Art History on the Net is an art history resource page for kids and adults. You will learn how to look at and analyze artwork through games, project exercises, art history links and more. To find previous clues click on the links below. You have reached page #5 and you will find clues about the visual element of texture. Texture is created by the amount of light which is reflected on a surface. Some names for textures are slick, matte, soft, fuzzy, blurry, dull, coarse. . .Can you think of several names for textures. Write them below. One way to create textures is to take a sheet of paper, and place it over an object, and then rub a pencil over the sheet of paper. You will get a textural rubbing and can use that rubbing to create a work of art. Try it! Now it is time to take a field trip to the famous museum where you will find the painting of the week. First you will need to print out the information below so that you will have your clues handy when you look at the work of art. You will find below a brief description of the painter, and clues for looking at this very famous artwork. When it comes to looking at a painting everyone's answers will be different, that's what is fun about an art adventure. Every painting tells a different story to each person who looks at it. Here are some clues to help you understand this painting more easily. Remember print out the clues before you visit the painting on the web museum. You will find the "real" painting at the Chicago Art Institute in Chicago Illinois. Georges Seurat-Who was he? Georges Seurat was a French, Post-Impressionist painter (his style was influenced by the Impressionist painters, that is why he is considered a Post-Impressionist.) He is also known as a "pointillist". In fact, he was one of the painters that developed this style of painting. Pointillism was a method in which Seurat painted directly on the canvas in small dots and dabs of colors. He mixed primary colors-such as yellow and red-directly on the canvas by placing them side-by-side. For instance, when you looked at the painting from far away the colors blended together, creating secondary colors. When Seurat mixed yellow + red on his canvas in little dots he was able to give the appearance of orange to the viewer. Pointillism was an amazing technique that was developed before computer pixels or color television. Seurat was influenced by the scientists of his time who were working on color theories and optics. Seurat studied their scientific theories and then experiment with his medium-oil painting. Below is the list of clues that will help you to understand the painting's meaning. Every painting has something to say. Look very carefully and see what this painting is saying to you. Clues 1. What is the title of the painting? 2. Does the title give you a clue to the meaning of the painting? 3. What year was this painting painted? What do you know about the people of this time from this painting? What kinds of clothes did they wear? What kinds of activities did they participate in when they were relaxing? What did they do on Sunday Afternoons in France (that is where the Island of the Grande Jatte is located). 4. Imagine that you could walk into this painting. What has the artist done to create a sense of spatial dimension within the painting? Who is closest to you? Are those figures large and in the foreground of the painting closest to us? Why do we think so? Is there a mid point in the composition? And is there a far away in the composition? Has the artist created smaller figures and placed them higher in the compositional plane to create a feeling of far away? 5. Do you see strong vertical lines? Does that give the painting a structured mood? Does it look like a stage set like you would see in a theatre? Are the figures posed? 6. How would you describe the texture? 7. Can you see the little dots of colors that Seurat has used? Name the colors. What is the technique of small dots called? 8. Do the shapes blend in the composition or do the figures look like paper dolls? 9. Would you like to visit a place like this? Why? 10. Do you think that Seurat liked where he was? 11. What was the weather like? 12. What kinds of pets did people have on the river bank? 13. Are the people having fun? 14. When you visit a lake, or river, or the ocean do you see people participating in the kinds of activities that you see in this painting? 15. Do you think there are activities that people engage in now that they couldn't then? Why? 16. Could you make up a story about this painting? 17. What does this painting say to you? O.K. Now visit the musuem and find Seurat under the famous paintings section. Parents and Teachers-Mail Your Questions and Comments to Art Teacher on the Net.
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