Remember, this is NOT an art history paper. I do not want all the historical background and discussion from other sources. Please just look at the art and write what you see, what you think it means and support your conclusion. Spend time on meaning. What was your first reaction, does the meaning relate to the world? Does it relate to your own
experience? If so, please share if you can but don’t forget the paper is about the art and should always refer back to it. Again, remember to footnote everything that you could not observe in the artwork.
12) You can cite/ footnote in a number of ways.
1) Simply put in parentheses at end of area to be cited
Example: This oil on canvas by Joan Miro is 12” x 24” and was painted in Spain (description card next to painting)
Example: Piccaso’s “Les Demoiselles D’Avignon” was the beginning of the Cubist movement.
(www.geocities.com/picasso0408/
demoizav.html)
Example: “ Blab la blab la bla…” (Author’s last name, Title, day/year published, page)
2) Footnotes (put number of note at end of sentence, place numbered footnote at bottom of same page)
3) Endnotes (put number of note at end of sentence, place numbered end notes listed at end of paper)
13) Submit your papers through Assignments in Canvas.
The 3 parts of your paper. It is also the way to review art.
A) SUBJECT – What you see and only what you see. Describe everything about it.
Approximately 40% of your paper should cover Subject.
What kind of work is it (painting, sculpture, earthworks, performance art, etc.)
Basic descriptives to consider – its title, artist name, title of artwork, year made
Materials used – oil on canvas, watercolor on paper, marble sculpture in the round, etc?
Size of the artwork – dimensions, intimate or massive, thin or massive?
The SCENE -the overall visual (Example: kids playing, landscape of forest, entire painting of odd shapes and colors.
Colors – (saturation of color, cool or warm colors, light or dark colors),
Textures including artist’s mark – gesture or no gesture,
Realistic or abstract or nonobjective forms, Text
Value – lightness or darkness
Speed – Analytic or Gestural
Historical relevance and location (if relevant),
Types of line ( bold, analytic, organic, expressive, staccato, jagged, etc.)
Balance – (absolute symmetry, bilateral symmetry, asymmetrical balance), repetition, rhythm, pattern, scale and relative proportions of things in the artwork
Deep or shallow space, use of perspective, etc.
What the artist has purposefully included or excluded from the art?
and the list goes on and on, etc.
B) CONTENT- What does the art mean? Approximately 40% should cover Content.
Describe how does it make you feel when you look at it?
When you first saw it what was your first impression?
What do you think the artist is trying to say with the work?
Ask yourself, WHY might the artist have chosen to include or exclude something? What purpose does it serve?
As yourself if the materials help support the meaning of the work and why? This may not apply to all art, but it is important for certain art in understanding it better.
Does this art connect with what is going on in the world? How so, be specific.
Does this art connect with what is going on in your own personal experience? How so, be specific if you care to share. But remember, everything you write must come back to what you see in the art. Please do NOT go off on a tangent and forget to adddress the art
Role(s) of the Artist – what role(s) you think the artist has in making this work of art. Is the artist a reporter, an experiencer, an analyst, an activist or enhancer? Why?
C) Support your Conclusion of its
