WHO ARE YOU? Visual Literacy: John Henry s Hand. The Symbolism of Me

Transcription

1 Visual Literacy: John Henry s Hand WHO ARE YOU? The Symbolism of Me John Henry s Hand, 1935, Frederick Gerhard Becker wood engraving; image: 6 1/8 x 4 5/8 in. (15.4 x 11.6 cm) Smithsonian American Art Museum Transfer from D.C. Public Library

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3 Art Analysis Worksheet John Henry s Hand, 1935, Frederick Gerhard Becker 1. Study the piece of art for two minutes. Form an overall impression of the artwork. 2. Looking carefully at the images in the hand, list everything you see in the piece of art. (Think how it represents the artist and who he is, what his life is like) 3. What do you think is the main subject of the piece of art? 4. Why did the artist choose these colors? What do the colors symbolize or represent? 5. What message do you think the artist is trying to convey? 3

4 Some Symbolic Meanings of Colors For more information, go to Red: Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate, sincerity, happiness, Pinks symbolizes love and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm. Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity. Yellow signifies joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship. Blue: Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant. Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal. Purple: Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, honor, arrogance, mourning, temperance. Lavender symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance. Orange: Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention. Green: Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor. Brown: Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort. Gray: Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm. White: Reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical. Black: Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures), austerity, detachment. ofcolors.htm 4

5 Portfolio Assignment: On the cover of your portfolio, trace an outline of your hand. Now depict within the hand who you are. Include your initials, words and/or images that represent YOU. What symbols represent your life? What symbolizes your accomplishments, your hopes and dreams? Refer to the attached Some Symbolic Meanings of Colors sheet to determine what colors you will use for your drawing. Use Zentangles to help fill in the space in your hand. Writing Piece: Use the fill-in-the-blank description as a guide to explain your drawing. In my drawing of my own hand, I included. [You may insert as many sentences as you need to explain what you ve included in your drawing of your hand.] I used the colors to symbolize. Overall, this drawing shows about me. 5