Category: Art : Design

Select one of the projects listed below. You will base your project on the themes, concepts, civilizations, artistic periods, artistic styles, or artists we have been studying this semester. Your project should reflect an understanding of one or more of the steps of the Art History Critique process: Formal Analysis, Interpretation, and Historical and Cultural Context.
Process: You may want to consult sources beyond the textbook as you complete your project. Keep track of these sources, because you must identify them in MLA style format or Chicago Style format (the gold standard for Art History). I will post links to style guides for both styles.
Originality/Turnitin: When/if you use sources as you develop your project, keep in mind that I expect that your project will be written entirely in your own words and that you will identify the sources of any researched information you use, even when paraphrased. Copying and pasting text from sources without proper attribution will be treated as a possible case of plagiarism and may result in a reduced grade or a zero for the assignment. Note that, when you submit your project, it will also be submitted to Turnitin, a plagiarism detection software.
Deliverables: Submit the completed project in Blackboard at a tab provided for that purpose. The tab will be posted under the Creative Project tab and in the content folder for the week in which it is due. The final product can be a Word doc, Pdf file, or PowerPoint presentation, depending on what best suits your project.
Project Choice 2: Plan/design a work of art in any medium that “has a conversation” with a theme, concept, civilization, artistic period, artistic style, or artist you have encountered in this class. By conversation, I mean that you have considered your relationship as an artist with the art of the past, which is your artistic legacy. This relationship can take many forms: rejecting the art of the past, building upon it, challenging it, absorbing it, etc. Your conversation should incorporate your understanding of at least one aspect of the Art History Critique process.
Deliverables:
1) A plan or preliminary design for your work of art or a picture of a work of art completed for this project. I do not expect you to make a completed work of art for this project.
2) An artist’s statement of at least 5 paragraphs explaining how your conversation with the material in this course and the Art History Critique process is reflected in the work of art you have planned or made.
3) Identify any sources you used to plan your work of art, including the textbook.
The link for the textbook will be given to you when hired

Length: 5+ pages (not counting the Works Cited page)
Sources: 5+ QUALITY sources*. Our class textbook is the first source, and it should be used heavily. Other
sources should included academic journal articles, which can only be acquired through the HCC library online
databases. Regarding internet, NO “.com” domains (only .org / .gov. / .edu domains are allowed), and absolutely nothing from Wikipedia.
Format: MLA Only
Voice: Third Person Only

1. Take on a subject upon which reasonable people could agree or disagree. 2. deal with a subject from your own standpoint, stating facts that support your main ideas that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment. 3. Strongly express your main idea using pictorial and other RESEARCHED data. 4. assert your conclusions with an analysis and synthesis of the subject. I have pictures from the art Museum that you may need in order to do this essay. I would like a brief biography of Picasso in my paper and give information about each picture that I will provide. I would like you to talk about the style of art in each picture, the materials that were used, and a description of the paintings. I would like for you to also talk about his mental health and how it could’ve contributed to how he painted.

Length: 5+ pages (not counting the Works Cited page)
Sources: 5+ QUALITY sources*. Our class textbook is the first source, and it should be used heavily. Other
sources should included academic journal articles, which can only be acquired through the HCC library online
databases. Regarding internet, NO “.com” domains (only .org / .gov. / .edu domains are allowed), and absolutely nothing from Wikipedia.
Format: MLA Only
Voice: Third Person Only

1. Take on a subject upon which reasonable people could agree or disagree. 2. deal with a subject from your own standpoint, stating facts that support your main ideas that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment. 3. Strongly express your main idea using pictorial and other RESEARCHED data. 4. assert your conclusions with an analysis and synthesis of the subject. I have pictures from the art Museum that you may need in order to do this essay. I would like a brief biography of Picasso in my paper and give information about each picture that I will provide. I would like you to talk about the style of art in each picture, the materials that were used, and a description of the paintings. I would like for you to also talk about his mental health and how it could’ve contributed to how he painted.

In 500 words or less, discuss your reasons for pursuing undergraduate study in the visual arts. Feel free to include any information about yourself, your goals and interests that may not be immediately apparent from the review of your transcripts or portfolio.

Please follow the Presentation Project and Project Items Checklist, both attached, for FULL instructions on how to finalize this assignment.

You will be tasked with comparing and contrasting any two pieces of fine art, visually, in context and content.
GUIDELINES
You may pick ANY two images of any mediums (architecture, paintings, drawing, sculpture, installation, etc) but they must be from different artists. The images must be from your textbook, or pre-approved by your instructor beforehand. You risk losing points if you chose an image that is not appropriate for this paper (such as an Illustration, book cover, magazine ad).
Describe each piece FORMALLY in its composition as you did with class quizzes. Use the Elements and Principles of Design to guide you: What does the piece look like? Describe the colors, shape, and general anatomy of what you physically see. Do not skip this portion!
Describe in detail what features are similar and dissimilar in your piece formally, contextually, and in its content. You may interpret the images however you wish, so long as you back up your argument with plausible (realistic) evidence.
Describe why you believe the artist may have been inspired to make the piece, why it’s compelling—or isn’t to you personally.
(OPTIONAL) If you choose to utilize outside sources beyond your textbook, correctly cite the source you have used (Use MLA citations). Using another author’s words as your own counts as plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense.
If you borrow information from the textbook, cite what page you found it on.
Your paper must be at least 2 ½ pages long, double-spaced, with size 12 Times New Roman font, with 1” page margins.
Papers turned in late are subject to losing up to 30 percent of their grade, per syllabus policy.
HINTS
If you are having a hard time deciding on two pieces of art, pick an image that you like and another that you strongly dislike—you will have an easier time talking about each piece and how they differ from each other.
Be specific when describing these pieces and follow through with your arguments. Broad statements like “beautiful” or “ugly” should not be used alone.
FINDING SOURCES: Museum websites are gold mines for information. If the artist is still alive, they usually have a personal website you can use as well. Your textbook is a good source as well.
The most common loss of points comes from not meeting the page length requirement, as well as using redundant and vague language to make your paper appear longer. Write concisely and honestly and it will pay off!
You can always send me a finished draft to read and give feedback on if you are struggling…
I will only read drafts up to 2 days before the due date, so plan ahead!
GRADE BREAKDOWN:
Following the above guidelines, including comparing and contrasting two appropriate images, as well as citing sources properly (75 points)
Proper grammar and spelling (25 points)

Part I: Historical Background
Research and address the following questions in your essay:
What is the Protestant Reformation?
Who were the main people involved in the Protestant Reformation?
What were Luther’s main complaints with the Catholic Church?
What is the Council of Trent? Why is it called the Counter Reformation?
How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation? Give examples and be specific.
How did each group (Protestants and Catholics) use/reject religious art?
Part II: Impact on the Visual Arts
Focus on two artworks of the same subject: the Last Supper. One is a painting by the Italian Catholic artist Tintoretto, the other is a woodcut print by the German Protestant artist Albrecht Dürer. Both are discussed in the GTA textbook so start off by reading that section, adding it and 1 additional source to your Works Cited page. You will need to add specifics from your research (documented by in text citations after each relevant sentence).
Compare and contrast the two artist/works of art, answering the following issues/questions:
Which media were used by the and how do they relate to their respective religious group?
How did each artist interpret the subject matter? Refer to specific elements that are/are not present in each artwork.
Which religious values and doctrines of their respective denomination was each artist trying to demonstrate? Link specific visual elements to the respective doctrine or belief, Protestant or Catholic.

For this journal:
Discuss the artistic climate of the Baroque period and describe the general characteristics of the Baroque style.
Select three artworks from the list below, one from each patronage group (Catholic, Royal, and Protestant Middle Class).
For each artwork, post a photo and identify the work, giving artist, title, date, and medium.
For each artwork answer the following questions (some research will be required):
Who was the patron (person/group who paid) of the work and to which of the three groups does he/she they belong?
Which stylistic characteristics does the work exhibit that are typical for this patron but also typical for the entire period?
Discuss the subject matter and theme of the work. How does it reflect the needs and interests of the patronage group?
What function was the artwork intended to serve (ie: political propaganda, religious devotion or secular ?)
Select 3 of the following to discuss in your journal
Ecstasy of St. Theresa, Bernini
Calling of St. Matthew, Caravaggio
The Raising of the Cross, Rubens
Woman Holding a Balance, Vermeer
Still Life with Glass Globe, Claesz
The Night Watch, Rembrandt
Louis XIV, Rigaud
Hall of Mirrors, Versailles, Hardouin-Mansart
Las Meninas, Velasquez