This page is designed for students currently enrolled in

AR200 – Introduction to the Visual Arts at Erskine College, Due West, South Carolina

Jan B. Walker, Instructor

Director, Bowie Arts Center

Erskine College

Email: jwalker@erskine.edu

Office: Bowie Arts Center

Phone: 379-8867 office

378-3475 cell

WAY TO GOGH!

Congratulations Class of 2008

Need Help with Your Papers?

I Thought So!

Writing for an art class may be different than what you are used to in your other classes.

Use the following “starter questions” to help you as you write for the Visual Analysis & Final Papers.

Remember that I am looking for YOUR OPINION, as you RESPOND to the RESEARCH you present.

I already know what the art historians have to say. I want to know what YOU have to say.

I am looking for your ability to talk about art in an intelligent fashion.

Keep these points in mind…

- It is fine to use “I” statements (“I feel Picasso’s work is…”)

- Think “What is my first response to the work? Amusement? Annoyance? Study your response.

- When and where was the work made? By whom, and for whom?

- What is the title? Does it help explain the work?

- What is the subject matter? What is happening?

- If the work depicts a figure, what is the relation to the viewer’s gaze to the gaze of the figure?

- Does clothing or furnishing tell us anything about the figure? What about facial expression?

- If the image is a self-portrait, what image does the artist project?

- If the image is a landscape, are there figures present? What is their relation to nature?

- What is the effect of light in the image? Is it soft? Or theatrical?

- What is the effect of color in the work? What mood or feeling does it convey?

- If the work is abstracted or non-objective, does the title give you a clue to its meaning?

- If the work is a sculpture, what purpose was it made for?

- If the work is a figurative sculpture (i.e, statue), what does the pose convey?

- If you are working with architecture, what is the purpose of the building?

- FINALLY, ask yourself questions about your response. Why do I have this response? Why do I find this landscape inviting, and this one oppressive? Why am I drawn to one work over the other? How does my reaction to the artist’s biography influence my feelings about his or her work? How does MY biography influence my taste in art? How would I articulate my like or dislike to another viewer? What questions would I ask the artist about his or her work, if I could?

List of questions adapted from “A Short Guide to Writing About Art” by Sylvan Barnet

Writing From “F” to “A”

The following are sample writing essay responses to the following assignment:

“Describe Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory”

“A” VERSION:

“My first impression of Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory is as unique as Salvador Dali himself. Upon first glance, I see

the work of a self-described madman; a fanciful landscape that finds meaning only in the mind of its surrealist creator.

The influence of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung hang heavy over the dream-like landscape, hovering in the air like

the thick humidity that seems to drench the pocket watches. Tiny ants scatter across the watches, giving the

work a sense of motion as well as texture. The melting face of what some critics consider to be Dali himself lends

a sense of irony to any idea of “Persistence” in the work. The landscape located in the background appears visually

“cool” against the churning, melting energy of the foreground. The implied line created by the shore

divides the work into two sections, as if one could physically exist in spite of the dream created below.

The colors used by Dali are softened slightly, much like a dream would appear during semi-awareness.

As intrigued as I am by this work, I am equally perplexed by it. I wonder why Dali would create a work

that is so difficult to understand? Considering the social context of the work, I have some

understanding that dreams and psychology are the true subject matter. Yet, I struggle to understand it with

modern eyes. Perhaps it is my own need to have it explained, knowing full well the

painting will never be articulated in a manner that anyone but Dali would ever understand.

Such is the nature of Surrealism, a world that is beyond articulation, and a world that only

Dali can truly create.”

“B” VERSION

“Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory is unique. I glance at the painting, and am confused and intrigued at the

same time. What is Dali thinking? Am I even supposed to know? Can I truly appreciate what I don’t fully understand?

The motion of the work seems focused on the tiny ants crawling across the watches. It’s as if you can see them

moving across the polished surface. The landscape in the background lends an eerie light to the work.

The colors of the work are softer than other Dali works. I wonder why? The face lying on the ground also

intrigues me – is this Dali? Or another trick to disguise the meaning?

I may never understand this work, but I know the mystery behind it will cause me to look at it with greater interest.”

“C” VERSION

I choose Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory. I don’t understand the work, but I thought it looked cool, so I chose it.

I think it is a dream of Dali’s, and if it is, it is a weird one. There are ants crawling around a watch, and it gives it

a creepy feeling. The beach on the back looks strange, too. And there is a face or something on the ground. One book

I read said it was a self-portrait of Dali, which is interesting. I think it may be, because it looks like him.

The colors that he used are interesting. It seems cold. There are lines made by the water and sand, and

there is a big mountain in the back. There is a tree and a watch. It looks melted.

Like I said, I don’t know what it means. I know he was a Surrealist, and he read

guys like Freud and Jung. So maybe that made it look dream-like, since that’s what

those men wrote about. I like the work, and I like Dali because this is about

his dreams and the things he saw in his mind. It’s okay that I don’t understand it all.

Surrealism is all about the unconscious mind, and using that for subject matter. Dali is a good example of that.”

“D” VERSION

In some ways I like Dali, in some ways I don’t. He’s interesting, I guess. I know he was into

Freud and Jung. He must have read them a lot, because that’s what I see.

There are watches, ants, a tree, a face, and some other stuff. I don’t know what the other stuff it, I guess

That’s all dream-stuff. Maybe he did drugs or somethin’! LOL

I like the tree. It looks cool. So does the ants. I once had an ant farm and this reminded me of it.

Maybe the face means he was sleeping! I understand sleeping. I get sleepy just looking at it.

I like the ocean part, because the ocean is AWESOME. I think its cool.

Its okay that no body gets it. I mean, I get it because I like stuff like that. I guess I’m weird, but

so is Dali, soooo….

“F” VERSION

I love this painting, because my teacher once showed us this, and I was, like, COOL!

My roommate liked it to. I probly have to write my research paper onit.

SO, I was, like, what is Dali doing? Maybe he had a bad dream, or something.

He liked stuff like that. I do two. I don’t like bad stuff, or anything. I always

Grew up being scared of stuff, but then maybe I gruw up.

And now I like it. So, anyway, there are these ants. And a tree. Oh, and

Watches that are melting. I don’t know why. He doesn’t tell us.

There is a tree. I thnk those are ants? Maybe not.

Anyway, there is also a mountain and some water – like an ocean or lake, maybe.

I don’t know why. Maybe he liked swimming. I LOVE to swim, it is fun and

I go everychance I get. Except not the erskine pool. I mean, it’s okay but

I like going to the lake or something because you can just hang out, IMHO.

Anyway, Dali is cool because the colors are cool and stuff. Maybe I will bye this painting

When I have my own place. And I will soon, because I will gradate soon, I hope! LOL

To view image gallery, click here

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