Instructions

Welcome to ArtSpeak. ArtSpeak 101 comes in two parts: 1) Learning the Terms and 2) Learning to Look. If you already know your art terms, move on to the second part, Learning to Look.

Part One - Learning the Terms
This first activity can be done individually or in groups.

1. Look through the collection of groupings on the Visual Glossary page. It will look something like this:
   
   

Color   How do you think color is used to create special effects? Petunias Georgia O'Keeffe "L'Algerienne" Pierre-Auguste Renoir May 26 Backwards Helen Frankenthaler



2. Look closely at one of these groupings. You may choose your own or have it assigned.
   
   
3. Read the question above the three paintings for your term.
   
   
4. When you're ready, click on a picture or its title to go to a larger version.
   
   
5. Look at each of the three works with your topic's question in mind.
   
   
6. Give yourself at least three - five minutes to look at each work.
   
   
7. You can take notes or remember the answers you find to the question for each painting.
   
   
8. Use your answers for the three different paintings to come up with one general answer for the technique.
   
   
9. Be prepared to share your answer with your class and to support your opinion with examples from the artworks.

Part Two - Learning to Look
In this activity, you'll use the wording of the visual art world to describe a painting of your choice. You'll have to know your art terms. If you're a little fuzzy on them, go back to the Visual Glossary activity above. If you only need a reminder, you can use the linked terms in the right column to go to the Visual Glossary that gives examples and definitions for each term.

1. Explore the six paintings and select the one that you want to describe.
   
   
2. Select the painting by clicking in its checkbox It will look something like this:
   
   

   The Starry Night Vincent van Gogh (hint?)

   The Persistence of Memory Salvador Dalí (hint?)

   The Terms Balance Color Contrast Line Rhythm Shape & Form Symmetry

   
   
   
3. Look long and hard at your selected painting. Feel free to use the Seeing Questions to help you.
   
   
4. Then, in your very best in "ArtSpeak," describe all that you find interesting in the painting. Make sure to show that you have looked closely and thought about what you've seen. It might help you to read examples of ArtSpeak at the beginning, middle, and advanced levels. Also, you can use a feedback rubric to see how you and others can evaluate your work.
   
   
5. Finally, type your ArtSpeak into the text field at the bottom of the page and then click the "Post my ArtSpeak" button.
   
   
6. The artwork you chose and your analysis will then pop open in a new browser window. You can either print out this page, use it to show other people, make a presentation, or save it as an HTML document, all to show your mastery of the words of art. (Remember, your new pop-up page isn't saved anywhere.