| Viewing Art Works main page |
Preparation | First Impression | Description | Analysis | Interpretation | Gathering Information | informed judgement |
This stage can be looked at as a culminating and reflective activity. Students will be asked to come to some conclusions about the art work based on all the information they have gathered and on their interpretations.
Have the students return to their first impressions. Ask them the following questions:
The following are examples of statements about Leesa Streifler's art work, "Fear", that might be made at this stage:
Example 1"I haven't changed my opinion of this work. I still don't like it. That is still my reaction to it. But I think I can explain it now. At first, I thought I didn't like it because it is so crudely drawn and because there is so much black in the background. But now I think I don't like it because it is a disturbing work. The figure still looks frightening to me. It is so big because it's on a billboard that I don't feel you could get away from it. I think this might have been the artist's intention. I probably will think about the work again. I suppose what I learned from it is that art can have a strong effect on people. I have to admit, this billboard painting had an effect on me, even though I don't like it."
Example 2
"Yes, I did change my mind about this work. At first I thought it was too simple, like a child's drawing. I didn't realize there were ideas being expressed. Now that I've studied it and can see what the artist was doing, I'm impressed. I wouldn't have thought that such a simple painting could express so many ideas. I will probably think about the letters flying around on the background. I hadn't thought about using the symbols of spoken language in an art work and now I'd like to try it. I like the idea of people talking in art works. I know cartoonists do that all the time, but I'd like to try it in a painting. I wonder if any other artists have done this."
This completes the section on viewing visual images and art works. Although the process described might seem complicated at first, it will come easily once the teacher and students become familiar with the steps. Teachers could say to students that when they encounter art works in the future, they may not have the time to go through all the steps of this process in the same amount of detail that they have in class. However, they can go through some of the steps and they can always ask themselves at least, "What exactly do I see here? What do I think the artist was intending?" They should know that they can attempt to answer these questions, no matter what their background with art may be.
| Viewing Art Works main page |
Preparation | First Impression | Description | Analysis | Interpretation | Gathering Information | informed judgement |