Tech Talk about Paintings—40pts
Assignment
Choose a painting from The Webmuseum (link to it from the HUM 210 Related Sites
page). Discuss the painting in terms of its design elements using the vocabulary list
below as well as the vocab we study in class. Also include your interpretation of the
painting. Use the writing examples below as a guide for your own writing. Please make
the vocabulary words that you use bold when you type your paper.
This paper will be 2½ pages long, typed using 12 pt. font, with correct grammar,
spelling, sentence construction, and punctuation (see rubric below).
Writing Examples (Brief Excerpts from)
Grant Wood’s The Perfectionist (A)
What I noticed first of all about The Perfectionist was the title and the pose of the
woman. I wondered why he thought that the woman was a perfectionist and how I was
supposed to figure that out. But as I looked at the details, I saw lots of interesting ways
Grant Wood used the elements of design to make his painting embody the title……...
Then we see that contrast is used between the blue of the woman's dress and the
surrounding curtains, that is, contrast between the cool blue and the warm beige. But
Wood uses color and value to turn the woman's skin into the color of the curtains.
Next, Wood demonstrates his sense of balance by putting the curtains on both sides of
the woman. But they are placed very close to her all around so that they sort of trap her
in. There is also the symmetry and repetition of the pattern in the curtains. Similarly,
a pattern is used in the woman's hairdo. A regular pattern is used in her blue dress.
Add to this, that use of the curtain color in the woman's skin and I got an idea……..
The curtains represent how the woman is trapped in her perfectionism. The contrast
between her dress and collar are like the contrast between the curtain, so the collar
looks like it's choking her. Also variations of repeated patterns from the curtain are
used in the woman. They close in on her, they color her, they (and her perfectionism)
seem to almost torture the woman. The look of her brow is more worried than scolding
like you'd expect a perfectionist to be. So at first I thought about how perfectionist
people can be so hard to live with, but after looking closer at Grant Wood's painting, I
think he's showing us how hard it is for people who are perfectionists to live with
themselves.
Vincent Van Gogh’s Self Portrait (B)
This painting by Vincent van Gogh is a very unusual portrait. It is almost startling the
way the artist's face jumps out at the viewer. The warm colors of yellow and orange in
the face contrast sharply with the cool background and jacket. One can’t help but look
more closely at the face, with those warm colors. However, even though the yellow face
with highlights of light green catches the viewer’s attention, the most arresting feature
are the eyes. The color in his eyes links with the cool background color, which swirls in a
rhythmic pattern very close to the head. They look directly out of the painting at the
viewer, but from a sideways glance. This, along with the green highlights on the face,
gives a threatening or cramped feeling. It is clear that that van Gogh used variations
and contrasts in color, texture, and rhythm to make a complex statement about how
satisfying, but scary, it might be for an artist to rebel against what's considered
normal….
The knit of the heavy brow adds to a look that suggests strength or rebellion. This
unusual choice of facial colors supports the idea that van Gogh is making a rebellious
statement. But rebellion about what?….
As one moves the eye from the face, it will flow down the white path of the shirt to the
artist's palette. The tactile textured dabs of paint on the palette seem like the most
realistic parts of the painting. Perhaps it is in the world of art that van Gogh sees himself
as a rebel. But instead of showing off about this, van Gogh seems nervous about it....
Tech Talk Rubric
Ratings
A 9-10
B 8
C 7
Number of
Elements
Discussion
6 or more correctly
identified
5 elements
correctly identified
3-4 elements
correctly identified
1-2 elements correctly
identified
Shows complete
understanding of
terms and
techniques
Shows some
understanding of
terms and
techniques
Shows little or no
understanding of terms
and techniques
Interpretation
Interprets the
elements as it goes,
to build a supported
analysis
Shows a good but
not complete
understanding of
terms and
techniques
Offers at least a final
interpretation which
is tied to some or all
of the elements
Offers a final
interpretation but is
not tied to elements
No interpretation
Written
Expression
A well-crafted
paper that
persuasively argues
its case. No writing
errors
A solid paper
that shows care in
writing. Minor writing
errors
Brief, but clearly
written. Many errors
but they do not
hinder reader
Sentence problems,
misspelled words,
punctuation errors,
etc. which make paper
hard to read
36-40 = A 32-35 = B 28-31 = C 24-27 = D
23 = F
D 6
Vocabulary List (Partial)
This is for your use to take notes as we explore the terms more fully in class lectures
Color (note—you cannot simply use the word color; you must describe it, such as warm, cold,
shade, tint, etc.)
Visual sensation dependent on the reflection or absorption of light from a given surface.
Terms used to talk about color can include warm, cool, value, intensity, shade, tint, as well
as others.
Line
An identifiable path of a point moving in space. It can vary in width, direction, and length.
Value
Light and dark; the gradations of light and dark on the surface of objects.
Shape
A two-dimensional area or plane that may be organic or geometric.
Symmetry
A balance in which elements are alike and will appear to demand one another, like a seesaw.
Asymmetry
A balance achieved through the use of unequal parts or elements.
Texture
The surface quality of material, either actual (tactile) or visual.
Contrast
Use of opposites in close proximity (light and dark, rough and smooth, organic and
geometric, etc.).
Rhythm
The regular repetition of particular forms or stresses such as line or shape/form
Theme and Variation
Some dominant design feature repeated with variations to give the work its dominant
Character such as shapes or lines.
Others—(notes from in class lectures)