CHAPTER 4 DERIVING MEANING
Goals and Objectives:
To explore the various ways artists and architects visually present ideas in their works and the way the audience understands these messages (based on the works of art presented in Chapter 4). In this chapter, we will see that human beings derive meaning in four basic ways:
We analyze works formally.
We study their content.
We learn about the context in which they were created.
We look at the ways that we encounter them to see how that affects their meaning.
Reading:
Carefully read Chapter 4, paying close attention to the works of art used as examples of the concepts covered in the chapter.
Assignment Instructions:
Note: This chapter explains different types of Art Criticism.
Choose two of the following concepts covered in this chapter to use as your titles for each of the two analyses required for this chapter. Each analysis must address a specific, different concept and students must demonstrate understanding of how their selected works of art clearly illustrate the chosen specific concepts, repeated before each of the analysis required:
“Formal Analysis,” which examines the artist’s use of the Art Elements and/or Design Principles addressed in Chapter 2, to communicate meaning, ideas, and emotions.
“Content Analysis” examines an artwork’s themes or messages, conveyed primarily through subject matter, symbolism, and/or iconographic references.
“Historical Analysis” examines the ways in which historical context and physical surroundings are important in art criticism.
We can understand the messages in a work of art by examining what has been written about the work.
You must repeat the topic or specific concept assigned at the beginning of each of your analyses.
Using your own words, explain how your selected artwork embodies the concept you selected, and repeated as your title for each analysis. Describe specific details, both obvious and subtle, from within the artwork image to support your comments.
Explain how at least one of the Art Elements and/or Design Principles (explained chapter 2) were used by the artist/s to help convey meaning to viewers. For example, how would a black and white photograph impact the ways in which viewers understand the artist’s intentions? Why would one use black and white in any work of art, as opposed to full color?
Important Notice:You must explain how at least one of the art terms (which you explained in your Chapter 2 assignment) functions within, and is used by, the artist/s to help convey meaning to the viewer in each future analysis in order to earn full credit.
Note: Students mustunderlinethe specific term/s used in each analysis.
A “Personal Responses” paragraph should follow each analysis, where you express your personal reactions to, perceptions of, and insights into each selected work of art. Answer the questions, for example:
How does the work make you feel?
What are you reminded of?
What do you think were the intentions of the artist/s?
What value is the work to viewers?
Please follow the same formatting illustrated in the “Exemplary Student Examples” in order to fulfill all requirements and earn the most points possible. Also, use the “Guidelines for Writing about Art” document to help elaborate each analysis, and make sure you describe not only the obvious but also the subtle details in each work which support your analyses in order to meet the minimum requirement of 10 sentences for the analysis portion of the assignment.
Use the grading rubric provided for this assignment as your guidelines and review the Exemplary Student Examples in order to develop an in depth response and earn the most points possible for your efforts. Each analysis portion of this chapter assignment must meet the minimum requirement of 10 sentences, excluding your personal responses, reactions, perceptions, insights, etc. for each artwork image you select for analysis.
The titles of all works of art of must be in italics or quotation marks. Give the title of the artwork and either the artist’s name (or the name of the culture in which the art was produced if there is no artist name). Information about each image in our textbook can be found in the credit lines next to the images in the textbook.
GRADING RUBRIC – WRITTEN CHAPTER ASSIGNMENTS:
6.5 points- Student has repeated the concept before every analysis, used correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar and has placed all titles into italics or “quotes” (if handwritten).
15 points- Student’s analysis illustrates, in their own words, in depth understanding and synthesis of the reading material with regard to specific, selected concepts for each analysis.
9 points- Student described specific details, both obvious and subtle, from within the image/ artwork to support their comments
10 points- Student explained how at least one of the formal Art Elements (Line, Color, Shape/s, Texture, Contrast, and Space) and/or the Design Principles (Balance, Rhythm, Proportion, Emphasis, implied Motion, Time, and Scale) are used in each artwork to help convey meaning to the viewers.
13 points- Student’s analysis (1st paragraph) meets minimum requirement of ten sentences per analysis, in addition to their “Personal Response” paragraph/s which must follow each analysis. Repeated concepts and titles of analysis are not counted toward this minimum requirement
12.5 points- Student expressed, in one separate paragraph labeled “Personal Responses” for each artwork selected, in depth personal responses to, perceptions of, and insights into the piece. A “Personal Response” follows each and every analysis (see examples).
TOTAL: 65 points
Assignments with excessive spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors will receive zero points and will not be returned to students for revision or editing. Students earn zero points for copying or rearranging (plagiarizing) the textbook authors’ or any authors adjectives, words, phrases, sentences, etc., and, at the instructor’s discretion, an “F” for the course.

Note: Remember, every artwork analysis must explain the work in light of one specific different concept, repeated/used as titles for assignment analyses.
Attachments:

assignment_instructor_3.docx