Karl Blossfeldt: Critical study
Connector: What words can you use to describe
Blossfeldt’s work below:
detail
texture
Black and white
Unusual
pattern
growth
tone
delicate
natural
Bigger picture:
• Learning outcomes
• Key words
• Critical study discussion
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Content
Form
Process
Mood
Levelled outcome
• Recording answers- as groups
• Presentations
Learning outcomes
• Level 3
All: Will be able to give facts about the art work and artist
and basically describe it.
• Level 4
Most: will be able describe the work and explain the
processes and techniques the artist has used
• Level 5
Some: will be able to explain how the photograph makes
them feel and explain what they think the artist is trying to
explain through his work
Who was Karl Blossfeldt?
• Karl Blossfeldt was a
photographer, sculpter, teacher
and artist
• He mainly photographed
natural forms
• He lived between 1865 and
1932
• He was lived and worked in
Berlin in Germany
Key words
• Photograph
• picture produced using a
camera
• Magnify
• To make something look
larger than it is, especially
by looking at it through a
specially cut piece of glass
• Monochrome
• Using black white and grey
only
What was special about Karl Blossfeldt?
• He created his
photographs using a home
made camera.
• He magnified his natural
forms to up to 30 times
their original size.
• He was the 1st person to
be seen to link art and
science.
CRITICAL STUDIES
CONTENT
FORM
Introducing
the artwork.
Describing
the artwork.
MOOD
PROCESS
How does the art
work make you feel?
How was the
artwork made?
•Materials
•tecnniques
Title: Plate 22: Acer rufinerve.
(magnified 10 times)
CONTENT (Introduction to the piece of artwork)
1. What is the name of
the Artist?
2. What is the name of
the piece of art?
3. When was the artwork
made?
4. What is the main
subject of the art work
work?
CONTENT (Introduction to the piece of artwork)
1. The artist’s name is Karl
Blossfeldt
2. The name of the art work is;
Plate 22: Acer rufinerve
3.
The artwork was made in
1928
4. The subject of the art is a
magnified section of a plant.
FORM (Description of the piece of work)
5. In DETAIL, describe the main
subject in the photograph.
6. Explain whether the
photograph is realistic or
unrealistic, why?
7. What colours has the artist
used in the photograph and
why?
8. What area or areas of the
photograph do your eyes
first catch? Why?
FORM (Description of the 2d piece of work)
5. The main subject of the
photograph is a magnified
section of a plant. You can
see in the middle of the
photograph a stem with two
buds growing either side.
6. I think the picture is realistic
because it is a photograph
and a photograph represents
the apperence of an object
exactly.
FORM (Description of the piece of work)
7. The artist has used no colour in the
photograph only black white and
grey. This is because at the time
the photograph was printed colour
photography had not been
invented.
8. The areas which first catch my eye
are the two large buds either side
of the stem. This is because they
are in the middle of the
photograph and they show more
texture and detail than the rest of
the photograph.
PROCESS (The medium and technique)
9. What media did the
artist use to make the
artwork?
10. What technique did
the artist use to make
the artwork?
PROCESS ( The medium and technique)
9. The materials that the artist
used to create the
photograph would have
been, a camera, light and
photographic paper. The
photograph would have
been developed using
chemicals.
10. The technique the artist
used was photography. He
also magnified the subject
up to 30 times their actual
size.
MOOD ( How does the artwork make you feel?)
11. Do you like the artwork?
• If yes why?
• If no why not?
12. There are no colours in the
photographs that Karl Blossfeldt
took. How do black white and
grey make you feel?
13. Would you like to take a
photograph in the same style as
Karl Blossfeldt’s natural forms?
• If yes why?
• If no why not?
14. What natural form would you
choose to magnify and
photograph why?
MOOD ( How does the artwork make you feel?)
11. I do like the art work because it is simple
and beautiful. Because it is magnified I
really notice all the texture and detail of
the plant so I enjoy looking at it more.
12. The black white and grey tones in the
photograph I would usually find dull and
boring because I like bright colours. I
also think that natural things should look
colourful and cheerful. However, I think
just having a black , white and grey
colour scheme shows up more detail.
13. I would like to take a photograph in the
same style as Karl Blossfeldt because I
would like to magnify small objects to
see them in such great detail
Level: Critical Study- Mark you partners work
Level 5C: Full detailed sentences showing excellent
understanding of key Art words.
Level 4A: Sentences flow showing good
understanding of key Art words.
Level 4B: Sentences may not all flow but show
understanding of key Art words.
Level 4C: Sentences do not flow but show some
understanding of key Art words. There may be a
few spelling mistakes.
Level 3A: One worded answers or very disjointed
sentences with some spelling mistakes.
Set your partner 2 targets
(Discuss target ideas on your table)
They need to...
• Read and check my spellings and writing.
• Check my spellings against the key Art
word board.
• Make sure my sentences flow.
• Make sure I use full detailed sentences.
• Make sure I use key Art words
correctly.
• Make sure I use key Art words.
General Karl Blossfeldt questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
When did he live?
Where was he from?
What was special about the camera he used?
Where did Karl Blossfeldt travel during his career
and what did he collect?
5. What two subjects that you study at school did
Karl Blossfeldt link together?
Review
• Review quiz. Answer the questions to see if
you were paying attention to the other
groups!