Process

Basic requirements for this project:

- One photograph that reflects or satires a recognizable piece of fine art.

- A 100-word, written explanation of why the artist and/or piece of artwork represented in your photograph is significant to the art world.

- A one-page, written reflection about the personal importance that photography holds for you, and why you consider it an art. 

  Step #1:What is Art?

Before you begin working on the requirements for this project, it is important for you to first decide what "art" means to you. The Webster dictionary defines art as, "The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." This definition is a great place to start, however, "art" is somewhat subject. For example, some people may consider Jackson Pollock's Number 11, 1952 (click on the title to few the painting) to be art, whereas others may decide that it is not art because it appears to lack meaning or skill. Another example is Richard Prince's Untitled (Cowboy) 1989 (click on the title to few the photo): Richard Prince created this image by taking an existing photograph from a Marlboro Cigarette magazine add, and simply cropped it and sold it on his own. This image sold in auction for $1,248,000 in November 2005. Do you consider it art? Why or why not?

Inside your sketchbook, write down some ideas that come to you when you think about "art." Consider the following questions: What is art? How do I create art? What is beauty? Does art require skill? Does art require education? Does art have to make sense? If something is art to me, is it art to everyone else? Does art require self-expression? Does art define culture or does culture define art?

If you are still struggling to develop your personal definition of "art," consider the following links:

- Leonardo da Vinci Quotes About Art

- Vincent van Gogh Quotes About Art

- Pablo Picasso Quotes About Art

- Andy Warhol Quotes About Art

  Step #2:Finding An Artist Example

Now that you have developed your definition of art, you will now start researching artists and artworks. The photograph that you will create for this project must reflect or satire a recognizable (non-photographic) piece of fine art. This means that you will recreate a painting, drawing, or sculpture using your camera. To do this, you will first have to decide on an artwork to represent. Remember, we will be using film photography for this project, so your editing ability will be limited. CHOOSE AN ARTWORK THAT IS DOABLE! Also, do not forget that you will have to write a one page-paper about this piece of art.

If you are having trouble finding an image you would like to portray, you can use museum websites to look up and browse images: Click on "Exhibit," "Gallery," or "Collections," depending on the website. Here are some great resources to consider:

- The Metropolitan Museum of Art

- The Guggenheim Museum

- The Smithsonian American Art Museum

- Le Louvre

  Step #3: Capturing Your Images

Once you have decided on the artwork that you are going to portray, it is time to go take some pictures! For this project, we are going to use 35mm Film Cameras, which can be checked out from me when you get to this step. You will be given class time to complete this portion of the project, however, depending on the location, models, and desired lighting of your image, you may have to capture your images outside of class. Here are two examples of photographs that I took for a similar project in college:

The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1893

American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930

Remember, the first picture you take will likely not be perfect. Take 5-10 photographs of your composition so that you have multiple images to choose from when you start developing and printing in the darkroom. If you need a refresher on how to develop film in the darkroom, use the following link: How To Develop Film In The Darkroom

  Step #4: Artist Statement

Once you have taken your photographs, it is time to do the second requirement for this project: a 100-word, written explanation of why the artist and/or piece of artwork represented in your photograph is significant to the art world. An artist statement should be like an introduction to your work. You do not want to explain features that the viewer is already going to see, instead, you will discuss your motives behind your image. You will want to explain why the original artist's work made an impression on you, and how it influenced you during the creation of your photograph. Since the purpose of this project is to justify photography as an art, explain the connections between your work and the original. It may be very helpful for you to find the artist statement from the original piece of art. 

If you have any more questions about artist statements, use the following links:

- Why Do I Have To Write An Artist Statement?

- How To Write An Artist Statement

Note: This statement should be typed, double-spaced, and printed on white paper. Remember to include your name and correct any misspellings an grammatical errors. 

  Step #5: Artist Reflection

The final requirement for this project is to create a one-page, written reflection about the personal importance that photography holds for you, and why you consider it an art. Using the ideas that you wrote down in your sketchbook during step #1, and the lessons that you learned during the process of this project, write an explanation of why you consider photography an art. BE SURE TO REFER TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPH IN THIS REFLECTION! You may also refer to other photographs and artworks, and you may use quotes from other artists (refer to the links in step #1). 

Note: This reflection should be typed, double-spaced, and printed on white paper. Remember to include your name and correct any misspellings an grammatical errors.