Sort of a freshman year in art school condensed into one hour.

1. Using the Language of Composition
to Discuss and Understand Art

2. “Ok, everybody- it’s time for critique”.

5. What do artist talk about when they
critique each other?
• Process and materials
• Composition and color
• Content
• Precedent
• Interaction

6. Process
• How was the piece made?
• What is it made from?
• What kind of surface does it have?
• How was it fired?

7. Composition
• Formal considerations (the Elements and
Principles of Art)
• Color and color relationships

8. Content
• The meaning or significance of an object.
– Overt (political, social, religious)
– Quiet (What does a hand-made pot mean?)

9. Precedent
• Who explored these ideas before?
• What can we learn from them?

10. Interaction
• Does the art object interact with the viewer?
• If so, is the object changed by interaction with
the viewer?
• If yes, how?

11. Do these overlap?
• Process and materials
• Composition and color
• Content
• Precedents
• Interaction

18. The steps in a critique
• Description/discovery
What do we see there?
• Analysis
How are these things being used?
• Interpretation
How would you explain what’s occurring in this
piece?
• Evaluation
How successfully is the artist fulfilling his/her
goals?

19. • Process and materials
• Composition and color
• Content
• Precedents
• Interaction

20. • Process and materials
• Composition and color
• Content
• Precedent
• Interaction

21. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

22. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale
Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/repe
tition

46. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale
Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/repe
tition

47. Elements of
Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

49. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

51. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

53. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

55. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

56. Elements of
Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

57. Elements of
Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

58. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

59. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

60. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

61. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/mot
ion
pattern/rhythm
/repetition

62. Principles of
Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/m
otion
pattern/rhyth
m/repetition

63. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/repe
tition

64. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/rep
etition

67. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motio
n
pattern/rhythm/r
epetition

68. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/mot
ion
pattern/rhythm/
repetition

72. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/mo
tion
pattern/rhythm
/repetition

73. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/moti
on
pattern/rhythm/
repetition

74. Principles of
Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/
motion
pattern/rhyt
hm/repetitio
n

75. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/mo
tion
pattern/rhyth
m/repetition

81. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/rep
etition

82. Elements of Art
line
shape
form
value
color
texture
mass
volume
space
scale

83. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motio
n
pattern/rhythm/r
epetition

84. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/re
petition

86. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/motion
pattern/rhythm/rep
etition

87. Principles of
Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/
motion
pattern/rhyth
m/repetition

88. Principles of Art
unity
variety
harmony
dissonance
balance
contrast
proportion
hierarchy
movement/mo
tion
pattern/rhyth
m/repetition

94. The Three I’s
• Information
• Inspiration
• Insight

95. The Three I’s
• Information
• Inspiration
• Insight