Artistic principles/ART101/Tasks
This learning challenge is made up of two parts.
Using any of the Art Resources links or any of your own choice, find a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional piece of art. Two possible images are:
- Image 1: John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark
- Image 2: Judy Pfaff’s Untitled
For each one, write four sentences describing the artistic principles present in the work. Do not refer to any subject matter and be objective in your descriptions.
Example: “The work makes an abundant use of pattern,” or “This work uses asymmetric balance in its composition.” For each work, also write one sentence that describes your subjective reaction to it. An example might be “The artwork has a dynamic feel to it” or “The scale in this work disorients me.”
Using the Art Resources or any other resources or links of your choice, objectively describe the two compositions and your subjective reaction to each of them.
- What kind of visual balance is used in each?
- How does the balance affect the composition?
- Explain how effective each work is in terms of unity and variety.
Example: “There is variety in the colors used, but they are mostly analogous to each other, and that creates a unity in the overall effect.”
Be specific and include any links or images that help support your answers. Your final work on this section of the learning challenge should be at least five or six paragraphs.
Using the Art Resources or any other links or resources, choose two works of art from two different cultures. They can be two or three-dimensional, or one of each. Compare and contrast the two works, using the artistic elements (line, shape, volume, space, value, color and texture) and principles (repetition, rhythm, scale, differences in visual balance, etc.) you’ve learned about in this learning pathway.
For example:
- What are the artistic elements and principles that are used in each? You can refer to the subject matter in each work, but focus mainly on objective comparisons.
- How do the compositions compare to each other? How are they similar? How are they different?
Feel free to do all of your work on your personal blog and share with others.
Whether or not you choose to share all of your work, share the Artistic Elements and Principles part of this challenge on the course topic discussion forum.
