Abstract

In a successful art education, it is important both to learn by seeing and doing and to understand at conceptual level. A synchronous reference to theory and practice in teaching is believed to enhance the visual and relational awareness, help acquire a conscious for artistic creation, and develop theories concerning the process and the art through the work. However, the lack of theoretic knowledge arising in the transformation of the intuitive knowledge into cognitive knowledge may lead to unsustainable success or to ambiguities resulting from misconceptions. Some basic concepts that are commonly used interchangeably or instead of another and that lead to ambiguities in the practice of the knowledge acquired in basic design education are form, shape and figure. An expository definition of these concepts and analysis of the relations between them may positively influence the consistency between form and content in the creation of an aesthetic, philosophical, and ontological value and in the assessment of the work. Moreover, in art education, this can be observed to enhance the production of new ideas by bringing the visual perceptions up to comprehension level. The common language of art becomes objective in relation to the materials and techniques used in ceramic art as well as to the external and internal consistency of the work. In ceramic art education, building a conceptual relation between form, shape and figure depending on the material and a consistency between form and content is of primary importance in that students can only then raise visual awareness, develop proper comprehension and creative skills, and acquire a proficiency in artistic expression.