As either Art Historian or Art Critic, you will find out! To understand the who, what, where, when of a work of art is to understand what the artist is trying to communicate to you, the viewer. This web quest will take you on a journey to find out about an artist and his/her work, the time period they made it in, the Elements of Art they used, and the medium of their work. As you learn, you will share your knowledge with your partner and other art historians and critics, in a brochure geared to the public who have gone to see the work in a major museum.
In this project, you will work in pairs, and become either an Art Historian or an Art Critic as you research your artist.
As Art Historian, your goal is to find out the historical information about your artist and use it with your partner to understand a work of art. *Groups of three with two Art Historians - you are both responsible for completing ALL of this research! When you write the brochure, you and the other Art Historian will each write a paragraph for it.
Follow these steps here in the lab and at home to complete your independent work for the project, using the handout. Remember to track your sources for your Works Cited!
1. Who is your artist?
Use the links below to find and list at least 10 biographical facts in your handout. These facts MUST include: place and date of birth and death, nationality, family life, where the artist lived as a child and adult, education, and fame as an artist.
2. What were the historical and cultural events that were occurring when this artist was living?
Find at least 4 facts about what was going on in history and the culture that the artist lived in - look for facts that may have affected your artist. Make sure that you are looking in the right country, and that the facts are relevant to your artist's life!
3. While researching you must find out AND DEFINE what style or period of art your artist worked in. This is when a group of artists are creating art with similar ideas or influences. Once you know the period of art, define it.
4. You need to save an image of the artist for the brochure.
As Art Critic, your job is to research how the artist uses the Elements of Art, find images by your artist and describe which elements of art are used by the artist and how, and research the artist's medium and the subject of his/her art. Your research should be clearly and neatly written on the handout.
1. First, find out what the Elements of Art are, and define on the handout IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
2. Then, find 4 art works by your artist which illustrate the Elements.
For each image, you must copy and paste it into a Word document. In the handout, you should fill in the required information: Artist Name, Date, Title of Artwork, and the Medium. Then describe which Elements of Art you see and how they are used by your artist and how
3. Describe the medium your artist uses. Look at the label information for the art you found for the Elements- does the artist make paintings, sculptures or prints? What kind of paint? Be specific. If you don't understand what the medium your artist uses is, look it up below.
4. Describe the subject of your artist's work - this you can often tell by looking. Some common subjects: Portraits, Landscapes, Abstract, Religious... If you can't tell by looking, you need to do some research:
Your finished research handout must have your name on in and be handed in with a Works Cited Organizer Your Word document with your images on it should be uploaded to school web lockers. Don't forget to click on Turn In HW!
Your typed Works Cited will be handed in while we are working on the brochure.