Appraising Approach for Junior School Visual Art Classes
Visual Comprehension and Expression – can be used with all year levels
Students draw/paint/collage/ make objects/find images and objects etc to create visual responses to picture story books and their own stories.
1. Read a story to the class – students create an artwork/sketch etc of their interpretation of the story/character/event
2. Students discuss various interpretations. Uncover diversity in the responses. Each is valid – each has something to contribute to creating the big picture. None is right or wrong
3. Tell the story again – this time with pictures and compare artist’s pictures with student interpretations. Look for similarities and differences and discuss possible reasons.
Ask age-specific questions
Feldman’s Formula
Appraise the work using the following framework:
• describe what you see ie the subject matter
• analyse the use of elements and principles of art and design for definitions and examples of
the elements and principles see this site: http://www.educ.kent.edu/vlo/design/index.html
• interpret the meaning of the work
• judge whether you think the artist was successful in conveying meaning
The Art Critiquing Process is a method of organizing the facts and your thoughts about a particular work of art. In some ways it is similar to the Scientific Method used in your science classes. The Art Critiquing Process is broken down into FOUR areas. Each area specifically looks at one section. The FOUR steps are Description, Analysis, Interpretation and Judgment. Each section must be covered in order, beginning with Description. This order helps you to organize your thoughts and to make intelligent and educated statements about a work of art. It is very important that you are familiar with the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design as they will provide you with the vocabulary and knowledge necessary to critique art intelligently.
ESSENTIAL READING This information is from an outstanding site that explains the process beautifully and has interactive links: http://www.brigantine.atlnet.org/GigapaletteGALLERY/websites/ARTiculationFinal/MainPages/ArtCritiquingMain.htm
Use a simple three word formula as a starting point for understanding an artwork: media, image, ideas. Begin by considering the media (or materials) used to make the work: are they traditional or innovative? what associations do they bring to mind? have they been worked with traditional techniques? why did the artist choose these media or techniques? Then consider the imagery: is it representational or non-representational? where have you seen images like this before? how have they been presented? what parts of the form (e.g. colours, lines, shapes, etc.) predominate? Why were these particular images selected? Let the answers to these questions lead you to consider the work's ideas: What associations and ideas come to mind when looking at the work? Why did the artist use these media and images? What do they mean? Why was the work created?
Use all of your senses to "read" the artwork. Your sense of touch can help to explore the tactile sensations of the work such as its texture, weight and solidity - even if you can't actually touch it. Your sense of smell can help to learn more about its technique, age, or location. Your hearing can help with a work's media, density, or context. And of course your sense of sight can tell the rest - just give it the time to really look.
Begin with an art work you are interested in. Look at it carefully and consider the associations it raises in your mind. Then compare it to another artwork close by (or if none is available, compare it to another artwork you know well.) Build a description of how the two works are similar and different; compare them in terms of media, technique, imagery, form, and style. Decide whether they are more similar or different, and consider why the artists created them in this way. What did the artists intend? What do they have in common? How do their differences affect your interpretations of the objects?
Take a playful approach to interpreting art. Create a story or a poem that relates to aspects of the work. Link the work to music, a play or a book you have experienced. Step into the artist's shoes and imagine the process he/she went through to make the work. Or imagine that the object you are viewing has been sent to earth by an alien life form and you've been asked to figure out where it came from and why it's here.
Have children choose a favourite piece to write a story about. The artwork can either depict the opening or closing scene, or act as an illustration for a part of the story. Tie to a history unit by asking students to select artworks from a specific historical period or culture being studied. Also try flipping this around - tie to a language concept by asking them find an artwork which symbolizes a story being read by the class.
Divide the class into a number of teams. Expose each team to the same artwork to look at for a limited amount of time (e.g. one minute): posters, slides or postcards of detailed artworks work well, or if available, original objects. After the time has elapsed cover the artwork and ask each team to describe the artwork in as much detail as possible, either verbally or in written form. The team with the most complete description wins the "ownership" of the work to add to their "art collection"; the team with the largest collection at the end of the game is declared the winner. This exercise helps to build visual memory and inspires students to look closely at the details of artworks.
In your responses to each section you are required to use art-relevant terms/vocabulary etc.
The orange words are hyperlinked to examples of each part of the process.
Describe Tell what you see. Talk about the subject, the medium and any information you have gotten from reading the Credit Line, if there is one. This is NOT the place to add your opinions. You must be objective, like a detective who is surveying the scene of a crime and writing down only what she sees
Analyse Here is the section where you will express your thoughts about what the message of the artwork is. What idea does this work represent? This section relies on your knowledge of the Elements Of Art and Principles of Design to articulate in an intelligent manner the information or clues you see in the work
Interpret Here you are invited to express your opinions about what you think the artist meant. Now you have the opportunity to discuss what this work means to you based on the EVIDENCE you have gathered from the first 2 steps.
Evaluate What do you think about this piece of work? Is it successful? Do you like it? You should be able to give some reasons as to why you like or do not like a work of art. Again, you must base this on the evidence as in the interpretation, giving reasons for your judgement.
Perceiving/Responding/Reflecting
• identify, describe, analyse, interpret, and make judgements about how ideas, thoughts, feelings, or messages are communicated in a variety of others' art works
• examine the tensions between public acceptance and personal expression in the art discipline being studied
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Have students:
• observe and respond to a number of artworks by well-known artists (examples from a variety of periods and styles might be used)
• discuss the messages and context for each artwork examined
• discuss the elements and principles of the disciplines and how they are used in each artwork to support the message or content
• relate the elements and principles of each discipline to the others
• select and research the background or context of artworks relating to a topic
• choose an artwork they feel exhibits excellence and then explain or defend their choice
• discuss artworks, relating the cultural context of the artists to the points of view they express in their works
• create an original work of art to address a chosen topic
• describe the importance of the safe and proper use of the media and tools needed to create their artwork
• practise the skills needed to produce an artwork
• refer to the work of historical or contemporary artists after making their own work, and have them analyse how and why they feel the chosen style is appropriate for their topic
• relate their own works to those of historical or contemporary artists and have them analyse those relationships
• record their personal ideas and reflections on the development process, their work in progress, and any works observed
• discuss the influence of their own culture, bias, and background on their own developing work
Suggested Assessment Strategies
• Have students use response sheets (Describe, Analyse, Interpret) to focus their observations of artworks by well-known artists and peers.
• Use self, peer, and teacher evaluation.
• Keep records of students' progress in a variety of ways (e.g., audio tapes, videos, anecdotal notes, portfolios).
• Assess students' contributions and commitment to individual and group experiences.
• Interview students about their arts experiences using Outcomes as guides. Assessment criteria may include whether students:
o relate class learning to their own work in progress and to completed works
o have learned about themselves, and the social or personal issues researched
o react appropriately to the work of others
o contribute to the collective effort of the group or class
o understand the connections among the arts and how they relate to social or personal issues
• Evaluate the same work at various stages of its development. Assessment criteria may include:
o a demonstration of increased technical skill
o the integration of personal expression with students' understanding of the elements and principles
o a demonstration of the development of ideas through creative problem solving
o originality
• Evaluate students' understanding of how context influences the artworks of themselves and others. Assessment criteria may include the extent to which students:
o are able to identify the points of view expressed in artworks
o make connections among knowledge of the artist, the artist's style, and the message of the work
o make reasoned guesses about an unknown artist from observation of their work
o demonstrate an awareness of personal biases and influences on their own work
• Evaluate students' documentation of their personal ideas and reflections. Assessment criteria may include the extent to which students:
o are able to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses
o reflect on the choices they made in their own works
o consider what makes a work successful or unsuccessful
Resources
http://www.brigantine.atlnet.org/GigapaletteGALLERY/websites/ARTiculationFinal/MainPages/ArtCritiquingMain.htm
http://www.educ.kent.edu/vlo/design/index.html
http://www.sanalmuze.org/arastirarakogrenmekeng/okuma_projesi.htm
