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200-Level Art: Perception and Notation (Writing-Intensive)
LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF ART
I think that it's important for students to know
how to write in their discipline. I've changed this assignment four or
five times over the semesters to refine it to get the students to
write in different ways.--Lecturer Laura Ruby
Using the vocabulary of art helped me to add
details to my descriptions and understand the concepts of my
discipline. -- Student
COURSE GOALS
The goals of the course are to teach the
language of the discipline, the course content (light logic,
color, mood, shadow and emotional tone), and writing skills. |
WRITING ACTIVITIES
1. PARALLEL ART
REVIEWS
Students are required to attend an art event
in town (i.e. art exhibition, music concert, play, dance concert,
film, or any other event approved by the instructor). They then
write two three-page essays, describing the event in terms of
light, mood, shadow, and color, while analyzing the event's visual
elements and compositional structure. Students are to write the
first essay addressed to someone who has not been to the art event
and who is not familiar with art events in general, perhaps a
cousin or a pen pal. Reviewing the same event, students are to
write a second essay using common art language, characterizing the
lighting and color relationships used in the art event. |
The
assignment takes the language of the course and applies it to some
experience outside the classroom. I think it is important that
students learn to analyze things outside the University setting.
--Lecturer Laura Ruby
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In order to fulfill
the demands of this writing assignment, students are asked to:
- do freewriting after visiting the event
to discover areas of interest, form ideas, organize field
notes, and produce some sort of text with which to begin
drafting;
- compose parallel drafts using the same
subjects but different audiences;
- receive peer and teacher feedback on
drafts before composing a final draft; and
- respond to other student texts in the
setting of small groups.
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The
"On the Town" assignment was fun. We got to go out into
the community, see an art event, and get credit for it.--Student |
| PURPOSE:
The purpose of this assignment is to foster
student writing, to give students a working knowledge of art
terminology, and to get students to think and write like artists.
This writing assignment links many writing activities into one
project. The assignment presents an opportunity for students to
engage in activities in their field of study. The use of parallel
drafts enables students to see the differences between specialized
and non-specialized language and forms.
|
Doing the drafts helped me to
practice writing (and clean it up) before turning it in for a
grade.--Student |
| 2.
JOURNALS
Students are required to maintain journals
throughout the semester. Topics for journals include light logic,
shadow, value, and color as well as definitions of important art
terms. Some journal entries require multiple drafts, while others
incorporate artwork with written text. All journal assignments
require students to use and grapple with art terminology, and all
journal entries correspond with lectures, student artwork, or
other written assignments, allowing students to explore or reflect
on course content. Students are responsible for a journal
presentation at the end of the semester, recapping a term's worth
of entries addressed to self and peers. Also, students learn and
explore new and important art terms each week. |
This assignment changed the way I will view
an art event in the future. Instead of viewing for entertainment
only, I now look at the creator's intent as far as color, mood,
shadow, and light is concerned.--Student |
| PURPOSE:
These journals in part serve as a prelude to
the "in town" essays:
- the concepts explored and articulated in
the journals are the same concepts students will be describing
and reviewing in the essays;
- the journals afford students an
opportunity to practice writing; and
- topics for the "in town" essays
are taken from the journals.
|
Doing
this writing assignment has given me confidence in
writing.--Student |
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