the art process
I see...
Step
1
This first step is easy. When looking at art, IDENTIFY the name of the art and artist, the mediums used (materials), any figures, symbols, colors, shapes, line types that you see, try to notice everything without overthinking.
The plan is not to try to understand the art yet. As you do this more, look for deeper descriptive details.
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i.e. Instead of just identifying a woman in a painting, try describing her ethnicity, outfit, facial expression, color of her hair, etc.
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If you have a more extensive arts vocabulary begin identifying elements and principles of design.
elements: line, space, shape, form, color, value, texture color
principles of design: contrast, emphasis, pattern, rhythm, movement, unity, balance.
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artwork:
Narsiso Martinez, Cara Cara, 2021
(click here for more about the artist)
Charcoal on Found Cardboard
I see...
an example of how it works
Example of what you might see in this art:
a. orange/ cream colored cardboard box with "Cara Cara Oranges" label
b. Branding Image of woman holding half an orange
c. Woman is wearing a pink shirt and green skirt
e. I see a farmworker showing his/her weathered hands
f. I see a picking basket around their neck
g. I see yellow, red, and green bell peppers in the basket
h. I see the farmworker is drawn in black and white
i. I see the farm worker's face is hidden in the darkness
j. I see tree leaves casting a shadow on the person
k. I see that the artist's name is Narsiso Martinez
l. I see that Narsiso named the artwork "Cara Cara"
m. The drawing is made with charcoal
n. It is a drawing of framework drawn on a cardboard box that holds the farmed fruits and vegetables.
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Notice:
Notice how with this initial process, we are not attempting to discover the artwork's meaning. We are simply collecting evidence.
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Think of it as the way we listen to a song the very first time. We don't usually know exactly what the song is about, we mostly listen to the melody, the rhythm, the vibe. Stringing words into sentences and phrases happens the second, third, and fourth time we listen to it.
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Another way to think of it is the crime scene investigator. When arriving to a scene, the expert doesn't jump to conclusions. They first collect as much evidence possible before they can connect the dots and derive any theories about what happened at the scene of the crime.
As the listener of visual music, just listen to the vibe. As the crime scene investigator, collect evidence first.
