Name____________________ Class __________
Answer key
READING REVIEW: THE ELEMENTS AND
PRINCIPLES OF ART
2. The sky at the top of the picture is very curvy, and much of the flow is directed into the focal point, a large central spiral.
These contrast with the longer, darker lines of the cypress tree in the foreground and the short, sharp angular lines that make
up the houses at the bottom. The thick, angular lines of the houses give them a three-dimensional look. The smaller trees at the
bottom have light, fluffy curves that suggest foliage.
3. Since the night sky takes up two thirds of the painting, one can imagine it is what van Gogh focused on as he looked out
his hospital window. The curves of the sky are long, dramatic, and expansive but are also full of fragmented brushstrokes that
suggest turbulence and a troubled spirit. The dark, organic lines of the cypress tree in the foreground might suggest a sinister,
looming presence. The cool, blue color scheme could bring to mind feelings of loneliness and isolation, while the bright-yellow
areas could suggest glimmers of hope.
4. Dürer’s clothes in his self-portrait are primarily made up of brownish earth colors, suggesting that he may live in a rural
area. The clothes look slightly worn, as if he has been wearing them for quite some time. The black stripes of the hat match
the stripes elsewhere in the clothes, making this a very uniform outfit. The gloves are leathery and in shadow, suggesting that
Dürer may be fidgeting with his hands as he ponders something mysterious. The textures on Kahlo’s dress in her portrait are
much lighter and more fanciful. The ornaments on her dress are designed with elaborate weavings of flowers, which makes it
a more celebratory outfit than Dürer’s. The red rim around the opening for her head contrasts with the color in the rest of the
dress, creating tension.
5. Kahlo’s sad expression contrasts with her bright, fanciful gown. Her tied-back hair and tearful eyes show that she is
emotionally uncomfortable in her ornamented outfit. The way that it covers the rest of her body shows that she may feel
constrained or trapped by her attire.
6. Marilyn Monroe is a subject of glamour, and Warhol uses vibrant colors to make her appearance all the more striking.
However, the colors he uses are unnaturally vivid, giving her appearance an overly saturated, sickening effect. There is deep
contrast between the complementary blue and red set against the bright-yellow glow of her hair.
7. The bluish-green color scheme that Klee uses is reminiscent of the ocean. The grid is broken up into different rows of
gradients that bring to mind the motion and changing nature of the ocean. The boater sits on an organic curve separating the
sky from the water. Klee uses his lightest values to show us where the sun is hitting the water.
8. Answers will vary.
9. If The Old Guitarist were painted in red, it would have a much different energy. Red is the most intense of the warm colors,
and it would make the picture look warmer and much more fiery. It might also suggest a feeling of anger and rage instead of
solitude and loneliness.
10. There is much to this painting that tells us it is part of a dream landscape. The melting clocks hanging from the tree
and furniture are clearly a product of fantasy. The large, flat plane emerging from the earth in the background is unusual.
The morphed figure in the center resembles a face, but it is much too distorted to be something from real life. By using a
foreground, a middle ground, and a background, Dalí is inviting us to enter his three-dimensional dreamworld. It makes his
Surrealism have more of an impact.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012/grades 7-12 skills sheet
Uses: copying machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants teacher-subscribers of Scholastic Art permission to reproduce this page for use in their classrooms. © 2012 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
1. Van Gogh used many interconnected spirals to create the effect of a windy night sky. Shorter, choppier lines are arranged in
a circular shape to give the effect of light emanating from the stars. The succession of light to dark values makes the effect of
these glowing stars more powerful. Lighter and darker lines break up the sky into different areas of value, suggesting the windy
effect of clouds in the night sky.
Name____________________ Class __________
Answer key
SOLVE THIS ISSUE!
Use the September/October 2012 issue of Scholastic Art to help you solve the crossword puzzle.
ACROSS
2. drip
6. complementary
7. Blue
8. hue
9. Grid
10. swirling
13. Fuji
Answer key
DOWN
1. value
3. Pop
4. texture
5. background
6. collages
11. impasto
12. graffiti
COMPREHENSION QUIZ
Read the questions below and circle the correct answer.
1. c
2. a
3. c
4. b
5. d
6. d
7. b
8. c
9. a
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012/grades 7-12 skills sheet
10 b