Something+to+think+about+before+you+begin

Here are some things to help guide you what to look for when considering a piece of art (i.e. background for examining a piece to help you understand it and/or the artist).

Artistic Movement: noun; a group of artists who agree on general principles //(Dictionary.com)//


 * __Characteristics to look for in analyzing art:__**
 * 1. Skill- Demonstrating a level of creative expertise and technical tactics; exemplifying orginiality in their works**

Example: Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first to pioneer the use of shading to create three dimensional subjects. //The Mona Lisa, 1503-1506//


 * 2. Judgements of Value- Does the art mean something? What was the artist's motivation for creating the work? Is there emotional evokation? Does it convey a meaning or portray a historical event?**

Example: This work commemorates the death of [|General Wolfe] during the [|American Revolution] //The Death of General Wolfe//


 * 3. Communicating Emotion- expressing feelings with colors, people, etcetera**

Example: This Romanticist piece may be argued to evoke triumph. //Eugene Delacroix, Death of Sardanapalus, 1827//


 * 4. Creative Impulse- the artist's desire to create because of their surroundings, hardships, and status/political place in society, events of the past, or current events**

Example: This piece reflects the new ideals and abstract thinking of the time in the [|"Age of Anxiety"] (1920's). http://alliance.ed.uiuc.edu/cdrom/Hononegah/Theater/music_theater_art/image43.gif


 * 5. Symbols- finding ways to communicate ideas or feelings without the use of words**

Example: the halo or ring around the woman's head represents the presence of God // Christian Travelers Guide __ Back to Artistic Movements//