Writing About Art

This straightforward guide prepares students to describe, interpret, and write about works of art in meaningful and lasting terms. Designed as a supplement to Art History survey and period texts, this efficient book features a step-by-step approach to writingfrom choosing a work to write about, to essay organization, to research techniques, to footnote form, to preparing the final essay. For beginners as well as more advanced students.

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction: Writingas Critical Thinking	p. 1
Choosing Images: How to Select the Works of Art You Plan to Write About	p. 9
Visiting Museums and Galleries	p. 9
Choosing Works of Art to Write About: Some Questions of Taste	p. 16
Writing Comparative Essays: Some Advantages	p. 18
Choosing Works from ldquo;The Museum without Walls,rdquo;	p. 21
The Computer and ldquo;The Museum without Walls,rdquo;	p. 24
Summary	p. 27
Using Visual Information: What to Look For and How to Describe What You See	p. 29
Considering the Subject Matter of the Work	p. 31
Describing the Formal Elements You Discover in the Work	p. 35
Line	p. 35
Shape and Space	p. 36
Light and Dark	p. 40
Color	p. 43
Other Elements	p. 47
Recognizing the Principles of Design	p. 54
Rhythm and Repetition	p. 54
Balance	p. 55
Proportion	p. 56
Scale	p. 57
Unity and Variety	p. 58
Considering Questions of Medium	p. 59
Beginning Your Essay By Describing the Work	p. 61
Asking Yourself about the Work of Art: A Summary	p. 64
Questions to Ask Before Writing About a Work of Art	p. 64
Responding to the Verbal Frame: Where Else to Look for Help in Understanding What You See	p. 66
Taking the Title and Label into Account	p. 66
Considering Informational Labels Accompanying the Work	p. 70
Consulting Artistsrsquo; Statements and Exhibition Catalogues	p. 72
Discovering Other Helpful Material in the Library and Online	p. 74
Research Online	p. 75
Using the Library Catalogue and Databases	p. 77
Using Art Dictionaries and Other Guides	p. 81
Considering the Workrsquo;s Historical and Cultural Context	p. 82
Quoting and Documenting Your Sources	p. 89
Learning the Art of Quoting	p. 89
Acknowledging YourSources	p. 90
Choosing Your Footnote Style	p. 91
Citing Internet Sources	p. 96
Working with Words and Images: The Process
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Table of Contents

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