Narrative Art
Art is a form of communication, it tells a story.
Our focus so far has been about learning the art elements and principles. This task is a bit different that the key focus is the meaning or message behind the artwork.
Take this artwork by Friday Kahlo.
What story do you think she is telling?
What clues or symbols has she used?
What emotions are being expressed?
Our focus so far has been about learning the art elements and principles. This task is a bit different that the key focus is the meaning or message behind the artwork.
Take this artwork by Friday Kahlo.
What story do you think she is telling?
What clues or symbols has she used?
What emotions are being expressed?
Frida Kahlo, The Two Frida's, 1939
Painted soon after a divorce this artwork shows two personalities one traditional (white Tehuana costume) and the other modern, displaying heartbreak, sadness and inner turmoil.
Painted soon after a divorce this artwork shows two personalities one traditional (white Tehuana costume) and the other modern, displaying heartbreak, sadness and inner turmoil.
Verena Davis, Getting ready for Kuprilya Day, terracotta and underglazes, 18x10cm
Warra ntjarrala nantha ercoma Kuprilya altha ha. The boys are catching horses to get ready for the family day out at Kuprilya. It's a special day celebrating the water found at Kuprilya Spring.
Warra ntjarrala nantha ercoma Kuprilya altha ha. The boys are catching horses to get ready for the family day out at Kuprilya. It's a special day celebrating the water found at Kuprilya Spring.
Your Task:
Step 1:
Think of a memory that you can turn into an artwork. It could be a holiday, sporting event, birthday or just an everyday moment.
Brainstorm different memories and consider what memory you would like to work with. It could be happy, sad, chaotic, simple, it's up to you. You will be able to express your memory and the emotions associated with it by your choice of subject, colours, lines, textures and how it is all composed together.
Below you can see an artwork created about a snowball fight. What kind of emotions are being shown here?
Your Task:
Step 1:
Think of a memory that you can turn into an artwork. It could be a holiday, sporting event, birthday or just an everyday moment.
Brainstorm different memories and consider what memory you would like to work with. It could be happy, sad, chaotic, simple, it's up to you. You will be able to express your memory and the emotions associated with it by your choice of subject, colours, lines, textures and how it is all composed together.
Below you can see an artwork created about a snowball fight. What kind of emotions are being shown here?
'Snowball Fight', by Torii Kiyonaga, 1787, Honolulu Museum of Art
This is my example
My grandparents owned an orchard where they grew stone fruit. I loved visiting them! We would spend time as a family cutting the apricots and peaches in half, then placing them on a drying tray. We would make dozens of these large trays, creating hundreds of pieces of dried fruit.
I wrote this story when I was in high school, you will only need to write a couple of sentences!
My grandparents owned an orchard where they grew stone fruit. I loved visiting them! We would spend time as a family cutting the apricots and peaches in half, then placing them on a drying tray. We would make dozens of these large trays, creating hundreds of pieces of dried fruit.
I wrote this story when I was in high school, you will only need to write a couple of sentences!
Step 2:
Find reference images and draw thumbnail sketches of ideas
This is my example.
First I started drawing individual items from my memory like drying racks, a bucket, a peach and the layout of the farm.
Then I started thinking about how I could bring these images together such as having a map of the farm on the surface of a peach.
Find reference images and draw thumbnail sketches of ideas
This is my example.
First I started drawing individual items from my memory like drying racks, a bucket, a peach and the layout of the farm.
Then I started thinking about how I could bring these images together such as having a map of the farm on the surface of a peach.
Step 3:
Draw a final composition
Draw a final composition