Short Paper #1 – Writing About Art

The paper has two components:
Short Paper #1: Outline
Short Paper #1: Final Draft

You must write your final draft based on your graded outline. You do not have to do any research for this paper since you will rely solely on observing visual elements.

The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills that are
essential to your success in this course and in professional life beyond school:

Skills

Observing and classifying visual elements that constitute the artwork.
Applying formalist methodology that stresses the significance of form over content. This method utilizes discussion of formal elements that include: line, shape, space, color, light, and dark; balance, order, proportion, pattern, and rhythm; the final arrangement made by the artist is called the composition.
Analyzing the choices that artists made and assessing those choices against a set of criteria.
Composing clear and unified paragraphs where you evaluate your evidence and justify your assessment.
Synthesizing your observations into a succinct thesis statement.
Developing and maintaining planning, organizing, and time management skills.
This assignment is designed based on the Scenario-based learning (SBL) principles preparing you for professional life beyond school.

Knowledge

This assignment will also help you to become familiar with the following important content knowledge in this discipline:

You will learn to utilize the formalist methodology that stresses the significance of form over content. This method utilizes discussion of formal elements that include: line, shape, space, color, light, and dark; balance, order, proportion, pattern, and rhythm; the final arrangement made by the artist is called the composition.
You will learn what constitutes a clear thesis statement, a unified paragraph, and a well-structured essay.

Outline: Instructions

Review Paper #1: Final Draft options 1, 2, 3 below and select only one. Write an outline responding to the assignment option you have chosen. You must review Sample Paper #1: Outline

Submit via Bb:

~a working thesis
~a bullet point list of your paper’s body paragraphs’ main ideas
~one fully developed persuasive paragraph

To meet the expectations, your work should have:

~ a bulleted list of your body paragraphs’ main points that attest to your understanding and application of visual elements
~a working thesis that demonstrates your process of synthesizing your visual research

See:
Sample Paper #1: Outline
Evaluation Rubrics – Outline

To exceed expectations, you may apply a theoretical framework from the readings to your analysis.

Final Draft: Instructions

Review Paper #1: Final Draft options 1, 2, 3 below and select only one. You also must review Short Paper #1: Structure handout and Sample Paper #1: Final Draft

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

To meet the expectations, your work should have:

~ clearly developed essay structure – introduction, body, and conclusion.
~ unified body paragraphs where you demonstrate you demonstrate your understanding and application of visual elements.
~ A fully developed thesis that helps your reader predict the rest of the paper by stating your position and lists your arguments.

You should also address the comments on the outline you received from your instructor in the final draft.

See:
Sample Paper #1: Final Draft
Evaluation Rubrics – Final Draft

To exceed expectations, you may apply a theoretical framework from the readings to your analysis.

Tips & Suggestions

Capitalization

~Titles should be capitalized and italicized.
~Art movements/periods should be capitalized.

Formatting

~Image captions should follow the model below:
~Figure #. Author, Title of the work in italics, year. Medium, dimensions. Collection.
~Do not italicize and quote at the same time.

Tone

~Use Simple Past tense to describe the artist’s actions, e.g., Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in the early 1500s.
~The art object is usually discussed in Simple Present tense, e.g., the painting shows a half-length portrait of a mysterious woman.
~The first time you mention an artist in your paper, provide their first and last name. Each subsequent time you mention the artist, address them by their last name only
~Use the third-person point of view. Instead of “I,” “you,” “we,” use phrases such as “one can see,” “it is commonly understood,” “viewers can..”

For more information, visit the Association of Art Editors Style Guide http://www.artedit.org/style-guide.php

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