You have been assigned (see the file number on the prior discussion “Practice Critique of Descriptive Image” ) an evocative image of a work of art to describe as the subject of your essay. Begin as a scientist, observing the image and gathering as many sensory details as you can. Look and look again. Use all your senses.Then, sift through those details to discover the dominant impression that these details suggest. Once you have that dominant impression, allow it to select and shape the sensory details that you include within the description. Finally, the readers should see not a cluster of sensory details, but a single unified image that provokes the same response in them as it did in you.This is not about creating a story: what happens in the work of art. Nor is it about the background or history of the painting. That is not relevant to the purpose. It is about description: capturing an image, a verbal snapshot of what you and any viewer can observe. However, this writing is also not about you, so don’t impose yourself in the image (“I see. . .”) . Aside from specifying your dominant impression, which perhaps carries within it your initial emotional response to the image, eliminate the use of the first person in the writing. The second person (you) can also be a repeated intrusion. Therefore, strive to allow the elements of the work (third person) do the action within the description (the bird, the tree, the cloud, etc.,) . Remember that this is about showing not telling, so only focus on what you can take in through your senses.
Focused Descriptive Pre-Writing 750-words
The subject of your descriptive writing will be a famous work of art. The particular painting is non-realistic/abstract in form. Your task will be to create a verbal snapshot for the reader who has not seen the artwork before. The focus of your rough draft should not be on the history or style of the artist or even interpretation of symbols. The focus of your draft should be based merely on your observational skills, not research. Your task is to consider that the audience has never seen the work of art. From your description, can we see the specific image? History and other background is not relevant; therefore, research is not required. The content is based on your observation only. What do you see?
Access your assigned work of art on the next page. Do not select another number, as this will later be tied to group work. Please note the number of your correct file before continuing.
DO NOT BEGIN THE DRAFT UNTIL YOU HAVE CONFIRMED THE CORRECT FILE NUMBER FROM PREVIOUS PAGE. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL END UP HAVING TO WRITE ANOTHER ROUGH DRAFT!
Use the following process to develop your individual descriptive rough draft:
Write down your first impressions about the work.
Consider which of these impressions might be shaped into a dominant impression that fits the overall work. Using a simile,metaphor, or adjective, write your sentence that contains the artist, work of art and dominant impression. (While White’s dominant impression was that the lake was “holy”, Mencken’s view out the train window was “ugly,” “a vision of hell.” )
Capture other visual details about the work—only what you or another viewer can observe. Take notes, describing as many visual details of the work as you can. Consider size, shape, color, texture, use of shadow and light.
Observe the spatial relationship of these various visual elements. How do you help your reader to see one connected image? Add words and phrases that help to spatially connect the separate details. Consider what might be the best order to capture the flow of these images spatially.
Review your notes to consider where you can make your details more specific. Replace words, revise phrases to make those visual details more concrete: how round? how blue? how rough?
Consider how your other senses might help the reader to experience the work. Do certain images conjure a sense of sound, smells, taste, or touch? Try using one or more of these other senses to capture a particular element in the work.
Finally, draw the work of art in as much detail as you can. This is not about your skill as an artist, but it forces you to look even closer at the detail. As you draw, consider what new details you discover that you previously overlooked.
Write your rough draft description and submit it prior to the due date specified.
You will be assigned peer reviews to complete as part of next week’s module after you submit.
The rough draft (this module) , peer reviews (due next module) , and final draft (due next module) together will comprise your points for this assignment.
Consider the following student sample that focuses on Dali’s The Burning Giraffe. The image follows the description.
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