The essays that children write throughout their school life are needed not only for mastering the curriculum, but also for the development of speech, as well as the creative component of the student. To a greater extent, teachers teach only the technical side of the process. Schoolchildren are taught how to correctly draw up a plan, highlight the main topic, and maintain the general speech style of the essay. This, of course, helps in the future to compose according to established standards, but the development of an individual artistic style is inhibited. So that working on an essay is not particularly difficult for the student, parents can train him at home. It is better to start with the type that is most accessible to younger students. In homework, for example, you can show how to write an essay based on a picture. Thanks to such training, the child will begin to develop competent and rich speech, as well as a wide vocabulary, which will help him write any essay without much difficulty.
Technique for correctly writing an essay based on a picture
Teachers have long developed basic rules that parents need to know in order to later discuss them with their little schoolchild. Having mastered this template, a child can easily learn to write an essay based on a picture.
Text structure
When working with any text, it is necessary to determine its structure. The same thing happens with writing. Before you begin, you need to remember that the text is always divided into three parts:
- introduction;
- main part;
- conclusion.
Introduction
Introduces into the main body of the text, should not be too long. It usually begins with the following sentence: “In front of me is the work of (the artist) (name of the painting).”
Main part
Before you start writing, you need to carefully examine the picture and determine:
- Foreground. First you need to establish what genre the painting belongs to, because the difference between a portrait and a landscape is colossal. In the case of visual art (portraiture, animal painting or still life), the foreground is most often a person, animal or thing that is closest to the viewer. Determining an object in the foreground, as a rule, occurs automatically on a subconscious level. However, if it is a landscape, then the location of the key object is not so obvious. The most accurate principle for determining the foreground of a landscape is the one used in still life. To do this, you need to divide the picture into two halves horizontally and analyze their content. Where there are more objects and key figures, the main idea of the picture is realized.
- Background. Here you need to pay attention to the background on which the main object is located. Usually the background sets the overall mood, so there is a strong emphasis on color. Paintings of the battle genre are often more detailed than others, which makes it possible to describe the scene in more detail.
- Small parts. This point is observed in any genre of painting. It is necessary to describe in detail any details that catch your eye, revealing their meaning and relevance. In most cases they are located at the main site. Against the background, they manifest themselves only in addition to the main elements. They are meticulous color transitions, imperceptible at first glance, or a detailed element such as folds, accessories or a look, in which the whole essence of the picture lies.
- Color spectrum. Color is the first thing a person visually perceives. The student should be taught to convey the description in accordance with warm and cold shades that convey the atmosphere of the picture.
Adhering to these rules and applying the correspondence “foreground - details, background - color scheme”, writing an essay on a painting will not be such a difficult task.
Essay plan
When the basic knowledge about the technical component of the picture is there and its structure is known, it is necessary to draw up a plan according to the requirements. The standard plan outline is:
Introduction:
- information about the artist’s work (what styles he used, the direction of his works and when they were written);
- information about the painting (under the influence of what factors it was painted, its genre, as well as the title and year of creation);
Main part (description of the picture):
- the plot of the picture;
- description of the foreground and background;
- description of the appearance of the main characters (if present);
- details;
- color spectrum;
- the role and means of expression used by the artist.
Conclusion:
- own opinion about the picture;
- general analysis and description of what the author wanted to say.
Elements of the plan may vary depending on the genre of the picture, its content and other factors. However, the above settings represent the most complete disclosure of the content of the picture in the description.
Description techniques used
There are four main methods of description, closely related to each other, but with significant differences in their basis. They are:
- Picture description. A technique that serves to emotionally reproduce what is in the picture. This is especially true for landscapes or the battle genre, where it is necessary to dryly describe the facts and convey in the text the mood that the artist was trying to create.
- Analytical description . It consists of describing the constituent elements of something, that is, details. This technique is very important for describing the properties of objects held by the heroes or secondary objects (monuments, architectural structures, etc.).
- Figurative characteristics. Description of the groups of people represented in the picture. The characteristics of a certain image are necessary for the full disclosure and most accurate description of the type of characters. Knowledge of the history of the period in which the film takes place will also help with this. The obvious benefits of this technique are visible in the paintings of the battle genre.
- Characteristics of a historical figure. In some works, the key figure is a historical character, and everything else is just an addition to his image. He comes to the fore and, since he is a historically important character, should be described according to the following characteristics: appearance, personality traits, contribution or influence on the events taking place in the picture.
Important: it is difficult to use these techniques independently in elementary school, so the child will have to be helped in mastering them at home, while at the same time instilling in him the ability to correctly use description methods.
Disclosure of the topic and conclusion
Full disclosure of the topic using description techniques, as well as understanding the idea that the author wanted to convey, is only the first stage. In addition to discussing the picture from both the technical and emotional sides, it is necessary to draw an appropriate conclusion. It must be based on objective perception and subjective evaluation as the picture was understood. In the conclusion, it is worth indicating how familiar the work being described is to the artist and what place it occupied in his life.
How to write an essay on a painting: preparatory stage of work
Before you start work, you should prepare. After all, a painting, like a literary work, needs to be able to read and recognize its meaning. First of all, study the biography of the artist and his creative path. It is important for you to understand what technique, theme and style the master worked in. By the way, if you don’t understand genres of painting, Google can help. This information will be needed in order to understand what is in front of you - a landscape, still life or portrait.
Usually the picture on which schoolchildren write an essay is in the textbook. And a separate exercise with questions about the painting is dedicated to it. Use these questions to write your essay. By answering them, you will quietly write most of the essay.
Now let's move on to the picture itself. First, analyze it from the technical side. In your draft, write down what this picture is about, what its theme is. Answer the question who or what is depicted on the canvas. Pay attention to the composition of the picture, the color and light scheme, and the overall flavor. Why did the author use these particular figurative and expressive means, how through them does he express his position. Then proceed to emotional analysis. Did you like the picture? What emotions and feelings did it evoke?
Mark all these points in your draft. These are the building blocks for constructing an essay. Now let's fasten them together.
Online preparation courses for the Unified State Examination If you want to prepare for the exam with 80+ points, sign up for online preparation courses for the Unified State Exam Adukar!/images/photo/ege-101.jpg
Tips for parents:
- If a child is interested in art and is well versed in using a palette of colors, then this knowledge can help him. The body of the essay (color scheme or details) can focus on the correct use of shadow or color. Fully revealing how it affects the overall mood of the picture or the period described in it.
- When describing a picture of the battle genre, it is always necessary to provide historical information about the events taking place. It is also worth taking a closer look at any minor details of the characters, be it a face or a pose, because they contain the author’s idea that helps reveal the entire plot.
- The description of the portrait similarly requires a detailed examination. The author conveys the attitude towards the portrait through details in the character’s wardrobe, shades, gaze and other parts of the body. Looking at the picture, you need to feel the mood and character of the individual. Also, do not forget about the environment of the protagonist, take into account what is emphasized.
- If in elementary school you pay attention to how carefully a child approaches the description of a picture, then in the future this will help him more easily notice important details. Therefore, when describing, it is worth paying attention to what kind of strokes the artist used (light or hard), the tone of the paints (cold or warm), how he used the space (location of objects in the center, on the sides, etc.). A hint for a correct assessment of space can be the horizon, where its location at the bottom indicates the artist’s emphasis on the sky, and at the top – on the earth. In elementary school, just a slight mention of it is enough for it to appear more often in high school essays over time.
- Its shape can also help in describing a painting. If the work is executed on a wide horizontal canvas, then the author most likely wants to convey the extent and grandeur of what is happening. A picture stretched vertically speaks of an upward striving and sublimity of feelings; it may not evoke such vivid emotions as a panoramic one, characterizing calm and silence.
Learning to write an essay, especially in elementary school, is a labor-intensive process that every time faces the questions “Why? Why?" The answer to these questions lies in the very meaning of the word “essay”. In the process, the child accustoms himself to independent work and active brain activity, which trains his imagination and speed of thinking. With proper training not only by teachers, but also by parents, the student will not have problems with cause-and-effect relationships in the text, choosing words, reasoning and formulating his own thoughts. This knowledge will also be useful in your personal life, which makes the hard work in elementary school worthwhile for years to come.
Essay on a painting: rough outline
Like a standard written paper, an essay on a painting has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Now we’ll tell you how to arrange them correctly.
Introduction
The introduction usually provides brief information about the artist and his importance in art. You can write in what style the master worked, what is unique about his work. It’s a good idea to mention the history of the painting, the year it was written, the genre of the painting, and so on.
The main part of an essay on a painting
The main part is devoted to the analysis and description of the canvas. Note what this picture is about. Analyze what is in the background, middle and foreground. Describe the main characters of the picture (if any), pay attention to important details. Describe the color and light design of the canvas and note what mood the author conveys with their help.
