What is the literacy in visual arts? (PDF 2.17MB)
The literacy you are teaching without even knowing it.
- Discussing artworks, artists, preferences, artistic forms and techniques. For example, describing the way an artist has used a particular technique to create an effect or interpretation.
- Exploring the structure of an artwork - how has an artist constructed it and what layers were involved in this process? Planning an artwork is just like planning a writing task.
- Using quality literature as a stimulus for creating own artworks. For example, recreating a scene from a text, creating images to reflect the text.
- Exploring visual literacy or picture books. How does this representation tell a story? Create your own. Explore and discuss subject matter and interpretation by artists and audiences.
- Using a series of artworks or illustrations to construct a narrative such as using a set artist or through programs such as Storybird.
- Reading about artworks, art in advertising and media. Critically discussing meaning and intention.
- Writing a story based upon an artwork you have seen. Firstly, discuss perspective and possible meanings. What could the artist have been trying to convey? What role does the title have?
- Writing in visual arts journals or reflecting upon practice.
- Critically reflecting upon historical studies of art and artists, representation, conceptual strength and meaning.