Mini Saga

 (This activity compliments of Dr. Marilyn Stewart)

When looking at a work of art, investigate it thoughtfully, looking at the detail, subject, materials, space, ect.

Next write a story (an epic tale) about how the work came to be in exactly ___ words.

Some themes for the saga might be…

-how did it get to where it is?

-how it was made?

-why it was made?

-who it is of?

-how it affects our life?

The "Art" of Poetry

Select an grade level appropriate poetry style and have students write a poem or riddle that explains what the work is about.

Some poem styles to choose from might be…

Acrostic:

                Use the name in the artwork or artist to tell the reader more about it / him or her.

                Ex.  based on Georgia O’Keefe

                                Girl painting in the desert

                                Enlarged and Exaggerated

                                Opening of a flower

                                Ripe

                                Gross bones no more

                                In full bloom

                                Abstracts of nature

Alphabet:

Write a word or statement, or descriptor, for each letter of the alphabet, based on a work of art. 

*This could make a great art making lesson where each letter is translated into a page of an alphabet book based on the artist or artwork.

EX. based on Roy Lichtenstein’s "Mermaid"

Photo taken by Michele Comp: Storm King, 2014

                A shore it sits

                Boat out of water

                Colors glistening

                Dancing on the water

                Eager to swim away …

Cinquain:

Looking at a work of art or a body of work describe and interpret it using the five line cinquain poem format…

Title (noun) - 1 word 
Description - 2 words 
Action - 3 words 
Feeling (phrase) - 4 words 
Title (synonym for the title) - 1 word

Ex. based on the sweet treats of Wayne Thiebaud

Bakery

Sweet Delicious

Timing Tempting Tasting

Melts in your mouth

Cakes

Senses:

Looking at a work of art or a body of work describe and interpret it though the 5 senses describing what it looks like, feels like, sounds like, smells like, and tastes like.

Ex. Based on Rene Magrittes “The Postcard”

                The Postcard looks like a gloomy shadow cast over a dull mountain landscape

                The Postcard feels like clammy hands in my pockets

                The Postcard sounds like an eerily still day only hearing the ringing of my own ears

                The Postcard smells like sweet like apple

                The Postcard tastes like the dry inside of my mouth

Explorer Poems:

Inspired by “In 1492…” students will write their own poems using rhyming to explore a work of art.

Ex. Based on Hanri Matisse's "Harmony in Red"

In 1908 a woman did not stay up late

early to bed early to rise,  setting the table each fruit by size

Trees of white, chair in the light

Prepared in advance, so that she might be able to dance.

Photo compliments of: http://www.wikiart.org/en/henri-matisse/harmony-in-red-1908

Shape Poems:

Looking at a work of art describe and interpret it though  a simple shape. For example if looking at Munch’s “The Scream” one might write around the head, hands, and body describing the emotion, feeling, and meaning of the painting.

These poem forms and more, fit for elementary students can be found at Poetry for Kids: http://www.kathimitchell.com/poemtypes.html

Making “Sense” of Art

While looking at a work of art or a body of work have students connect the work to their 5 senses.


 This could be done on a note card, handout, or on a device. Have students write what the artwork looks, smells, sounds, tastes, and feels like or if you wish have the students pretend they are the artwork and write what they see, smell, hear, taste, and feel.

For this one I used the ArtSet App.

Original photograph from: http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/de-saint-phalle.shtml

Art in the Classifieds

                

Students will write a classified add to sell a work of. The add can old be 20 words long, so students will have to edit and think carefully about what words will best describe the painting/ work of art.

This could be great for studying art of function, pottery, or art collections. 

Post Card Interpretation

Photocard or another post card app (or traditional postcards) have students write a postcard describing and interpreting the work.

The writer could write as themselves telling a friend about a work they saw or write as if they are the artist telling someone about their work.

The recipient should share a postcard back highlighting personal connections, wondering, and questions that they have to what the friend/artist who shared.

In creating the initial postcard the student should make the work the image on the card. The return postcard could have an artwork that the recipient creates in response to the original work, a new work that somehow relates, or a close up of something in the artwork that stood out to them.