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As a general rule of thumb, ask questions whose answers can be found in the work of art itself. Avoid questions with a yes/no answer in order to prompt conversation. These are some examples of questions you may want to ask. Vocabulary may need to be adjusted for the age group.
- What is the first thing you notice?
- Is there a recognizable subject?
- What is the subject of the painting?
- What aspect of the story has the artist emphasized?
- What is the focal point of the painting?
- Is there any movement or activity? What kind?
- What might have happened just before this scene?
- What might happen next?
- Are there any people portrayed? Who are they?
- Are the people individuals or types?
- Are they posed or unposed?
- When would they have lived?
- Do you see objects which tell you something about the social life of the people who lived during this time period?
- How would you describe the location or setting?
- What season is it? What time of day? What kind of weather?
- What sounds might you hear?
- What smells might you smell?
- From what point of view do we, as viewers, see the scene?
- How would you describe the mood or feeling of the painting?
- What did the artist do to convey this mood?
- How would you describe the composition, or arrangement of elements, in the painting? Is it simple/complex? flat? three-dimensional?
- What kinds of shapes did the artist use?
- What large and small shapes can you identify?
- What patterns did the artist create?
- Do you see repetition in the painting?
- Do the patterns produce a rhythm? How would you describe it?
- What colors do you see?
- What kinds of colors did the artist use? bright? dull? dark? light? contrasting? harmonizing? harsh?
- What colors are repeated?
- How do the colors contribute to the feeling or mood of the painting?
- If the artist had chosen different colors how would it have changed the painting?
- How would you describe the lines in the painting? thick? thin? careful? fuzzy? strong? curved? straight?
- Do the lines create a mood or type of action?
The artist and his/her technique
- What kind of brush or other instrument do you think the artist used?
- How would you describe the different textures in the painting?
- What is the source of light? Is it shown or implied?
- How does the artist contrast lights and darks?
- How does the artist use proportion? distortion?
- What materials did the artist use?
- Who is the artist?
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