Be a Painting Critic

In Be a Painting Critic, learn how to critique a painting by learning the elements of design. Also learn how to compare and contrast paintings. 

After you have learned how to critique, select a painting and record your answers to the Write About It questions in a notebook or a digital document. Use the Painting Word Bank to help with your responses.

Google Drive/Classroom Users: You can go under File and select "Make a Copy" or "Print" to access the Artopia Painting - Write About It worksheet.

Madonna and Child Enthroned | Artopia
Madonna and Child Enthroned | Artopia

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Giovanni dal Ponte A Closer Look Giovanni dal Ponte's triptych has a strong sense of balance. The center panel shows Mary and Jesus Christ with Saint Lawrence and Saint Stephen on either side. Notice...
Painting - Write About It Worksheet for Google Docs
Painting - Write About It Worksheet for Google Docs

Interactive

INSTRUCTIONS: Click on the link above to access the Google Docs document. You can go under File and select " Make a Copy" to add to your own Google Drive or " Print." In Be a Painting Critic, select a...
Painting No. 4 (A Black Horse) | Artopia
Painting No. 4 (A Black Horse) | Artopia

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Marsden Hartley A Closer Look Marsden Hartley paints with contrasting colors in Painting No. 4 (A Black Horse), using warm colors (reds, yellows and oranges) and cool colors (blues, violets and greens...
Painting Word Bank | Artopia
Painting Word Bank | Artopia

Document

WORD BANK: Elements and Principles of Design line – a long thin continuous mark or stroke color – hues, tints, and shades as created by light and pigments value – the relative lightness or darkness of...
Race Horses at Longchamp | Artopia
Race Horses at Longchamp | Artopia

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Edgar Degas A Closer Look As an Impressionist, Edgar Degas painted impressions of what he saw. He didn't paint as many details as artists did in the Renaissance, for example. Many Impressionists made...
The Horse Fair | Artopia
The Horse Fair | Artopia

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Rosa Bonheur A Closer Look Rosa Bonheur uses gradient value to create the illusion of three-dimensional form in The Horse Fair. Gradient value is a gradual change in the lightness or darkness of a...
The Large Blue Horses | Artopia
The Large Blue Horses | Artopia

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Franz Marc A Closer Look In The Large Blue Horses, Franz Marc uses rich, bright colors and curvy lines. The curves of the horses are repeated in the hills in the background. Notice how the horses take...
The Life of John Brown, No. 11 | Artopia
The Life of John Brown, No. 11 | Artopia

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Jacob Lawrence A Closer Look Sometimes artists tell stories without words, as Jacob Lawrence has done in The Life of John Brown, No. 11 – John Brown Took to Guerrilla Warfare. This painting is part of...
The Piebald Horse | Artopia
The Piebald Horse | Artopia

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Paulus Potter A Closer Look Paulus Potter has chosen a handsome spotted horse as central to this painting. What visual devices does he use to bring attention to the horse? Look at the various textures...
Wild West | Artopia
Wild West | Artopia

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Emil Armin A Closer Look Emil Armin produces a sense of depth in Wild West by changing the values of his colors. One way to change the value of a color is to mix in its complement, its opposite on the...