ARTH 110_01: Intro to the Arts of Asia
PODCAST PROJECT: ASSIGNMENT #1
D U E 9/22 in class
Trout Gallery Object: Initial Description
You must write at least one paragraph, ~200 words
Begin by identifying the object by what is known: title, country/culture, date/period, medium, &
materials.
This beginning assignment is quite simple. From the image/s I sent you, CAREFULLY examine
the object that you have chosen and describe it as completely as you can.
As you begin your observation, assume that your reader does not have access to the
work/image—describe it, pretending that your reader cannot see what you see. In a visual
analysis, always assume that nothing is too obvious to be stated. For instance: “The vessel is
made of bronze. It stands on four legs and is square in form with two upright handles at the
rim.”
If something about your image appears particularly striking to you, you may start with that—with
what you notice first. As I mentioned in class, our eye is usually drawn to the most important or
significant part of a work, and that is often deliberate. Begin with what you see, and then fill in
the rest by answering pertinent questions below.
If there is nothing particularly striking to you, you may begin by describing the object in a more
standard way. The following are some questions to help guide you through a thorough
description:
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What is your work? Is it a statue, print, small sculpture, screen, etc.?
What materials is it made from?
Does it appear to be large or small?
Does it appear heavy or light?
Does it appear sturdy/solid or fragile?
Is painted, or does it retain the color of its medium (the materials from which it is made)?
What is the content of the image? Is there a pictorial rendering on it? If it is a figure or
has a figure, what is it/are they doing?
Describe the setting, if there is a scene depicted.
Describe the composition (layout or organization of the work):
o Is there a lot happening? Is it rather simple?
o If there is scene depicted, is it closely focused on an individual or is it a distance
view?
o What is in focus, what is out of focus?
o What, if anything, is cut off by the edges?
o What is your point of view?
o If there is a scene depicted, are you positioned at eye level, above or below the
subject?
Is the object true to life or exaggerated? Ex.: if you are looking at a figure, is it
naturalistically rendered? What features are exaggerated or out of proportion?
Your last paragraphs should discuss the general effect of the image. What ‘message’ is
conveyed by the image? What particular characteristics of the object are emphasized?