module 03 course project thesis sketch and outline 2
Thesis: Vincent Van Gogh uses color, space, and line elements, applying Principles of Design, pattern, movement, and emphasis to bring out a peaceful and comforting reproduction of nature’s reality in his painting, Starry Night.
For this piece of the Course Project, you will submit your artwork choice along with a quick sketch of the art, your thesis, and outline as a single 1-2 page Word document. This outline will be a guide of how your paper will flow. Part of your grade will be determined by how well you follow this outline.
Once you have identified the work of art you want to write about, do a brief sketch of it. Make notes within the sketch about the elements and principles of design you see, and any other feelings and impressions you have. Take a photo of your sketch, to be turned in with your paper.
You will NOT be graded on your drawing skills for this sketch! This is just a perceptual exercise to help you really see the details of your chosen work of art. The process of sketching helps you see the work on a deeper level and will make the writing process much easier.
After your sketch is completed, begin your outline following the format below.
- Introduction
- Title, artist, date, location, dimensions, medium of the work, and the name of the exhibition/museum in which the work is displayed.
- List brief descriptive qualities. For example, “Landscape of mountain scene, barn, cows.” Or “Portrait of woman wearing hat.”
- Thesis statement
- Body
- List the Elements of Art and Principles of Design that you see.
- Name the medium the artist used and any obvious characteristics of the medium.
- Note the initial reactions, thoughts, and questions you had when first viewing this work.
- Conclusion
- Wrap up the essay by summarizing your thesis. Note any new interpretations of the thesis that emerged.
Note: Your project will be submitted as a word document. There are a number of ways to submit the photo you your artwork. One method would be to take the photo with your phone camera and then send it to yourself as an email attachment. You can then add the photo into your Word document, or you can submit the file as a second submission.
Submit your completed assignment by following the directions linked below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.
Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the “.docx” extension to the filename.) and The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date. An example is shown below:
