If you were to learn a new technique to make art, which technique would you explore? And within which subject category would you work? Explain your reasons for your choices.
Write about the techniques and subject categories we have explored in ARTS 1A as you answer this prompt.
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Instructions:
To answer this question, choose ONE of the Spotlight on Technique videos we have explored in our modules and describe the materials and tools used by artists who make art by using that technique. The following is a list of the techniques covered in our Spotlight on Technique videos:
- Etching
- Wheel thrown pottery
- Mosaic
- Stone Carving
- Oil painting
Similarly, choose ONE subject category to explore. For example if you want to imagine what it would be like to learn how to carve stone, which subject category would you pursue? The following is a list of the subject categories we have explored:
- Landscape
- History
- Portraiture
- Genre
- Still Life
Remember: This is a midterm exercise. Demonstrate what you have learned in class by writing in detail about specific works of art, technique videos, readings, and documents from our course materials.
Since this is a midterm exercise you should NOT use material from outside our modules. Rely on our course materials to receive full points. Each of our writing assignments is a skills-building exercise.
This writing exercise is designed to help you write your own history of art by analyzing art and other resources.
The art, documents, technique videos, and readings posted in the modules supply everything you need to complete your midterm. See below:
- Analyze two or more works of art from Topics 1 through 5 as you answer the midterm prompt.
- Support your ideas with at least one primary source document from Topics 1 through 5.
- Support your ideas with at least one technique video from Topics 1 through 5.
- Support your ideas with at least one secondary source reading from Topics 1 through 5.
Avoid doing online or library research to complete this essay. (Doing research will not earn you points.) Instead, build on the skills you are learning each week as you analyze art, documents, technique videos, and readings.This Midterm Exercise is worth 20 points.
Study the grading rubric, below:
Up to 5 points: Detailed analysis of two or more works of art discussed in the modules
Up to 3 points: Use of one or more documents discussed in the modules
Up to 3 points: Use of one or more spotlight on technique videos discussed in the modules
Up to 3 points: Use of one or more reading exercises discussed in the modules
Up to 3 points: Clarity of communication
Up to 3 points: Thoroughness in answering the essay prompt.
1. This is an exercise, not a formal paper. You will probably do well on this assignment if you follow these instructions.
2. Do not try to write a fancy introduction or conclusion. Instead, in your introduction simply describe what you plan to accomplish with your paper. In your conclusion, ask, Did I accomplish what I set out to do? Write your essay in complete sentences and organize your sentences into paragraphs for clarity.
3. Write in your own voice and from your own perspective. Use the pronoun “I”. Write an essay only you can write. Do not use ChatGPT or any other AI tool. Learning to write in your own voice and communicate your ideas is one of the most important skills you will ever learn. You will rely on this skill for the rest of your life. Do not squander this opportunity to develop your writing skills by trying to use AI for an assignment that was not built for it.
4. Write about each of the works of art you have chosen in detail. Describe specific visual aspects of each work and include the titles and the names of the artists.
5. As you write about documents, spotlight on technique videos, and readings, quote from them directly and call attention to your thinking process, explaining why you chose to use them. Integrate your analysis of works of art with these resources. You do not have to footnote your sources or include a bibliography since we are using sources found in our course materials and this is an exercise and not a formal paper.
6. This is not a research paper. You are discouraged from going beyond the parameters of our class materials to write this exercise. So be careful: if you use resources from outside our class modules you must cite your sources, calling attention to them with footnotes. If you use resources from outside our class modules you must also provide a bibliography. Any uncredited ideas you borrow from other writers will result in an F grade on this assignment.
7. There is no required word count or page length for this exercise. You will likely receive full credit if you explore the promptthoroughly and clearly as you analyze at least two works of art discussed in class in detail and in conjunction with at least one document, spotlight on technique video, and reading.
