Colour shape Line Mood

Artistic Elements: Exploring Art Through Descriptive Writing

Students will-Develop descriptive writing skills by using adjectives

and descriptive phrases

Identify and describe the artistic elements (i.e., lines, colours, shapes, mood) that are present in a piece of art

Create an artistic rendition that adheres to the specific artistic elements of an artist's work

W.A.L.T.

What is a description?When do we describe things?What are some of the reasons that we

describe things?

What kinds of words might you use to describe this room?

(Use these questions to initiate a review and discussion of description, describing words, and descriptive writing.)

Descriptive Language

The artist's name and the title of the drawing.

El Mar (The Sea)Microsoft PaintPaula C.Age 12Medellin,

Colombia

Begin with a class description of what you see in the piece of artwork. For example, you may comment on the shapes, size of objects, colouring, and lines.

Introduction Piece

After the class has briefly describes what they see in the art.

Now use the following questions to focus descriptions on the four artistic elements: colour, shape, line, and mood.

What kinds of colours do you see? Are they dark, light, bright?

Can you see any shapes in what the artist has drawn? Are they tall shapes? short shapes? large shapes? small shapes?

What are the lines like? Did the artist make squiggly lines? straight lines? thick lines? thin lines?

How does this painting make you feel when you look at it? Do you think the artist was happy when he or she drew this? Why or why not?

Focus on the Art

Now you are going to describe a piece of art on your own.

Write descriptions of a piece of artwork using descriptive language and paying attention to the artistic elements in the piece. Write multiple paragraphs on the various artistic elements.

Go to http://www.naturalchild.org/gallery/ or http://www.theartgallery.com.au/kidsart.html or use the ones I have selected.

Independent Practice

FlowerTaylor DakakeAge: 15Country: Russia

Distant Scene Oil pastel, Ankit K. S., Age 11, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Papaw Jessen as a BoyCharcoal pencil and gum eraserKyle J. O.Age 9Tennessee, USA

TulipSerene HalawaniMy name is Serene and I am 12 years old. I live in Sydney, Australia.I use a combination of pencil and water colours.

HouseInkS. Min L.Age 8Taichung, Taiwan

Once finished, exchange descriptions with a partner.

The partner reads the description carefully two or three times.

The partner then draws a picture (or sketch with labels) that matches the written description that he or she was given.

Students then compare the illustrations that they drew to the original artwork described in writing.

In the end…