The goal of this Visual analysis assignment is to practice “slow looking” – that is, taking (a long) time to become familiar with a work of art–and to see through both your eye and your hand as you practice sketching the work of art.

Visual analysis assignment

The goal of this Visual analysis assignment is to practice “slow looking” – that is, taking (a long) time to become familiar with a work of art–and to see through both your eye and your hand as you practice sketching the work of art. You will write up your findings in a description of the work that is a close reading. You will develop the skill of formal analysis—which is a fundamental skill in art historical writing—of carefully describing and analyzing the form (shape, line, color, composition, etc.) of a work of art. You will develop your skill in formal analysis, a fundamental skill in art historical writing (as is revision).

Visual analysis assignment

Prompt: Visit the Riverside City College Quad Art Gallery Links to an external site., LACMA Links to an external site., Norton Simon Links to an external site., Museum of Latin American Art Links to an external site., or the Getty Museum Links to an external site., and select one object from the collections on display. It is important for the assignment that you select an object you are unfamiliar with when you view it in the museum. You should, however, record the information on the card next to the object (its title, place of origin, artist [if known], approximate date or period, material/medium, and accession number).

Visual analysis assignment

1. Turn OFF your phone’s transmitting capability (i.e., turn it to “airplane mode”); you should not look at the internet, texts, etc while completing this assignment. Have a notebook and pencil in hand. Write down the starting time of your “slow looking” and the time (forty-five minutes later) when you’ll be done. Then start LOOKING at the work of art. 2. Sketch the work. Tips: As you look, think, look, reflect, scrutinize, change positions, look again, observe patterns, make connections, let the artwork happen to you. Focus on a small corner; step back and catch it all at one glance. Associate: allow yourself to be reminded of other objects and visual experiences.

Visual analysis assignment

Look: look slowly, thoughtfully, carefully, look at everything. Your focus should be on looking and sketching more than writing notes; one-half page of jotted notes is fine. Your sketch should be an attempt to view and process your experience with images, not words. It does not need to be beautiful. It does not need to be perfect. It can be many different sketches, taken from different angles, focusing on details, and then zooming out to take in the whole. 3. Develop an argument or interpretation through the description. Develop a visual analysis of the object using concrete terms to describe it (ie. Do not simply say that Buddha’s expression is “peaceful.”

Visual analysis assignment

A more successful description would say how the Buddha’s expression communicates peace—downcast eyes, mask-like expression, relaxed muscles, subtle smile at the corners of the mouth, etc.) Having now spent quite a lot of time with the object, what do you think is interesting or confusing about it? Do you find anything particularly beautiful, disturbing, familiar, puzzling, etc., about it? One way you might think about organizing your description is to look and look and look until something seems weird to you. What stands out? What doesn’t make sense? Write an essay that describes the whole object analytically but that is structured around an answer to whatever it is that stands out to you.

Visual analysis assignment

The paper is meant to be an exercise in visual analysis, and you are expected to rely primarily on your reading of the work to make your argument. This means, of course, that the description may not take in to account the political, economic, or material conditions of the work’s production. The description may account for how the formal elements move the eye through the work or how the formal features make a particular reading of the work more plausible than another. Guidelines: The paper should be about 700 words; that is, no less than 600 and no more than 800.

Visual analysis assignment

The essay should be written in formal academic style, contain no grammatical or spelling mistakes, and must include a ‘Works Cited’ section with citations in Chicago style or MLA style. Turn in a picture of your sketch with your paper. This is a great resource if you need help with citation formats: https://owl.english.purdue.edu (Links to an external site.) Image citations include the artist, title, date, medium, dimensions, and current location. Make sure that your paper has a title, your name, and the date Double-space your text and number the pages Include a picture of your sketch Your Works Cited section should be in Chicago or MLA style.

Visual analysis assignment

You must be consistent with the style you choose. Turn in your paper in as a .doc or .docx. Other formats WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please refer to the rubric, which is available on Canvas, for the grade requirements of all papers for this course Make the filename of the document you submit your last name Rubric Paper 1 Paper 1 Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Visual Description Clear, logical, and concrete description of thee object that hones in on details to support topic sentences and conclusions. https://youtu.be/i-5VNlhPWeg

Visual analysis assignment

The arrangement or organizational elements moves logically with regard to the organization of the artwork itself or the line of thought in the essay. 15 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Development and Support Uses specific aesthetic details or citations of scholarly sources effectively; logical connections between ideas are evident 20 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Language uses sophisticated sentences effectively; usually chooses words aptly; observes professional conventions of written English and manuscript format; makes few minor or technical errors; concise, elegant, and clear authorial voice

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