of
us have to keep looking. Throughout life, we all settle and re-settle. We would all
be met with the psyche 'appeal for submission, over and over again. And it will
constantly call upon our capacity to care and nurture (others and the world).
 5 PHASES OF SOUL MAKING

5. Soaring
When we begin the journey, what we most wish is to soar. To conquer our worldly
experience’s material realities-to travel. It will not happen, however, if we only
want to fly, nor can the psychological version of a spaceship or airplane be
created by ourselves. What may be true is that we could find ourselves soaring,
together, engulfed in the air and sky, by enabling ourselves to pass-through the
stages of Soul Making.
 LESSON 2.
(Art) Soul, Dreams, and Imagination
“Dream” and “imagination” are closely related words, but
they still have a few distinctions. Both “dream” and
“imagination” refer to mental processes, states, and
products of a person’s mind. Both are also experiential.
The two states are not based on or influenced by reality.
They also refer to the capacity and creativity of an
individual.
“Dream” and “imagination” are often mistaken for one
another simply because they exist in the same context –
the mental mind. They can influence each other in many
instances, and sometimes they can also be influenced by
environmental factors with the help of the five senses.
 WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DREAMS AND
IMAGINATION?
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DREAM
AND IMAGINATION
Dream vs. Imagination
However, there is a line drawn between the two concepts.
Imagination, for one, is the act, power, or ability to create and
form mental images, pictures, sounds, or other sensory events
that are not present in reality.
Imagination often requires a stimulus or inspiration to “release”
more ideas or options. Imagination can happen suddenly (when
one is struck by inspiration or a stimulus) and then deliberately
(when the person makes an effort to pursue avenues of the idea).
 IMAGINATION HAPPENS IN A
CONSCIOUS STATE.

• A dream, on the other hand, is a series of the same sensory

abilities without makingan effort to create them. Dreams usually
happen during unconsciousness or in a state of sleep. They can
also happen during consciousness, which is often termed as
daydreaming.In a state of sleep, dreams occur during the rapid
eye movement (REM) stage
• In comparing both concepts, some claim that imagination is like an
experiment; it triesto explore possibilities and options in a certain
avenue. Meanwhile, dreams are often regardedas a sort of self-
reflection. Furthermore, dreams have varying themes like
sexual,adventurous, frightening, magical, and many others.
 SOUL MAKING: MAKING AND
DERIVING MEANING FROM ART

• In terms of art, it would involve

understanding the visual elements on which
artwas focused, particularly the concepts of
design, in order for people to make sense of
thework. It is important to remember that the
viewer must have a certain degree of
understandingof the work's style, shape, and
material. It would be impossible to appreciate
the visualarts in their fullness and
completeness without such understanding.
 IMPROVISATION

• The principle of allowing opportunities in the

process of making the work is supported by
some artists. Artists would like, for instance,
to depict the darkness brought on at night by
an incoming storm or the beauty of a meteor
shower. Since they do not inherently have
total influence over natural phenomena, their
dependency on opportunities may not
necessarily deliver their anticipated result.
Artists who encourage their subjects to
improvise can often have entirely different
 APPROPRIATION

• This can be accomplished by studying the

techniques and style used by the artist and
also the focal points highlighted in his past and
present works. Since problems of plagiarism or
forgery often arise, the motives of the
appropriation artists are sometimes
challenged. Some would say that the purpose
behind the appropriation is that they want the
audience to remember the images they
replicated . There is a desire on the artist's part
that the audiences will see a new take on the
LESSON 3
Seven (7) da Vician
Principles
 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
GENIUS? IS GENIUS BORN OR
MADE – OR BOTH?
 HERE ARE THE SEVEN
GENIUS PRINCIPLES OF
LEONARDO DA VINCI THAT
WILL OPEN YOUR
IMAGINATIVE AORTA AND
UNLEASH YOUR GENIUS
 1. CURIOSITÀ

• Curiosità – is an insatiably curious approach to life

and unrelenting quest for continuous learning.
• Da Vinci was not the only one to represent a nearly
unlimited supply of curiosity.Some of the great
inventors and leaders of humanity have the ability
to unlock life’s mysteries . Think about curiosity in
2basic questions:
• What If: Ask your brain to project into the future.
It encourages you to see options where you
might have overlooked them, it allows you to
make connections and it is a sneaky way to get
your brain more goal-oriented. What if I started
this person's conversation? What if I attempted a
new activity like this? What if I began the new
schedule of workouts? Usually, what happens
after 'what if...' is mystical.

• How Come: How come brings you to 'Why'.

Instead of watching the environment passively or
going through reflex replies, 'how come' makes
you challenge both your actions and the
intentions of others. Da Vinci didn't waste his life
for a second. He was making and guessing and
tinkering all the time. 'How come' allows you to
use a mission every second of your life.
 2. DIMOSTRAZIONE

• 2. Dimostrazione – is a commitment to
test knowledge through experience,
persistence and a willingness to learn
from mistakes. Dimostrazione is the
embodiment of your own hands
controlling your life. This principle tells
us:
• A. Test every idea
• B. Don’t take anything for granted.
 3. SENSAZIONE

• 3. Sensazione – is the continual refinement of the

senses, especially sight,as the means to enliven
experience.

• Fill in the blank:

• is so beautiful.
• I love the way smells.
• What a lovely.
• I adore the feeling of on my skin.
• The sound of is music to my ears.
 4. SFUMATO

• 4. Sfumato – is a willingness to embrace

confusion, paradox, and confusion. Da Vinci
had a very special capacity to comprehend
the extreme opposites of views and
phenomena . He was also able to explore and
revel in the uncertainty of unknowns.Most of
us are uncomfortable with questions not
being known or unanswerable, so we avoid
anything beyond our control. We stick to
what we know and do a Google search right
away the moment we don't know something.
 5. ARTE/SCIENZA

• 5. Arte/Scienza – is the development of the balance

between science and art, logic andimagination
• Although Da Vinci was not around for the right and
left brain learning experiments, this notion speaks
directly to the whole brain thinking idea. Label the
declarations that sound likeyou
• Right Brained:I like detailsI am almost always on timeI
rely on logicI am skilled at mathI am organized and
disciplinedI like lists
• Left Brained:I am highly imaginativeI am good at
brainstormingI love to doodleI often say or do the
unexpectedI rely on intuitionI often lose track of time
 6. CORPORALITÁ

• 6. Corporalitá - The cultivation of beauty,

inborn talent, fitness and poise is called
Corporalita. In addition to his intellectual
ability, Da Vinci was unbelievably
athletic.From early on, he knew that his
body also had to be in top shape if he
wanted his mind to work at optimum levels.
 7. CONNESSIONE

• 7. Connessione – is a recognition of and

appreciation for the interconnectedness
of all things and phenomena.
LESSON 4.

Soul and space

• Understanding space as an element of art
and design, artist use lots of tricks to
create the “illusion” of depth on a page.
Color, overlapping, size, perspective call
all add distance and dimension to a piece.
• Techniques for Creating Illusion of Depth:
• - Value: Lightness or Darkness
• -Space: Distance between points or
planes
• -Perspective: uses Mathematical
Principles
 USING SPACE IN ART

• The American architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said

that "Space is the breath of art."What Wright meant was
that unlike many of the other elements of art, space is
found in nearlyevery piece of art created. Painters imply
space, photographers capture space, sculptors relyon
space and form, and architects build space. It is a
fundamental element in each of thevisual arts.
• Space gives the viewer a reference for interpreting an
artwork. For instance, you maydraw one object larger
than another to imply that it is closer to the viewer.
Likewise, a piece ofenvironmental art may be installed in
a way that leads the viewer through space.
 NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE SPACE

• Art historians use the term positive space to refer

to the subject of the piece itself, the flower vase in
a painting or the structure of a sculpture. Negative
space refers to the empty Spaces the artist has
created around, between, and within the subjects.
• Quite often, we think of positive as being light and
negative as being dark. This does not necessarily
apply to every piece of art. For example, you might
paint a black cup on a white canvas. We wouldn't
necessarily call the cup negative because it is the
subject: The black value is negative, but the space
of the cup is positive.
 OPENING SPACES

• Negative space is also a key element in many abstract

paintings. Many times acomposition is offset to one side
or the top or bottom. This can be used to direct the
viewer'seye, emphasize a single element of the work, or
imply movement, even if the shapes have noparticular
meaning. Piet Mondrian was a master of the use of
space. In his purely abstractpieces, such as 1935's
Composition C, his spaces are like panes in a stained-
glass window.In his 1910 painting Summer Dune in
Zeeland, Mondrian uses negative space to carve out
anabstracted landscape, and in 1911's Still Life with
Gingerpot II, he isolates and defines thenegative space
of the curved pot by stacked rectangular and linear
 SPACE AND PERSPECTIVE

• Creating perspective in art relies on the judicious use of

space. In a linear perspectivedrawing, for instance, artists
create the illusion of space to imply that the scene is three-
dimensional. They do this by ensuring that some lines
stretch to the vanishing point.
• In a landscape, a tree may be large because it is in the
foreground while the mountainsin the distance are quite
small. Though we know in reality that the tree cannot be
larger thanthe mountain, this use of size gives the scene
perspective and develops the impression ofspace. Likewise,
an artist may choose to move the horizon line lower in the
picture. Thenegative space created by the increased
amount of sky can add to the perspective and allowthe
viewer to feel as if they can walk right into the scene.
 THE PHYSICAL SPACE OF AN
INSTALLATION

• No matter what the medium is, artists often consider the space
that their work will bedisplayed in as part of the overall visual
impact.
• An artist working in flat mediums can presume that his or her
paintings or prints will behung on the wall. She may not have
control over nearby objects but instead may visualize howit will
look in the average home or office. She may also design a
series that is meant to bedisplayed together in a particular
order.
• Sculptors, particularly those working on a large scale, will
almost always take theinstallation space into consideration
while they work. Is there a tree nearby? Where will thesun be
at a particular time of day? How large is the room? Depending
on the location, an artistcan use the environment to guide her
process. Good examples of the use of setting to frameand
 LOOK FOR SPACE

• Now that you understand the importance of space

in art, look at how it is used byvarious artists. It can
distort reality as we see in the work of M.C. Escher
and Salvador Dali. Itmay also convey emotion,
movement, or any other concept the artist wishes
to portray.184Space is powerful and it is
everywhere. It is also quite fascinating to study, so
as youview each new piece of art, think about what
the artist was trying to say with the use of space.
THANK YOU!