Visual Arts Guide

Interpret, Analyze, & Evaluate Artistic Work Visual Arts Foundations Course

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work using varied criteria. Evaluate artistic work and process through both personal and pre-established criteria. Communicate a convincing and logical argument to support an evaluation of art. Describe how culture, traditions, and history influence responses to art.

Learning Intention and Success Criteria Example:

Learning Intention: ●​ I am learning to identify and interpret artistic elements and criteria so I can analyze and evaluate works of art. ●​ I am learning how artists can evoke responses from viewers. ●​ I am learning to research time, place, and resources and the culture in which artworks are created. ●​ I am learning how art can communicate cultural values and identities. ●​ I am learning how art can help me understand the lives of people from different times, places, or cultures. ●​ I am learning to reflect on an artwork’s success in conveying information or ideas. Success Criteria: I will know I have it when, ●​ I can identify the subject matter, mood, and symbolism in a work of art. ●​ I can identify the use of elements of art and principles of design in a work of art. ●​ I can use proper vocabulary when discussing or writing about artworks. ●​ I can discuss artwork as part of a group considering aspects such as craftsmanship, creativity, design, and emotional impact. ●​ I can interpret and explain how these artistic elements contribute to the work’s meaning and communicate the artist’s intent. 1. ​ Define and describe elements of art then practice identifying and describing elements of art in visual artwork. 2. ​ Define and describe the principles of design then practice identifying and describing principles of design in visual artwork. 3. ​ Define and describe other applicable artistic criteria such as matter, mood, symbolism, art-making approaches, use of media, etc then practice identifying and describing these other applicable artistic criteria in visual artwork 4. ​ Define and describe how artwork expresses intent and meaning of the artist. 5. ​ Utilize the elements of art, principles of design, and other applicable artistic criteria to interpret and evaluate the artist’s intent and meaning in a piece of artwork. 6. ​ Practice analyzing artworks based on the artist's intent and meaning. 7. ​ Select and artwork to describe, interpret, analyze and evaluate it based on the principles and concepts learned. Learning Progression Example:

Additional Activities

●​ Community and Public Art: Brainstorm public art definitions and collaborate on designing community-focused art pieces. ●​ Cross-Cultural and Historical Research: Explore how subjects are represented across different cultures and time periods, then create original artwork based on that research. ●​ Curatorial and Reflective Projects: Build thematic collections of found or personal artworks and document historical or cultural research in sketchbooks or journals.