Your Name _______________________________
This worksheet is designed to prepare you with critical skills for analyzing a visual artwork. Follow the steps in this worksheet carefully and it will help you organize your thinking. This assignment is worth 100 points. Use the checklists throughout to be sure you meet all requirements.
In Step 1, you will tell a story about the work or tell what the work means to you in some way. If you are allowed to take pictures in the exhibition space, take a picture of the work to include in this assignment.
In Step 2, you will re-examine the art work in more detail. List specific elements of the art work as that appear in your story and tell how the artist made them more or less important in the work.
In Step 3, you will go beyond what the work means to you and judge the work. Do you think it was successful? How does it make sense?
The combination of these three steps is a strategy for writing about visual art. You will also be prepared to analyze a visual or musical form in other discussions and assignments.
REMEMBER that late assignments will not receive a participation point for turning in on time, AND you will lose points on a late paper, as follows:
1 day late: -20%
2 days late: -40%
3 days late: -60%
4 days late: -100%
Where do I find an art form to write about?
Here is a list of acceptable locations where you can see visual art. When you choose an art work to write about, remember:
• You must see the work in-person, in Columbus, Ohio
• The work you choose must have been done after 1945
These requirements are to be strictly followed or your assignment will not be accepted.
If you are taking the online class at remote location outside Columbus, you will need to find an artwork in your area. Email your instructor for approval of your alternative site before you start. If you do not have your choice approved in advance, your paper will not be accepted.
• Columbus Museum of Art – http://columbusmuseum.org
• Hale Black Cultural Center at OSU (Columbus)
• King Arts Complex – http://kingartscomplex.com
• Ohio State University Urban Arts Space – http://uas.osu.edu/exhibition/current
• Ohio Union (Artwork on display on the second floor mezzanine)
• Short North Galleries and Studios – http://shortnorth.org
• Wexner Center for the Arts – http://wexarts.org
When you get to the exhibition location you chose, look at the art works there and find one to write about. If you choose a work you feel an affinity for, it will be much easier to write this assignment.
REMEMBER: You are not required to find quotes for this assignment, but if you want to quote someone else’s words (on a museum sign, website, brochure, etc.) you must tell where you got that information with citations and references according to MLA or APA style.
Need help with that? Look here… http://library.osu.edu/find/resources/citation-examples/ – done
Complete the all three (3) steps on this worksheet in MS Word and upload it to the Art Worksheet Dropbox.
STEP 1
In Step 1, you will focus on your interpretation of the work. You will interpret the artwork through writing a story about it or telling what it means to you. Explain what you think is going on in the piece, and what it is about. Your story can be personal, true, fictional, fantasy, a diary or journal entry. Tell us your story using the three steps below:
Step 1.a.
If you are allowed to take pictures of the artworks, insert an image no larger than 5 inches high or wide. If cannot take a picture of the artwork, please explain this.
<Insert image here>
Tell your story about the work:
Enter into the piece and tell what you think is going on.
Remember to describe the parts of the artwork that tie to the story. Type your answer in the space below (At least 250 words).
Step 1.b.
Make a brief statement of how your story relates to the piece:
How does telling a story help you understand art work?
Do you think other viewers would make a similar story or is yours different?
(At least 200 words)
Step 1.c.
Tell the title of your story:
Your work for Step 1 will be evaluated with this rubric:
CONTEMPLATION ON INTERPRETATION (6 points possible for this section)
10 pt Clearly states how you interpret the work OR gives a narrative/story to the work
10 pt Tells a plausible story that coherently relates to the work
10 pt Makes clear distinctions between opinion and facts.
STEP 2.a
For Step 2.a and 2.b, you will analyze the artwork, focusing on literally what you see.
Record the following information on the worksheet.
What year was the work created? ________(5 points)? What is the name of the work and the artist, if available? (5 points) tell the name of the exhibition location where you found the work.
(5 points)
Based on your interpretation of the work in Step 1. Examine the artwork for specific elements of subject matter you referred to in your interpretation. Also, look for parts of the work you would not have noticed at first. You might notice something new when you return to an area of the work. Here is what to do:
• Record at least 10 aspects of the art work in the table below
• If you need a way to get started, take a few minutes to study the work and think through your interpretation. Find elements of the work and tell how the technical effects led you to your interpretation.
• Also think of different or familiar objects that you could refer to for comparison.
• Be specific. Avoid simple descriptions of basic colors and shapes. Instead of “green,” for example, use “lima bean green” or “grass green.”
• Discuss where your eye moves through the work as you put the interpretation together. What did you notice first and what makes it more noticeable than other areas of the work?
• Describe the scale of the work in relation to the exhibition space. Instead of “six inches wide” or “thirty feet high,” write tall as the ceiling or a two-story house, large as a laptop, small as my cell phone, etc. These relationships help you identify exhibition context of the artwork.
Aspect 1 Aspect 6
Aspect 2 Aspect 7
Aspect 3 Aspect 8
Aspect 4 Aspect 9
Aspect 5 Aspect 10
STEP 2.b
From the aspects you recorded in Step 2.a, write five (5) well-developed sentences that include:
• What you perceive as movement within the piece and how it contributes to your interpretation (Review the discussion of movement in your textbook in Chapter 1).
• Relationships between elements you have described
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Sentence 5
Your work from Step 2 will be evaluated with this rubric.
DESCRIPTION (18 points possible for this section)
5 pt Gives the year the work was made or explains why this information was unavailable
5 pt States the name of the artist or explains why this information was unavailable
5 pt States the name of the exhibition location
5 pt Thoroughly describes elements in the work
5 pt Uses art vocabulary from class and rich language
5 pt Articulates a sense of the movement through the work, where and how the eye goes
5 pt Tells if the work moves in any way
5 pt Tells how relationships between descriptive elements support the interpretation
Step 3
In steps 3.a and 3.b you will determine how you value the art work.
Here are two issues you will address:
1) How is it Art?
2) Your judgment of the piece.
Explain how you think this work is art, what meaning it provides, and why you like or dislike the work.
Step 3.a. How is it art?
In this part of the worksheet, discuss how you think the artwork you have been working with might be an art form. This is your opinion and it is up to you to explain how and why you came to such a conclusion.
Tell how location and context impact the meaning of the work. Where is it displayed? How would its meaning change if it were in a different location?
• In this section be sure to include:
• The name of the artist and the title of the work, if available. If this information is not available, please explain.
• How is the work art?
• o Why or why not — because of …
• ♣ It’s beauty or ugliness?
• ♣ What it means to you?
• ♣ Its location/placement?
• ♣ Its style?
(At least 150 words)
Step 3.b. Judgment
In this step, you are to discuss whether or not you like the artist/artwork and explain why you like or dislike it. Explain your reasoning and go beyond basic statements such as: “it’s truly beautiful,” “It caught my eye,” “It’s ugly.”
Expand on your judgment and refer to specific things in the artwork, as well as your interpretation of the piece that makes you think that way about it. That is, how does all this make sense to you?
• In this section be sure to include:
• o Whether or not you like the artist’s work(s).
• o Why or why not?
• ♣ How do you make sense of the art form? Give specific reasoning referring back to the work(s).
• ♣ Did your judgment change?
(At least 250 Words)
Your Work for Step 3 will be evaluated with this rubric.
JUDGMENT (8 points possible for this section)
5 Thoroughly explains what you think of the work based on description and interpretation; specifically gives evidence of why you do or do not like it
4 Provides a personal definition of art and explains how the piece does or does not fit.
3 Discusses influences of surrounding space and other contexts that impact your
judgment
3 Tells how another individual might view the compared to your perception of it OR how does your personal background affect the way you view this piece?
MECHANICS for writing in the whole assignment (8 Points possible for this section)
5 No to very few spelling errors, typos, and meets stated mechanical requirements Uses Times New Roman 12-point font
5 If you have to cite a source, use citations and references according to APA or MLA style (see page 2)
5 Meets minimum number of words requirement
Congratulations, you have finished your analysis of a visual artwork.
Your instructor will evaluate this work sheet. The feedback they give you will benefit your performance on other assignments and discussions in this class.
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