Deliverable – Discussion 3: Explore Diverse Art (Formal Analysis)

Deborah Butterfield, Rory, 1992, Assemblage

Overview

The
way an artist manipulates form (medium, visual elements, design
principles) in a work of art directly impacts the content, or how the
work is understood by the viewer. Moreover, great masters such as
Donatello, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh often pushed the boundaries
of materials to explore creative approaches that were very different
from prevailing trends.

Many artists after World War II also
became disenchanted with conventional approaches to making art. They
couldn’t see themselves painting something as banal as a vase of flowers
or a reclining nude after witnessing the atomic bomb, global
destruction, and the death of millions during the Holocaust. As a
result, artists began to look for new materials and approaches to help
them celebrate their personal identity and better express how they felt
about the world. New content called for a new expressive approach.

Assemblage

Assemblage
was the most important new approach, but it was not a medium in the
traditional sense. Assemblage artists work extensively with found,
recycled, and discarded materials. Pablo Picasso, Joseph Cornell, Robert
Rauschenberg, Bruce Conner, Betye Saar, and Edward Kienholz, among
others, are all notable artists who worked in Assemblage.

To help inform your Discussion post, please watch this short video about Assemblage:

Your Assignment

In this Discussion, you will write and post a 550-750 word Formal Analysis (also referred to as Visual Analysis) in which you describe and examine the form of a work of art, especially what the medium and composition contribute to its visual power and meaning. Learning how to correctly write a Formal Analysis is a key skill you will develop during this course.

This is not a research paper, but is a paper based on your own observations and original thought. I
want you to learn to write about art because it forces you to think
critically about what you see, what is visually evident, then examine
your thoughts and articulate them clearly. Clear writing issues from
clear thinking!

This Discussion is worth 100 points. Please read the instructions and Grading Rubric before you begin.

Due Date

• Your first post to this Discussion is due by Sunday, March 13 at 11:59 p.m.
• Your responses to posts by at least two different classmates are due by Sunday, March 20 at 11:59 p.m.

You must post in the Discussion before you can read your classmates’ posts.

Instructions and Grading Criteria

Before you begin, be
sure to review the entire weekly module to better understand the Formal
Analysis process. Take notes as you watch each of the videos, and
carefully read the entire written commentary on each page in the module.
If you are not clear about any of the concepts, or if you are unsure
about how to complete this assignment, don’t hesitate to contact me via
Canvas Inbox and I will help you.

To earn a high grade, I expect you to correctly apply concepts and terminology from the readings and videos. In addition, you are required to support your key points with frequent observations of the work of art.

For more help, refer to this Guide to the Visual Elements and Principles of Design

Important! Approach
this discussion as you would if you were writing a college paper. In
other words, don’t just start writing in the discussion board without
having a plan. I recommend that you open a Word document and write a
polished 550-750 word paper, then copy and paste this into your
discussion post.

Step One: Select an Artist (listed below)

In
each of the images listed at the bottom of this page, the artist has
used materials in a unique way that makes a powerful visual statement.

Before you make your selection or write your post, scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and review all
the images and linked content and videos. As you review the content,
take notes. Then select a work of art that you find engaging or that
piques your curiosity. Write about the work of art because you care.

Step Two: Post in the Class Discussion

Your post is worth 80 possible points

After you select a work of art, write and post a 550-750 word Formal Analysis (Visual Analysis) in which you describe and examine the form
of the work of art, especially what the medium, visual elements, and
principles of design contribute to its visual power and meaning. Organize your analysis into four paragraphs, listed below, and follow the instructions. Although not required, it may be helpful to use headings.

At the beginning of each paragraph, write a concise topic sentence that
clearly states what the paragraph is about. This topic sentence will
help frame the controlling argument for each paragraph and will help
your reader follow your key ideas.

Paragraph One: Description of Subject

This paragraph should be between 150-200 words

Post an image of the work of art you are writing about.

In
your topic sentence, clearly state the subject and/or identify the main
issue, key theme, or narrative (story) the artist is working with. Do
this in one sentence. Please note that in non-objective works, the
primary subject can often be found among the visual elements or design
principles (e.g. color, scale, etc.).

For example: “The Thinker, by French artist Auguste Rodin, is a sculpture of a pensive, yet powerful, male nude.”

Next, describe the overall work as you would to someone who hasn?t seen it.
Paint a detailed picture with words. Your description should be so
clear and specific that the reader can imagine the work of art in their
mind as they read. Do not simply list what you see, but thoroughly
describe the different areas of the work. Use lots of adjectives and
avoid naming. Move from general to specific observations. If human
figures are represented, describe their most dominant characteristics,
including expressions, poses, gestures and how they are placed in
relation to one another.

Remember, this is an opening paragraph and you can go into more depth about the medium in the second paragraph.

Paragraph Two: Medium and Materials

This paragraph should be between 150-200 words.

In
your topic sentence, summarize the artist’s unique approach to using
their medium and materials to create their work. Do this in one
sentence. Remember that this paragraph is about the physical process of
making the work and not the visual elements or design principles.

For example: “Rodin’s expressive approach to modeling his sculpture makes the subject feel more human.”

Next,
describe this unique approach in detail, and explain how it impacts, or
is integral to, the viewer’s experience of the work. What
is the artist trying to say or express by doing it this way? In other
words, explain how this approach reinforces the message, theme, or
narrative (story) in the work and contributes to making a powerful visual statement.

You must include 2-3 specific supporting observations from your chosen
art object. Each sentence must be clear and descriptive.

Paragraph Three: Composition

This paragraph should be between 150-200 words.

In your topic sentence, clearly state the most dominant visual element or principle of design used to compose the work. Do this in one sentence. Please refer to this helpful Guide to the Visual Elements and Principles of Design.

For example:
“Rodin’s exaggeration of the proportions of the hands and feet make the
figure seem physically powerful when seen from below.” (In this example, “proportion” is a principle of design.)

Next, describe in rich detail how the artist used this specific visual element or principle of design to organize the work of art. How
did the artist’s use of this element or principle underpin the
composition and/or become an integral part of what the artist was trying
to say or express? In other words, explain how it reinforces the
message, theme, or narrative (story) in the work and contributes to making a powerful visual statement.

You must include 2-3 specific supporting observations from your chosen
art object. Each sentence must be clear and descriptive.

Paragraph Four: Evaluation

This paragraph should be between 100-150 words

In your topic sentence, briefly summarize whether or not you think the work of art was effective or successful, and why. Do
this in one sentence. After writing the previous three paragraphs, you
should be better able to interpret and understand the work of art.

For example: “In The Thinker, Rodin successfully depicts a man who thinks deeply, yet has the physical power to act.”

Next, analyze your own reaction to the work of art and evaluate its effectiveness in more detail. You will explain the reasons why you think the work is successful and support your reasoning with 2-3 direct references to the work of art you selected.

You may wish to consider the following:

• What initial ideas or feelings come to mind after experiencing the work of art?
• Do you identify with the work? Based on your life experiences, is it personally relevant to you?
• What is it about the work of art that you like the most? The message? The way it was made or composed?
• Are you engaged by the formal characteristics, such as the way the artist used light, color, texture, space, scale, etc?
• Do you think your experience of the work is the same as what the artist intended?