Objective: You will describe, analyze,

interpret and judge artworks in order

to practice the art criticism process.

Art Criticism Process

DRILL:
TITLE:
Set up your page to look
SKETCH:
like the image to the
right:
1. Title:
DESCRIBE:
2. Sketch:
3. Describe:
4. Analyze: Glue chart here.
5. Interpret:
INTERPRET:
6. Judge:

ANALYZE:

JUDGE:

Art Final Exam

1. 25 pts- 50 questions- Multiple choice and
matching
2. 25 pts- 4 Essay written response- Art
Criticism- Describe, Analyze, Interpret, Judge
an artwork
3. 50 pts- Performance- Drawing and changing
an artwork from one aesthetic theory to
another. Imitationalism, Expressionism,
Formalism.

The Persistence of Memory

by Salvador Dali
YOU
HAVE 5
MIN. TO
SKETCH.

Describe the artwork. List what you see in the artwork. What
images do you see? How would you describe it over
the phone. Which art elements?

Description
The Persistence of Memory is a painting by the
famous Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali.
The original title of this painting is "La
persistencia de la memoria" and it depicts a
fetus-like head lying on the ground, like a
fish that was washed ashore and now
decaying after a lost struggle gasping for air.
There are four watches in this painting, three
of which appear to be molten, as if made out
of cheese. The only watch whose structure
doesn't appear to be malformed - unlike
other watches it is orange in color - is sitting
on a desk-like object. The ants seem to have
found a point of interest in the center of the
orange watch.

Analyze the artwork. List art elements and design principles.

Color, value, line, shape/form, texture, space. Balance,
Emphasis, Harmony, Variety, Movement/ Rhythm, Proportion.

Analyze- Complete the chart

Design Principles

Art Elements

Balance

Color
Value
Line
Shape/
Form
Texture
Space

Emphasis Harmony Variety

Movement/
Rhythm

Proportion

Interpret the artwork- What is the mood? What feeling is

communicated? What ideas are represented? What is
the story being told?

Interpretation
The painting is nothing more than a collection of ideas,
that are to do with the interpretation of dreams,
perception of reality, time, birth, death and sexual
desire. The ants, seemingly attacking the orange
clock positioned on the rectangular table-like object
perhaps indicate the anxiety associated with time.
And what are the origins of our anxieties associated with
time? Is it being too late for work? or is it not having
completed or accomplished something before we die?
Whether we are aware of it or not, it is reasonable to
believe that we all understand, even if only on
subconscious level that some day we are going to die.
This psychology and understanding of the reality of death
may configure our behavior. The Persistence of Memory
may have many interpretations. Some are more
meaningful, others remain elusive. Perhaps the images
of the melting clocks are nothing more than ideas
influenced by the Camembert cheese left for too long
of a period of time on the table on a warm sunny day

Judge the artwork- What do you think of the artwork? Is it successful?

Why or why not? Support your opinions with evidence or criteria.
(Art skills, meaning, creative, realistic)

Art Criticism Process:

a. Describe the artwork.
b.
c.
d.

List what you see in

the artwork. What images do you see? How would you
describe it over the phone. Which art elements?
Describe the color schemes.
Analyze the artwork. List art elements and
design principles. Color, value, line, shape/form,
texture, space. Balance, Emphasis, Harmony, Variety,
Movement/ Rhythm, Proportion.
Interpret the artwork- What is the mood?
What feeling is communicated? What ideas are
represented? What is the story being told?
Judge the artwork- What do you think of the
artwork? Is it successful? Why or why not? Support
your opinions with evidence or criteria. (Art skills,
meaning, creative, realistic)

Describe:
Describe the artwork.
List what you see in
the artwork. What
images do you see?
How would you
describe it over the
phone. Which art
elements?

Analyze:

Analyze the artwork. List art

elements and design
principles. Color, value,
line, shape/form, texture,
space. Balance, Emphasis,
Harmony, Variety, Movement/
Rhythm, Proportion.
Balance

Color
Value
Line
Shape/
Form
Texture
Space

Emphasis

Harmony

Variety

Movement/
Rhythm

Proportion

Interpret:
Interpret the artworkWhat is the mood?
What feeling is
communicated? What
ideas are represented?
What is the story
being told?

Judge:
Judge the artworkWhat do you think of
the artwork? Is it
successful? Why or
why not? Support your
opinions with evidence
or criteria. (Art skills,
meaning, creative,
realistic)

Art Criticism Process:

a. Describe the artwork.
b.
c.
d.

List what you see in

the artwork. What images do you see? How would you
describe it over the phone. Which art elements?
Describe the color schemes.
Analyze the artwork. List art elements and
design principles. Color, value, line, shape/form,
texture, space. Balance, Emphasis, Harmony, Variety,
Movement/ Rhythm, Proportion.
Interpret the artwork- What is the mood?
What feeling is communicated? What ideas are
represented? What is the story being told?
Judge the artwork- What do you think of the
artwork? Is it successful? Why or why not? Support
your opinions with evidence or criteria. (Art skills,
meaning, creative, realistic)

Get a review sheet

1. Fill in vocab definitions.

The Persistence of Memory

by Salvador Dali

Description
List an inventory of what you see in the
artwork. What specific images do you
see?
How would you describe this artwork over
the phone? What details would you
include?
What kinds of lines do you see? What
colors/ values do you see? What kinds of
shapes/ forms are respresented?
What spatial effects are apparent?

Analysis:

How have the art elements been arranged?

How has the artist created emphasis?
How has movement/ rhythm been implied?
How has proportion been used?
How has harmony or variety been created?
How has balance been created?
COMPLETE THE CHART
Which art elements and/ or design principles
dominate? How do they contribute in
communicating the ideas/ images in the artwork?

Analyze- Complete the chart

Design Principles

Art Elements

Balance

Color
Value
Line
Shape/
Form
Texture
Space

Emphasis Harmony Variety

Movement/
Rhythm

Proportion

Interpretation

What mood is established visually?

What feelings are visually communicated?
What ideas are represented visually?
What story is being told?
What is the artist trying to
communicate? Explain your reasoning.

Judgment

Is the artwork successful?

What criteria did you use to make your
judgment?
What evidence from the artwork can you
identify to support your judgment?
What do you think of the artwork?
(Is is good or bad, why?)
(Judge the Art skills, meaning, creativity,
realism)

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Hand with Reflecting

Sphere by M.C. Escher

The Scream
by Edvard
Munch

American Gothic by Grant

Wood

Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da

Vinci

Describe the artwork. List what you see in the artwork. What
images do you see? How would you describe it over
the phone. Which art elements?

Analyze the artwork. List art elements and design principles.

Color, value, line, shape/form, texture, space. Balance,
Emphasis, Harmony, Variety, Movement/ Rhythm, Proportion.

Interpret the artwork- What is the mood? What feeling is

communicated? What ideas are represented? What is
the story being told?

Judge the artwork- What do you think of the artwork? Is it successful?

Why or why not? Support your opinions with evidence or criteria.
(Art skills, meaning, creative, realistic)

ART SHOW spread

1.
2.
3.
4.

Background 10pts
Title in a style- 10pts
Description of Show- 10pts
Designs- 10pts

40 point grade
FINISH NOW!

Seating change
1.
2.
3.
4.

A students choose.
B students choose.
C students choose.
D and E students are
placed by Miss Gauger.

Rules: You cannot sit at

the same TABLE
number (the same L
shape)