A&D 255 Art appreciation Spring 2011 Writing about Art

You are required to write one paper in Art Appreciation on Art Criticism. You may choose to do the optional Art Exhibition Review Paper for extra credit The optional text The Art of Writing about Art by Hudson and Noonan-Morrissey is a great resource to use while writing the papers (available in Sue Uhligs office during office hours or a copy is available on reserve at the Undergrad Library).

Art Criticism Paper

Length Paper Format
3-5 pages Type written, double spaced, 1 margins, 12 pt. Head on left side of paper with: Last name, first name Art Criticism Paper: Name of artist, title of artwork Date of viewing the work Write a focused paper on one original work of art that was seen in person this semester. Focus on one work of art (but you may include comparisons of other works) and describe well. Paper should include an application of appropriate art vocabulary, concepts, and historical context. Paper should be thoughtful, interesting, and provide a vivid description. Language should be clear and concise and free of significant grammatical and spelling errors. *More information is included in this paper about approaches. Include

Art Exhibition Review Paper

2 pages Type written, double spaced, 1 margins, 12 pt. Head on left side of paper with: Last name, first name Art Event Paper: Title of event Date of attendance Write a review of a collection of artworks. (Optional for extra credit only) Focus on exhibition. An exhibition is a collection of artwork on display at a gallery or museum with some common theme (by artist, style, time period, collection, subject matter, etc.). Write about the exhibit as a whole. What are some general characteristics of the work seen in the gallery? The specific structure should reflect the artwork contained in the exhibition. Optional Brochure or ticket with date of attendance from art museum or gallery attended; Photograph if no brochure available (make sure to ask gallery if you are able to take photos, and be sure to take without flash) Staple to back of paper 20 points This is an optional paper and is designed to be extra credit only. November 11 by 5 pm

Purpose Structure

Bibliography/ Reference page Brochure or ticket with date of attendance from Include
art museum or gallery attended; Photograph if no brochure available (make sure to ask gallery if you are able to take photos, and be sure to take without flash) Staple to back of paper 50 points Not an option; you will receive no credit for any extra criticism papers turned in November 11 by 5 pm

Maximum point value Extra credit availability Due date

Additional Extra Credit opportunity Attend an art event, which is labeled as an organized tour, lecture, or reception. Art event opportunities are listed on the Facebook group page Art Appreciation at Purdue. Sign in at the attended event to obtain extra credit. Lectures and field trips are worth 10 points, and receptions are worth 5 points. Note: If you sign up for a tour and dont go, you will not get to earn those points, effectively losing them!

Viewing Art in Person

Remember, you need to see original art in person during this current semester. There are many opportunities locally, regionally, and globally!

It is up to you to attend events or go to the gallery to personally see the artwork. I suggest you dont wait until the last minute to attend your event or go to a gallery, especially if you plan on attending a tour due to space availability.
Note: Do NOT call a gallery or local institution at the last minute to find out more information about the art, artist, title, etc. While gallery personnel (or even the artists themselves) like to discuss art, it is not appropriate to call them to find out information that you should (or could) find out on your own. Do contact appropriate gallery personnel or the artist for information that is not easily obtainable or for more in depth discussion about the work.

Local art venues to view art include:

Purdue University Galleries located in Stewart Center and in the Purdue Memorial Union The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette located at 102 S. 10th Street in Lafayette Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts 1st floor gallery (Patti and Rusty Rueff Gallery) o Features rotating exhibits, changing approximately every one to two weeks The Black Cultural Center at 3rd Street and Russell Street on campus
o Features an interesting permanent collection, but not all is labeled well

The Tippecanoe Arts Federation located at 638 North Street in Lafayette Coffee houses and banks frequently have local artist exhibitions as well with changing exhibitions

Within a few hours from Purdue, there are many art museums and galleries such as:
Indianapolis: Indianapolis Museum of Art, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western
Art, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Art Center, Herron Art Galleries, among many art galleries Indiana: Snite Museum in South Bend; Brauer Museum of Art in Valparaiso; Fort Wayne Museum of Art; Swope Museum of Art in Terre Haute; IU Museum of Art in Bloomington; Ball State Museum of Art; among others Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Outsider Art Museum, Oriental Institute of Art, Smart Museum of Art, Mexican Fine Arts Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio, Chicago Architecture Foundation, among many galleries Museums within a five hour radius include those in St. Louis, MO; Milwaukee, WI; Detroit, MI, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, OH; and many others. (This is a great site to look up Museums in a given area http://www.artcyclopedia.com/museums-us.html) Dont forget about your Spring Break location. Even Las Vegas has art museums!

Writing the Art Criticism Paper You will need to see original artwork this semester!
Do NOT write about any work by Georges Seurat or the Land Grant Mural in Stewart Center! If you do write about either, it will automatically deduct 25 points (half) off your paper. Also, the Ansel Adams works in Class of 50 are NOT originals, nor are the posters in the halls of the engineering buildings, so do NOT choose any of those works to write your paper on. There are many different ways to write the art criticism paper. Use this to guide you, but the approach of the paper should be your choice. Respond to your selected artwork in a manner that suites you and the art object. Pick and choose information that is relevant to the artwork. Please do not attempt to respond to all types and approaches! The paper should flow and not feel forced.

The word Criticism means an evaluation or analysis of a work of art.

It is not necessarily a negative reaction or complaint about a work of art!

Types of writings about art: (See The Art of Writing about Art pp. 6-8 for more information)
Critical Essay- offering opinion or judgment Comparative Essay- comparing or contrasting more than one work of art Formal Essay- describing the formal elements in a work, such as the elements and principles of art Research Paper- using outside sources to document and describe or analyze art

Approaches: (See The Art of Writing about Art pp. 11-17 for more information)
Diaristic- Features the subjective sensations and personal impressions of the critic (emotive or
autobiographical) and reads much like a diary. Formalist- Focuses on the rather objective reading of the intrinsic qualities of a work of art, such as the elements and principles Contextual- Stresses the factors or extrinsic forces of a work of art and the relationship of art in the rest of the world Psychoanalytical- Explores the underlying causes of a work of arts meaning not visible on the surface Ideological- highly subjective interpretations of the work of art from these viewpoints o Feminist- focuses on feminist qualities and importance o Multicultural- focuses on issue of ethnicity, racial issues, segregation, pluralism o Marxist- focuses on social and economic issues

Research may be a significant part of your paper, especially if you choose to write in a contextual,
psychoanalytical, or ideological approach. Please document all sources used (format of your choice) and be sure to include a works cited page. If you focus on contemporary art, you may not be able to find out much about your artist in printed material. Utilize good on-line resources. (Do NOT use Wikipedia as a source.) Many contemporary artists have their own websites, and you can often contact them through e-mail. If the artist is local, you

may be able to interview them in person or over the phone. Interviewing an artist would be a primary source for your research. Cite appropriately.

Art Criticism notes page Description/Label information

Artist name Title of artwork Date of artwork Medium (material used) Size (approximate if not
listed)

Dates of Artist Nationality of artist Location of work

(where did you see it, who/what institution owns the work?)

Subject Matter/Mood
Describe the subject matter. What is the work about? What are the underlying themes?

How does the piece make you feel? Why?

What question(s) do you have while looking at the work?

Other areas to consider for your paper

(Use this to guide you as you view the work of art. Do NOT use these questions as a model for your paper.)

Formal Qualities: Elements of Art

Color: Describe the color harmony (if closed palette), intensity, effect, symbolism Line: What are the major directional lines you see? Where are they located? What effect? Value: How is value achieved (modeling/chiaroscuro in painting, using actual light if photograph or sculpture, hatching if print/drawing)? How does value affect the work (light values, dark values)? Light source? Light source direction? Strength of light source? Shape/Mass: How is shape defined in the composition? Are the shapes organic/biomorphic or geometric/hard edge? Is it taking up actual space? Open or closed form? Texture: Is texture evident? Is it actual or implied? How was the texture created? Time/Motion: Does the work show the passage of time? How? Does the work have actual or implied motion? Space: How is space defined? Is it illusionary space? Does the work contain spatial depth clues? How is the artwork organized? How is the composition unified? What contributes to the variety of the piece? How is the work balanced? Is the subject matter in proportion? What is the scale of the piece? How is rhythm achieved? What is the emphasis or focal point? How do you know that? Describe the function or purpose of the piece Does the piece work as intended? Why or Why not? Is the work well crafted or well designed? Why or why not? What is the degree of artistic merit? (Did the artist do a good job?) Describe. Is the piece successful? Why or why not? What is the artworks importance in a historical context? Who or what might have inspired or influenced the artist?

Analysis: Principles of Art

Judgment

Other notes or sketch of work:

Steps for writing your paper 1. Choose artwork. Remember- it needs to be something seen this semester in person. 2. Formulate question to find out (either through research or analysis). This helps to guide your research and/or the thesis of your paper and also helps to make your paper more interesting 3. Research topic and take notes. 4. Formulate thesis (which is the answer to your question). 5. Make major points, keeping in mind counter points or counter arguments. 6. Outline paper. 7. Write paper and be sure to include introduction, main points, and conclusion. 8. Revise, edit, and proofread paper! 9. Cite sources in the paper and also in a bibliography or works cited page. 10. Staple appropriate documentation to back of paper (ticket, brochure, photograph, etc.) No cover page is needed (nor desired).

Things to consider. Use quotes appropriately and cite sources. Spell the artists name correctly. Italicize the artworks title. Choose web sites carefully- not all sites have good art content! Typically, museum sites, the artists own website, and sites such as Webmuseum http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/ are reliable. Do NOT use Wikipedia as one of your sources- it is not a reliable nor scholarly site. Be careful not to write in a stream of consciousness style. Have a purpose and clear organizational plan. You are the person writing the paper. Become an authority on the subject that youre writing about. Think about the message of the work and how the artist communicates this message. Apply the correct terminology where appropriate! Write descriptively! In referring to Pablo Picassos Old Guitarist, consider these statements: o Picasso uses a lot of blue. o Picasso uses many tints and shades of blue. o Picasso applies a closed color palette in monochromatic blue, symbolizing the gloomy despair he felt after loosing a friend to suicide. What is the best sentence? The last sentence because it applies correct terminology and vividly describes the work. Look to the Online Writing Lab web-site as a helpful resource http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ For examples of introductions, see the Art of Writing about Art book or the student paper examples found on Web-ct.

Evaluation of Art Criticism Paper

The paper is worth 50 points. Use this as a checklist.
Not Evident Average Highly Evident/ Masterful

Does the paper contain a thesis and appropriate question? Does the paper use vivid and descriptive language? Does the paper use clear and concise language? Does the paper contain appropriate art vocabulary? Does the paper contain appropriate art content? Is the paper written in a thoughtful/thought provoking way? Assessment Is the paper about an original work of art that was seen during this current semester? (Do you have proof and is it attached to the back of your paper?) Is the paper type written? Is the paper at least 3 pages? Does the paper have the correct heading? Does the paper contain a works cited page and is cited within the paper? Does the paper include historical context? Is the paper free of significant grammatical errors? Is the paper free of significant spelling errors?

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Writing the Art exhibition review Paper

This paper is OPTIONAL for extra credit and only if you didnt go to any events for extra credit.
(See The Art of Writing about Art chapter 6 for more information)

The exhibition review should review an entire exhibition of work. Examples of exhibitions would be Manet and the Sea, Creature Feature, Lasting Impressions, Art of the Hoosier Group, etc. Exhibitions can be from a permanent collection of a gallery or museum, or more often, are traveling or temporary shows. Take notes while at the show. You should definitely include the following: What is the exhibition title? Where is the exhibition? What are the dates of the exhibition? What is the common theme? What is the exhibition title? Here are additional sample questions to get you started (dont attempt to answer all of these- choose whichever ones you find most applicable): What is the gallery space like? Does the gallery space affect your viewing of the art? What is on display? Is the work primarily 2-D or 3-D? What is the dominant material used (if there is a dominant media)? Is the work abstract or realistic? To what degree? What are a few (up to 4) specific titles and artists that are stand-outs in the show or that best characterize the theme of the exhibition? Are there any works of art that dont seem to fit in the show? Which one(s)? Do you like the work? Which one(s) in particular? What is the strength of the show? What is the weakness? Are there any elements of art (color, line, shape/mass, space, value, time/motion, texture) that stand out or are a common theme in the works? Describe the design quality (balance, emphasis, rhythm, unity, scale/proportion). What is the subject matter like? Describe the style or time period (if works are of a similar style or time period). Compare to works seen in class or at other galleries/museums. What social context do the works have?

Choose a category your review will emphasize:

Theme The Artist Subject Matter The Formal Elements

Principles of Design The Medium The Style or ism Uniqueness

Comparable and influential artists Social Context Historical Reference Exhibition Display

Steps for Writing the Exhibition Review

1. Choose exhibition and visit. 2. Take notes (see above). 3. Determine controlling idea for your review (what the review will be about) with regard to the category (see above). 4. Write paper and be sure to include introduction, main points, and conclusion. 5. Revise, edit, and proofread paper! 6. Cite sources, if used. 7. Staple appropriate documentation to back of paper (ticket, brochure, photograph, etc.) No cover page is needed.

Evaluation of Art Exhibition review Paper

The paper is worth 20 points. Use this as a checklist. Assessment Is the paper about an art exhibition that was seen during this current semester? (Do you have proof and is it attached to the back of your paper?) Is the paper type written? Is the paper at least 2 pages? Does the paper have the correct heading? Is the paper free of significant spelling errors? Is the paper free of significant grammatical errors? Is the paper written in a thoughtful/thought provoking way? Does the paper contain appropriate art content? Point value
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