Custom Enrichment Module: The Art of Writing About Art

by Hudson, Suzanne; Noonan-Morrisey, Nancy

• ISBN13: 9780155061545
• ISBN10: 0155061542
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-25
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

THE ART OF WRITING ABOUT ART is designed for ease of use and can serve as a quick reference for students writing various types of essays, research papers, exhibition reviews, or even examinations. The premise of the book is that students in all disciplines, not just English, should be required to write well and that their instructors should hold these writing assignments to high standards. THE ART OF WRITING ABOUT ART not only emphasizes skills in college-level composition, but also in verbalizing the experience of art-the historical, social, economic, and political forces that shape art and artists; art theory; and the interplay between artist and viewer.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xiii
Why Write about Art?	xiii
How Will This Book Help?	xiii
Principles of Effective Writing	1	(28)
The Four Modes of Discourse	2	(4)
Narration	2	(1)
Description	2	(1)
Exposition	3	(2)
Argument	5	(1)
Types of Writing about Art	6	(5)
Essays	6	(1)
Critical Essays	6	(1)
The Comparative Essay	6	(1)
The Formal Analysis	7	(1)
The Exhibition Review	7	(1)
Research Papers	7	(1)
Other Types of Writing about Art	8	(1)
The Artist's Statement	8	(1)
Museum and Gallery Labels	9	(1)
Catalogue Entries	10	(1)
Approaches to Art Criticism	11	(6)
Diaristic Art Criticism	12	(1)
Formalistic Art Criticism	12	(1)
Contextualist Art Criticism	13	(1)
Psychoanalytical Art Criticism	13	(1)
Ideological Art Criticism	14	(3)
The Process for Writing about Art	17	(12)
Planning Your Essay	17	(1)
Choosing a Topic	18	(1)
Posing a Research Question	18	(1)
Researching Your Topic and Taking Notes	19	(1)
Finding a Thesis	19	(1)
Identifying the Counterarguments	20	(1)
Asking the Proof Question	20	(1)
Designing Your Points of Proof	20	(1)
Outlining Your Essay	21	(1)
Writing Your Essay	21	(1)
Writing the Introduction	21	(1)
Organizing the Evidence	22	(1)
Writing the Body Paragraphs	22	(3)
Writing the Conclusion	25	(1)
Citing Your Sources	26	(1)
Writing a Title	26	(1)
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Paper	27	(1)
Formatting Your Paper	27	(2)
The Language of Art and the Formal Analysis	29	(22)
The Language of Art	30	(10)
Subject Matter	30	(3)
Formal Elements	33	(3)
Principles of Design	36	(1)
Balance	37	(1)
Unity and Variety	38	(1)
Proportion and Scale	38	(1)
Rhythm	39	(1)
Medium	39	(1)
Style or ``Ism''	39	(1)
The Formal Analysis	40	(3)
Planning the Formal Analysis	40	(2)
Writing the Formal Analysis	42	(1)
A Sample Formal Analysis Essay	43	(7)
``Chantet Lane: A Post-Impressionist Walk in the American Southwest''	43	(7)
Ron Baxendale II
Revising Editing and Proofreading Your Paper	50	(1)
Revision Checklist	50	(1)
Writing the Expository Essay	51	(36)
Planning Your Essay	52	(5)
A Sample Expository Essay	57	(3)
``Strength in Stone: Michelangelo's David''	57	(3)
Nancy Noonan-Morrissey
Topic Suggestions for Expository Essays	60	(3)
Templates for Planning the Expository Essay	63	(1)
Sample Expository Essays	64	(9)
``Gothic Nightmares in Romantic Painting''	66	(7)
Rachel Gothberg
Organizing the Comparison-Contrast Essay	73	(12)
``Don't Worry, Be Happy: Minoan Art and Architecture''	75	(4)
Donald Coffelt
``Nobility in Human Suffering in the Work of Theodore Gericault''	79	(6)
Rachel Gothberg
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Paper	85	(2)
Revision Checklist	85	(2)
Writing the Argumentative Essay	87	(18)
Choosing a Topic	87	(1)
Topic Suggestions	88	(1)
Planning the Argumentative Essay	88	(4)
Introduction	88	(1)
Thesis	89	(3)
Points of Proof	92	(1)
Template for Organizing the Argumentative Essay	92	(2)
Writing the Body Paragraphs	94	(1)
A Sample Argumentative Essay	95	(8)
``American Myths, Patriotism, and Art''	97	(6)
Luis Vigil
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Paper	103	(2)
Revision Checklist	103	(2)
Writing the Essay Examination	105	(10)
Preparing for the Examination	105	(3)
Taking the Examination	108	(1)
Before You Begin Writing	108	(1)
Preparing to Answer the Essay Question	108	(1)
Writing the Essay	109	(1)
A Sample Essay Examination Question and Answer	109	(6)
Before Turning in the Exam	113	(2)
Writing the Exhibition Review	115	(28)
Audience and Purpose	116	(2)
A Sample Review	118	(4)
``Knavery Trickery and Deceit''	118	(4)
Karen Wilkin
Visiting the Gallery or Museum	122	(2)
Written Material at the Show or Exhibition	123	(1)
Audio Program	123	(1)
Moving through the Exhibition	123	(1)
Organizing Your Material	124	(1)
Writing the Introduction	124	(5)
Writing a Working Thesis	125	(1)
Developing a Controlling Idea for Your Introduction	125	(1)
The Historical Introduction	125	(1)
The Unpopular Opinion	126	(1)
The Analogy	126	(1)
What I Expected versus What I Got	126	(1)
The Comparison	127	(1)
The First Impression	127	(1)
Strength of the Artist	127	(1)
The Question	128	(1)
Ending the Introductory Paragraph with a Thesis	128	(1)
Writing the Body Paragraphs	129	(9)
Theme	129	(1)
The Artist(s)	130	(1)
Description of Works	130	(1)
Subject Matter	131	(1)
The Formal Elements	131	(2)
Principles of Design	133	(1)
The Medium	133	(1)
The Style or ``Ism''	134	(1)
Uniqueness	134	(1)
Comparable and Influential Artists	135	(1)
Social Context	136	(1)
Historical Reference	137	(1)
Exhibition Display	137	(1)
Writing the Conclusion	138	(3)
The Historical Conclusion	139	(1)
The Quotation	139	(1)
Welcome or Congratulations	140	(1)
The Final Impression	140	(1)
Predict the Future	141	(1)
One Work of Art	141	(1)
Writing a Title	141	(1)
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Review	142	(1)
Revision Checklist	142	(1)
Writing the Research Paper	143	(42)
Choosing a Topic	144	(1)
Researching the Topic	145	(4)
Searching the Library	145	(1)
Finding Books	145	(1)
Finding Periodical Articles	146	(2)
Finding Newspaper Articles	148	(1)
Searching the Internet	148	(1)
Templates for Planning the Research Paper	149	(3)
Writing the Research Paper	152	(1)
Using Sources	152	(2)
Paraphrasing versus Plagiarizing	152	(1)
Original Passage from Source	152	(1)
Illegitimate Paraphrase	153	(1)
Legitimate Paraphrase	153	(1)
Incorporating Quotations into Your Paper	153	(1)
Acknowledged Quotation: Correct	153	(1)
Unacknowledged Quotation: Incorrect	153	(1)
Citing Sources	154	(3)
Numbered Notes System	154	(1)
First, Full Reference	155	(1)
Second, or Subsequent, References	156	(1)
Bibliography	156	(1)
A Sample Research Paper	157	(11)
``Ben Shahn's Use of Photography in His Paintings''	158	(8)
Peter Scaliese
MLA (Modern Language Association) Documentation System	166	(1)
Models for Parenthetical Source Citations	166	(1)
Special Punctuation Considerations When Citing Sources	167	(1)
The Works Cited Page	168	(1)
A Sample Research Paper	168	(15)
``The Elgin Marbles: Saved or Stolen?''	169	(14)
Emily O'Connor
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Research Paper	183	(2)
Revision Checklist	183	(2)
Handbook	185	(26)
Definitions of Basic Terms	185	(6)
Parts of Speech	185	(3)
Sentence Parts	188	(1)
Phrases	189	(1)
Clauses	190	(1)
Sentence Types	191	(1)
Choosing Words	191	(7)
Choosing Verbs	191	(2)
Choosing Pronouns	193	(2)
Wordiness	195	(1)
Nonsexist Language	196	(1)
Tone	196	(2)
Sentence Structures	198	(5)
Sentence Fragments	198	(1)
Run-on Sentences	199	(1)
Awkward Sentence Constructions	200	(3)
Punctuation	203	(8)
Comma	203	(2)
Semicolon	205	(1)
Colon	206	(1)
Dash	206	(1)
Apostrophe	206	(1)
Quotation Marks	207	(4)
Credits	211	(2)
Notes	213	(3)
Bibliography	216	(3)
Index	219