Jamaloden, Sittie Ainah M.
GED112-Ww
Art Appreciation and Assessment
Learning outcomes
1. Practice visual literacy as a way to appreciate art by learning what to see and how to look at an artwork.
2. Engage in student discussions through analysis, interpretation, and reflection.
3. Value and respect students’ ideas, opinions, preferences, and methods through conversations and giving
constructive feedback.
In the elementary years, children are being exposed to art for the first time and this period can make or
break their perception about art and themselves.
“I’m not an artist.”
“I’m not really meant for drawing.”
“I really have no talent in this.”
Definition of Art Appreciation
Art appreciation as described by the Commission on higher Education (CHED) helps develop student’s
ability to appreciate, analyze, and critique works of art. Art appreciation encourages children to observe
carefully, think critically, and discuss respectfully (Frey, 2020).
In the commentary Development of Elementary School Courses of Study by the Japan Ministry of
Education, art appreciation can bring out the emotion hidden in oneself, reflect on the feelings and thoughts of
the other people, and the context from which the work was from. Appreciation activities help us understand the
beauty within ourselves, goodness of others, and the beauty of form and color (Fujie and Mitsumi 2008).
Description through Observation
To appreciate art, we must be able to look around and observe our surroundings.
Understanding the elements of art and principles of design.
Developed good observational skills.
Observe thoroughly.
Great artist are great observers.
Observation can be done before actually creating art.
Aesthetic Scanning
Broudy and Greer (Dobbs 1992, 77) developed this method to describe the four properties and qualities
of a work of art.
1. Sensory properties are used to identify visual elements that can be perceived through sensory
contact with the work. Examples are lines (horizontal, diagonal, thick, thin), textures (smooth or
rough, shiny or dull). Colors (vibrant or desaturated, warm or cool), shapes (geometric or organic),
values (dark or light), spaces (positive or negative), etc.
2. Formal properties refer to how the elements are organized. This can be the principles of design
but during this part, students can just say what they see. Examples are “I see two objects with the
same size and mirror image of each other” (balance) or “I see repeating shapes” (pattern).
3. Technical properties describe the medium that the artis used. This includes tools and techniques
used to create the work. This includes media (crayons, watercolor, craft paper) and methods
(printing, drawing, sketching, coloring, or folding).
4. Expressive properties describe the first impression or mood the work conveys. This includes
mood language (sad or happy), dynamic language (calm, chaotic, energetic), or idea language
(symbols, values, social concepts, etc.)
Analysis
Interpret what the artist is trying express. Visual literacy is as crucial as learning reading, writing, and
arithmetic. Children who are visually literate can mean a thousand words, and the meaning can be influenced
by many factors: their own experiences, the author’s message, and the given context.
Visual Communication and Visual Literacy
The Visual Thinking strategy is a research-based teaching method used in preschool and
elementary classes for appreciating art. The visual thinking method asks the three questions:
“what’s going on in this picture?”
“what do you see that makes you say that?”
“what more can we find?
Visual literacy is the ability to find meaning in an imagery (Yenawine 1997).
As students grow older, around 8-12 years old, a more technical approach can be done to practice visual
literacy. Teachers can focus on application and analysis of art and principles of design.
“Can you tell me how you used balance in your composition? What kind of balance?”
“What color harmony did you use? Can you explain what are analogous colors?”
Interpretation and Reflection
Art appreciation through reflection answers the questions “WHY” and “HOW I FEEL.”
Asking these questions can start a discussion about art in children. Some example questions and statement are:
“Why did you choose that color? How did you feel while mixing it?”
“Because blue is my favorite color. I like how I added a layer of paint on top of the oil pastel to
create a resist technique.”
“What message are you trying to communicate?”
“I love my pet and my cats are nice.”
“What does this remind you?”
“This reminds me of the beach.”
Talking Prompts
Sometimes, the teacher can also ask general questions to the class. Here are sample questions from TAB
by Douglas and Jaquith (2018):
"Who made an amazing discovery today?"
"Who had a struggle today? Did you overcome your problem? If not, can anyone suggest a strategy for
the artist?"
"Who learned something new from a classmate?"
"What else could you have done that you weren't able to do?"
Giving Value and Remarks
In early childhood art education, appreciating children's efforts and validating their feelings should be
given more importance than the output itself. Always start with a positive statement. Start with simple lines
such as:
"Wow! Nice work, Marie!"
"Ryan, that's good! Oh I like the colors!"
"Good job, Eric! I can see you put a lot of details."
If you cannot find anything nice to say, you can describe the work by stating a fact or an obvious observation.
Example:
"Good, Carla! I see you used red, blue, and yellow for the sea. May I know why you chose these colors?"
"Wow, lanne! You put a lot of clouds there. Is that a dog? Oh, I see it's a cow. So many cows! There's a grass
too!"
"I can see you used balance and contrast in your composition. Very good, Ryan!"
When giving remarks on report cards or works, you can say,
"Mark was able to draw circles and triangles. He can draw a square but needs some practice in making the lines
the same length as possible. He can paint using a paintbrush but needs practice on how to stroke gently."
Comment on the effort given by the child. Some example remarks are:
"Mark, did you put that together by yourself? Good job! Was it difficult? It must be hard doing this all by
yourself."
"Great work, Erin! You really collected and selected each seashell for this artwork. Where did you get them?
You collected them one by one at the beach? That must've taken some time to collect but it really paid off. Your
work looks beautiful."
When in doubt, ask first then listen.
Turn negative comments and critiques as suggestions that are optional.
Children can be very sensitive when it comes to their work. This is the stage in Erik Erikson's theory
wherein they develop will, purpose, and competence.
Use positive statements. Here are some examples:
Bad: "Your coloring is so messy! It's like a work of a 2-year-old! I told you, don't color outside the lines!"
Better: "Mark, I think your colors are going outside the lines. Can you try coloring within the shape? Try
holding the crayon near the tip. Can we do it again? Teacher will show you how."
“Art is one of life’s richest offerings. For those who have not the talent to create, there is appreciation”
-Nathaniel West
