What Do You Think?

Step 3: Interpret

The painting makes me feel _________________

_____________________________________

because_______________________________.

I think it looks ___________________________

_____________________________________

Describe how the work makes you think or feel:

What is the message or story the artist is telling you? What activities do you see going on?

Step 4: Judge(decide)

After examining the art work, what do I think about it? Do you like it?

Why or why not?

Do you think the artist was successful in conveying an idea or story?

If you are confused about the art work,

it may help to take a look at the three common aesthetic theories below:

• Imitationalism/Realism - The artist drew, painted, or sculpted the images in a realistic manner. It is easy to make out the subject matter because of how much it looks like the object the art represents.

• Formalism/Composition - The artist used the elements and principles of design in the artwork very well.

• Emotionalism/Feelings- The artist did a good job of getting me to feel a certain way about the art. The message was an important message.

Step 2: Analyze

The sky is drawn with ________ lines on the left and the water is on the right. Their are lots of _______ lines in the sky. Almost everything has _________ shapes instead of geometric shapes.

There are warm colors like ____, _______ and _______ in the sky and cool colors like ______ and _______ and ________ for the water.

The colors are _______ and contrast with the dark colors. The pier looks long because it gets ________ in the background and you can't see the end. It looks ______(3d or 2d) because things look _______. (flat/not flat).

The people don't look like they are together because 2 that are walking away are far apart and the main person is alone.

The bridge has a ______ texture because of the lines in it.

The sky and water look like they are moving and stormy. The main person doesn't look like they are supposed to be there, and he/she looks like they are ___________.

Describe how the work is organized as a complete composition:

Look for the elements of art in the art work. How does the artist treat lines, shapes, colors, textures, forms, space, and values?

Look for the principles of design in the art work. How does the artist use pattern, contrast, unity, movement, emphasis, rhythm, and balance.

How to Look at Art

Look at the different paintings, you may or may not like some, or understand others...but how you judge at is not about whether you like is personally.

You judge art by attempting to decide if the artist was successful at showing whatever meaning, feeling, thought, message or idea they may have been trying to show or influence you to have.

There are steps for doing this!

Critiquing Process

When you look at art, more often than not, you decide if you like it or not. Everyone is different and not all art is created to simply be beautiful....do you know the steps for critiquing or understanding art?

Art criticism is the way people look at art. Everyone can tell if they love or hate a piece of art without being professional artists. It takes a little time to train your eyes to see things in art you normally don't pay attention to. Frequently, people aren't in touch with their feelings while examining art work.

Learning how to criticize artwork properly will allow everyone to better understand works of art and why some might be important.

• Look at the art work in front of you. List the colors you see in the art work.

• What objects do you see in this art work? What is the main subject of this art? List what you find.

• Is there a story going on in this art? What exactly is going on? Write down what you see happening, no matter how small.

• Does anything in this art remind you of anything from your own life? List what you find in the art work that reminds you of this. (Colors, objects, or events) Why does it remind you? Write it down.

• Does this art look real or is it changed so that you pay more attention to feelings or stories?

• What ideas and emotions do you think this art expresses?

• How do you think the artist felt when they created this art work? Does the art work make you feel the same way the artist did?

Step One: Describe

Look at this painting for a few moments , what do you see? What do you think about it? Make a judgment and write to tell what you think about it. Be honest, there is not right or wrong way to do this.

• What title would you have called this work of art if you had made it yourself? Does the title of the work match what the artist was trying to say in their art?

There are ___ people in the painting. It is a _________ but they are on a _______ next to the _______. ___ person is in the front and ____ more people are in the background walking away. The main person doesn't look like a man or a woman, it looks like a ______. The main person looks like they are _______________.

You can't see the other peoples faces because they are walking away. There is a bridge or pier and water and not many people. The painting style is ________ because it doesn't look real.

Describe the work without using value words such as "beautiful" or "ugly":

• What is the written description on the label or in the program about the work?

• What is the title and who is (are) the artist(s)?

Look for the elements of art in the art work. How does the artist treat lines, shapes, textures, forms, space, and values? Look for the principles of design in the art work. How does the artist use balance, color, size, variety, proportion, pattery, and rythm.

How are the elements of art used in the art work? How are the principles of design used in the art work?

Edvard Munch

The Scream, 1893

Tempera and pastel on board

91 x 73.5 cm

What does it really mean?

http://legomenon.com/meaning-of-the-scream-1893-painting-by-edvard-munch.html

What Do You Think?

Art Critiquing and Judging