In this activity, you will apply what you have learned about the basic artistic elements in subunit 4.1. You will select a realistic artistic composition and reduce it down to its most basic artistic elements.
· First, select a piece of artwork from the list of provided repositories/sources of artwork, and save an image of the artwork to your computer.
· The artwork you select should be “realistic,” so choose a photograph or a photorealistic painting, most likely. Otherwise, please choose an artwork that incorporates many of the artistic elements you learned about in subunit 4.1.
· Next, use a computer program like Microsoft Paint or use pen/pencil and paper to re-create a simplified version of the image.
· Your new image should distill or reduce the original composition into its most basic art elements, that is, points, lines, shapes, and shading.
· Then save your new image or take a photograph of your new image and save that to your computer.
· Upload both saved files to using the file upload box below the text box.
· Finally, in the text box, provide a few sentences about what image you chose and your experience of reducing the image down to its basic art elements.
· Be sure to include a line indicating the Terms of Use and/or copyright information for your work!
Art Resources
· ART 21Links to an external site. : Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
· Google ImagesLinks to an external site. : A comprehensive search engine for images
· ArtcyclopediaLinks to an external site. : Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
· Mark Hardin’s ArtchiveLinks to an external site. : Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
· Art History LinksLinks to an external site. : An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
· Cities and Buildings CollectionLinks to an external site. : Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
· Web Gallery of ArtLinks to an external site. : Good reference for lots of art history images
· Saatchi Gallery, LondonLinks to an external site. : Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
· The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DCLinks to an external site. : Our national art museum
· Seattle Art MuseumLinks to an external site.
· Museum of Modern Art New YorkLinks to an external site. : A treasure trove of modern art
· Metropolitan Museum of ArtLinks to an external site. : Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
· Islamic art collectionLinks to an external site. : An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
· Museum of Fine Arts, BostonLinks to an external site. : An extensive digital collection with text information
· Currier Museum of ArtLinks to an external site. : A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
· Henry Art GalleryLinks to an external site. : The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
· National Galleries of ScotlandLinks to an external site. : Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
· time periods
· ARTstorLinks to an external site. : Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
· CAMIOLinks to an external site. : 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
· SmarthistoryLinks to an external site. : Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
· Tibetan Book of the DeadLinks to an external site. : Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
· Day of the Dead CelebrationLinks to an external site. : History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
· Frank Gehry sketchesLinks to an external site. : Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
· African Art: Death and RebirthLinks to an external site. : Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
· Burke MuseumLinks to an external site. : Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
· All Together NowLinks to an external site. : A digital collaborative and interactive music project
· AIDS Quilt Information WebsiteLinks to an external site.
· What is a Print?Links to an external site. : Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
· Edvard Munch MuseumLinks to an external site. : Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
· Nuxalk Sun MaskLinks to an external site. : Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
· Bradshaw FoundationLinks to an external site. : Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
· The Art StoryLinks to an external site. : Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
· Francis Bacon EstateLinks to an external site. : A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
· Mayan TemplesLinks to an external site. : An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico