Visual Analysis Phase: Making a First Draft
You are now ready to start righting your first draft, which you will share with you partner next week. With your previous notes, observations and questions in mind, consider the following advice as you build your analysis / paper:
Introduction: Tell the basic facts about the art (see citing your image). Get the reader interested in the image by using one of the following methods (often referred to as hooks)
• Describe the image vividly so the reader can see it. (Paint a picture for the audience)
• Tell about how the image was created. (Tell a story that may pique the reader's interest)
• Give interesting facts about the art or artist. (Use a biographical approach to draw the reader in)
• Talk about a controversy or misunderstanding about the art. (People love scandals!)
Thesis: Your thesis will make a general claim about the image that you can support with either outside research or your own critical observation. For this first assignment, you can focus mainly on observation. However, outside sources are encouraged as long as they are properly cited. The thesis / claim should come at the end of the introduction.
Support your thesis with three or more main ideas / observations / researched reasons. This may be a combination of descriptive and critical writing.
Conclusion: Try to conclude rather than just repeating your thesis. Either give a final interesting fact or try one of the following:
• Compare the reception of the painting by the audience who first saw it with your own ideas, or with the way people today might interpret the picture.
• Speculate on what the artist would think about the way his picture has been viewed over time.
• Compare this image to other similar images.
• Suggest how this piece of art fits into the works of a current artist, the ad campaign of a company or a related current or historically relevant event.
1. Bring 2 print outs of your first draft to class on Thursday, Feb. 2nd for a peer review: One for your partner, and one for the professor. Note that I will not provide extensive feedback on this draft, but want to make sure you are heading in the right direction. This will count towards the final assessment.
2. Your FINAL Draft is due on Isidore Thursday, Feb. 9th. Please include the following information within your final document:
1. Your Name
2. Photographer's Name
3. Title and Year of Image
4. Your full Visual analysis of 1 to 2.5 pages single-spaced in 12pt font. NOTE: Please include the following if possible as well:
S. The image itself (meg copy from Internet of photo from your phone).
6. The medium of the photograph (daguerreotype, gelatin silver print, etc.)
7. Where the photo resides (if it is in a museum collection or archive, etc.) Title your document: lastname_VA01.doc (PLEASE do not send PDFS - I need to comment within the document)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/guchfmh8oli5lr6/intro_for_image.rar?dl=0