The Comparative Study Simplified Guide/Outline

Mr. Chad Jr and Sr Art

Introduction ● Present your theme.

Slide 1 ● Present the artworks you plan to write about.
● Summarize the scope of your investigation from which the focus artworks, objects and artifacts
have been selected, and any thematic or conceptual framework you have used to draw the
investigation together.

Cultural Context ● You have 4 slides to Evaluate, Analyze and Compare and Contrast
● Evaluate ○ How the culture from the artist and the time period have influenced the artwork.
● Analyze ● How you do this is up to you but you must cover every artwork you have chosen.
● Compare ● You should give equal amounts of writing to the Evaluation, Analysis and the
● Contrast Comparing and Contrasting
Slide 2-5 ● You must talk about
○ The ideas of the time.
○ The background from which the artwork emerges.
○ What historical circumstances formed the artwork.
○ What learned and shared beliefs, values, interests, attitudes, products or
patterns of behavior influenced the artwork

Student Art This is done Sr. Year.

comparing Culture ● How does your cultural meaning that you used in your artwork have a relationship
Slide 6 with your research?
○ Reflect on the relationship with your own artwork.
○ Compare and Contrast your work against your research from slides 2-5
○ How has your research influenced the outcomes of your art-making?
○ Write about the meaningful connections your work has in relation to your
research.

Conceptual ● You have 3 slides to Evaluate, Analyze and Compare and Contrast
Meanings & Material ○ How the material your artists used can be closely linked to the cultural
Slide 7-9 significance of the work. They may also contribute to the conceptual
meaning - the message the work communicates.
● How you do this is up to you but you must cover every artwork you have chosen.
● You should give equal amounts of writing to the Evaluation, Analysis and the
Comparing and Contrasting
● You want to try to write about
○ What is it made of?
○ What is the material significance?
○ Does it matter what media was used to create the work?
○ What does the process involve?
○ Is there a reason the material might be significant?
○ Was the material popular at the time?
○ Was the material cheap/accessible, or expensive (Used as a status symbol)?
○ Is the material new (digital etc.)?
○ Is the material a revival of an older technique?
○ Does the material have conceptual significance (This is particularly
important with many mixed media works, sculptures, and installations)?
■ What is the message, meaning, mood, theme, the idea of the artwork?
■ Is this significant? Why? How so?
■ Is it saying something new or advanced for its time?
■ Does it belong to a particular art movement?
■ Is the idea of this piece, or the art movement it belongs to,
revolutionary or new in any way?
Student Art This is done Sr. Year.
comparing Meanings ● How do your materials/medium have a relationship with your research?
& Material ○ Reflect on the relationship with your own artwork.
Slide 10 ○ Compare and Contrast your work against your research from slides 7-9
○ How has your research influenced the outcomes of your art-making?
○ Write about the meaningful connections your work has in relation to your
research.

Functions and ● You have 3 slides to Evaluate, Analyze and Compare and Contrast
Purpose ○ What is the Purpose and Function of the artwork you researched?
Slide 11-13 ● How you do this is up to you but you must cover every artwork you have chosen.
● You should give equal amounts of writing to the Evaluation, Analysis and the
Comparing and Contrasting
● You want to try to write about:
○ Why was this artwork made?
■ For status?
● To enhance the power or social standing of the owner. To
display wealth (through the use of precious materials, skilled
craftsmanship or the creative originality of the artist).
■ For ritual?
● As a part of a religious celebration, or as a votive offering to
ask for forgiveness, as an icon to worship, to attain spiritual
enlightenment ii.
■ For education?
● To teach, to tell a story?
● To understand the human condition?
○ Through the representation of abstract concepts and
feelings
● As propaganda?
○ A one-sided message aimed to distort the truth for
political advantage
● As a documentary?
○ To record an event
● To question?
○ The role of art is often to make us see with fresh eyes
● For self-expression
○ For personal expression of the artist
● 7. For contemplation
○ To enjoy art for its aesthetic beauty
○ Art for art's sake
● 8. For decoration
● 9. For catharsis
○ To release emotions
■ Art therapy
● Who paid for this artwork?
○ Consider who is paying for materials and labor and
why
● What was it created for?
○ Public, private, installation, designed for monument or
architectural setting.
Student Art This is done Sr. Year.
comparing ● How does your artwork Function and Purpose have a relationship with your
Functions and research?
Purpose ○ Reflect on the relationship with your own artwork.
Slide 14
○ Compare and Contrast your work against your research from slides 7-9
○ How has your research influenced the outcomes of your art-making?
○ Write about the meaningful connections your work has in relation to your
research.

Formal Qualities You have 4 slides to Evaluate, Analyze and Compare and Contrast
Slide 15-18 ● Describe the formal, visual aspects of the work
○ This is essentially what you see
○ Refer to the formal elements of design (elements and principles of
design)
○ Analyze How the work is organized
■ Use the green posters #1 and #2 on the desk, above the sink, on
Weebly under Jr Year How to Critically Analyze An Artwork
○ How does the artist use the elements of art (art, color, line, texture,
shape, form, value, space)
○ How does the artist use the principles of design (balance, gradation,
repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance, unity)
○ What is the impact of these particular formal quality artistic choices?
○ How did the artist's choices set the tone of the artwork?
○ How does this artwork reflect particular methods or artistic ideas?

Student Art This is done Sr. Year.

comparing Formal ● You have 2 slides to do this!
Qualities ● How does your artwork Formal Qualities have a relationship with your research?
Slide 19 & 20 ○ Reflect on the relationship with your own artwork.
○ Compare and Contrast your work against your research from slides 7-9
○ How has your research influenced the outcomes of your art-making?
○ Write about the meaningful connections your work has in relation to your
research.

Bibliography AP or MLA,
This is done as you Your Choice must be consistent
go along and add You must give the source details of all the:
resources ● Images
● Text extracts and quotes you refer to in your work
● Work or ideas of another artist, person our source
you have paraphrased or summarized.