The archaic period of Greece was a time of great change and growth for the Greek people. This was a time when the first form of democracy began to take shape and when the first great works of art were created. The art of this period is characterized by its realism and its use of simple, geometric shapes. The most common subjects of these early works of art were animals and scenes from nature. The archaic period was also a time when the Greeks began to colonize other parts of the world, and their art reflects this expansion. Images of ships and warriors are common, as are scenes of daily life in the new colonies.