Critical thinking

Performing the Skill of Analysis

Using

ART

The Artwork

• For this exercise we will use the painting “Weems’ Fable” (also called Parson Weems’ Fable) painted by Grant Wood in 1939.

Focal Plane Analysis slide 1

• First let’s do a focal plane analysis . • Focal Plane Analysis- searching for a

particular fact or idea in a message.

• The phrase “focal plane analysis” comes from photography and refers to the plane of objects in a photo that are mostly sharply in focus, usually the subject of the photo. Background is not as important and thus not necessarily in focus.

Focal Plane Analysis

slide 2

· Whereas component and outline analysis (which I will cover shortly) ask you to consider the whole item being analyzed, focal point analysis does not.

· For example, if you need the definition of one word, you do not need to consider the whole dictionary to arrive at the one definition needed. You simply focus on the one word you are interested in.

· If looking at a work of art and performing a focal plane analysis, ask yourself what is the first thing that draws your attention in the artwork.

Focal Plane Analysis slide 3

What draws your attention in this painting? What seems to be the focus? What clues might lead you to this conclusion?

Focal Plane Analysis slide 4

Note that even the corner of the building forms an arrow, drawing our attention to the hatchet.

The figure in the bright red coat is pointing to the smaller figure and ultimately at the hatchet.

This large figure in the foreground is pointing to the

hatchet. Note that he is also darker, more subdued in color and shades than the figures at center.

The lightest shading of the painting is near the center of action, again drawing my focus.

The smaller figure who holds the hatchet with one hand points to it with the other.

What draws my attention in this painting? I would say that I am immediately drawn to the smaller figure holding the hatchet, and might even say I am drawn to the hatchet! Everything in the picture seems to be pointing to it!

Focal Plane Analysis

slide 5

· Clearly, whatever this painting is about (I am sure many of us already know, but play along here), the hatchet must be of great importance.

· For my focal plane analysis, I would say this painting is about something that was done with the hatchet. One does not have to look far to figure it out either. In the same lighted are at the center of the picture we see the small tree, in the hand of the red-coated figure. Clearly its been cut. This painting is about someone (probably the smaller figure holding the hatchet) who has cut a tree.

Component Analysis slide 1

· Now let’s do a component analysis of the same painting.

· In a sense we have already started the component analysis in order to do the focal plane analysis. In fact, it is not difficult to argue that one must do a component analysis before doing a focal plane or outline analysis. However, since I believe we tend to do focal plane analysis all the time without giving it any thought, I chose to cover that one first.

Component Analysis slide 2

· Our textbook tells us that a component analysis requires us to break up a “message” (in this case a painting is the message) into mutually exclusive elements.

· Simply put, without assigning them any order of importance, what are the basic elements of this painting?

Component Analysis slide 3

What are the mutually exclusive elements?

1. People 2. Trees 3. Hatchet 4. Building 5. Ladder 6. Lawn

7. Building

It’s that simple! Could I break it down even further? Sure, it just depends on my purpose for performing the analysis and how complicated I want to make it. For the purpose of this exercise, the above elements are more than sufficient.

Outline Analysis slide 1

• Now let’s consider the same work using an outline analysis.

• In order to do an outline analysis, we have to first do a component analysis, which we have already done.

• Outline analysis- a multileveled component analysis where some components are categories for other components.

Outline Analysis slide 2

• Outline analysis begins the same way as component analysis, but it goes one step further. It requires you to identify how the components are positioned relative to one another, that is, which components are the organizing components and which are nested within the organizing components (components within components).

Outline Analysis slide 3

· Not all components may be on the same level.

· Some may be components of components.

· The position of the component is important as well.

• Position- the location of a component relative to other components in an outline analysis.

Outline Analysis slide 4

I. People A. Large man in foreground

1. Darker shades/colors 2. Pointing with one hand 3. Holding curtain with other

B. Red coated figure 1. Holding cut tree 2. Pointing at hatchet 3. Taller than figure beside him

C. Small figure at center 1. Holding hatchet with one hand 2. Pointing with other hand to hatchet

D. Small figures in distance

1. Holding ladder

2. Possibly picking fruit from trees

II. Trees A. Tree in foreground

1. Cut

2. In bright area B. Tree in middle ground

1. People picking fruit from it C. Trees in distance

1. In neat rows (an orchard?)

III.

IV. V .

Building in background A. Red brick B. Windows C. Corner points to hatchet Lawn

A. Darker around edges B. Brighter at center of picture Hatchet

Note that this is not the only way I could have done this. How might you have done it?

Overview of our analysis

· Regardless of the type of analysis we perform, one thing seems clear time after time- everything leads to the hatchet!

· Clearly it’s important. Even without knowing about the story behind the picture, one can probably conclude that the shortest figure (probably a child) has cut the tree with his hatchet. The red-coated figure is talking to him about it. That the tree may have been important is implied by the fruits in the tree and the fact that people are going to the trouble to pick fruit from a similar tree in the distance.

· The large figure in the foreground does not seem to be a part of the scene, but rather is directing our attention to it, almost as though he is telling us about it.

Explanation of the artwork

· In fact, the painting is about the well-known legend of George Washington and the cherry tree.

· According to the legend, which was probably started by Parson Mason Weems (and totally fictitious, though it has been believed by generations of Americans), as a boy Washington was given a hatchet as a birthday present.

· He cut down one of his father’s precious cherry trees (a source of crops and thus income!) with his new gift.

· When his father confronted him about it, rather than lie, he took responsibility for his actions.

· The story was of course meant to showcase Washington’s well-known moral character and sense of honor.

Analysis

• For more about this painting and the story behind it, visit the following website:

• http://www.cartermuseum.org/picturing- america/parson-weems-fable Link opens in a new window.

Performing the Skill of Analysis

Using

ART

The Artwork

• For this exercise we will use the painting “Weems’ Fable” (also called Parson Weems’ Fable) painted by Grant Wood in 1939.

Focal Plane Analysis slide 1

• First let’s do a focal plane analysis . • Focal Plane Analysis- searching for a

particular fact or idea in a message.

• The phrase “focal plane analysis” comes from photography and refers to the plane of objects in a photo that are mostly sharply in focus, usually the subject of the photo. Background is not as important and thus not necessarily in focus.

Focal Plane Analysis

slide 2

· Whereas component and outline analysis (which I will cover shortly) ask you to consider the whole item being analyzed, focal point analysis does not.

· For example, if you need the definition of one word, you do not need to consider the whole dictionary to arrive at the one definition needed. You simply focus on the one word you are interested in.

· If looking at a work of art and performing a focal plane analysis, ask yourself what is the first thing that draws your attention in the artwork.

Focal Plane Analysis slide 3

What draws your attention in this painting? What seems to be the focus? What clues might lead you to this conclusion?

Focal Plane Analysis slide 4

Note that even the corner of the building forms an arrow, drawing our attention to the hatchet.

The figure in the bright red coat is pointing to the smaller figure and ultimately at the hatchet.

This large figure in the foreground is pointing to the

hatchet. Note that he is also darker, more subdued in color and shades than the figures at center.

The lightest shading of the painting is near the center of action, again drawing my focus.

The smaller figure who holds the hatchet with one hand points to it with the other.

What draws my attention in this painting? I would say that I am immediately drawn to the smaller figure holding the hatchet, and might even say I am drawn to the hatchet! Everything in the picture seems to be pointing to it!

Focal Plane Analysis

slide 5

· Clearly, whatever this painting is about (I am sure many of us already know, but play along here), the hatchet must be of great importance.

· For my focal plane analysis, I would say this painting is about something that was done with the hatchet. One does not have to look far to figure it out either. In the same lighted are at the center of the picture we see the small tree, in the hand of the red-coated figure. Clearly its been cut. This painting is about someone (probably the smaller figure holding the hatchet) who has cut a tree.

Component Analysis slide 1

· Now let’s do a component analysis of the same painting.

· In a sense we have already started the component analysis in order to do the focal plane analysis. In fact, it is not difficult to argue that one must do a component analysis before doing a focal plane or outline analysis. However, since I believe we tend to do focal plane analysis all the time without giving it any thought, I chose to cover that one first.

Component Analysis slide 2

· Our textbook tells us that a component analysis requires us to break up a “message” (in this case a painting is the message) into mutually exclusive elements.

· Simply put, without assigning them any order of importance, what are the basic elements of this painting?

Component Analysis slide 3

What are the mutually exclusive elements?

1. People 2. Trees 3. Hatchet 4. Building 5. Ladder 6. Lawn

7. Building

It’s that simple! Could I break it down even further? Sure, it just depends on my purpose for performing the analysis and how complicated I want to make it. For the purpose of this exercise, the above elements are more than sufficient.

Outline Analysis slide 1

• Now let’s consider the same work using an outline analysis.

• In order to do an outline analysis, we have to first do a component analysis, which we have already done.

• Outline analysis- a multileveled component analysis where some components are categories for other components.

Outline Analysis slide 2

• Outline analysis begins the same way as component analysis, but it goes one step further. It requires you to identify how the components are positioned relative to one another, that is, which components are the organizing components and which are nested within the organizing components (components within components).

Outline Analysis slide 3

· Not all components may be on the same level.

· Some may be components of components.

· The position of the component is important as well.

• Position- the location of a component relative to other components in an outline analysis.

Outline Analysis slide 4

I. People A. Large man in foreground

1. Darker shades/colors 2. Pointing with one hand 3. Holding curtain with other

B. Red coated figure 1. Holding cut tree 2. Pointing at hatchet 3. Taller than figure beside him

C. Small figure at center 1. Holding hatchet with one hand 2. Pointing with other hand to hatchet

D. Small figures in distance

1. Holding ladder

2. Possibly picking fruit from trees

II. Trees A. Tree in foreground

1. Cut

2. In bright area B. Tree in middle ground

1. People picking fruit from it C. Trees in distance

1. In neat rows (an orchard?)

III.

IV. V .

Building in background A. Red brick B. Windows C. Corner points to hatchet Lawn

A. Darker around edges B. Brighter at center of picture Hatchet

Note that this is not the only way I could have done this. How might you have done it?

Overview of our analysis

· Regardless of the type of analysis we perform, one thing seems clear time after time- everything leads to the hatchet!

· Clearly it’s important. Even without knowing about the story behind the picture, one can probably conclude that the shortest figure (probably a child) has cut the tree with his hatchet. The red-coated figure is talking to him about it. That the tree may have been important is implied by the fruits in the tree and the fact that people are going to the trouble to pick fruit from a similar tree in the distance.

· The large figure in the foreground does not seem to be a part of the scene, but rather is directing our attention to it, almost as though he is telling us about it.

Explanation of the artwork

· In fact, the painting is about the well-known legend of George Washington and the cherry tree.

· According to the legend, which was probably started by Parson Mason Weems (and totally fictitious, though it has been believed by generations of Americans), as a boy Washington was given a hatchet as a birthday present.

· He cut down one of his father’s precious cherry trees (a source of crops and thus income!) with his new gift.

· When his father confronted him about it, rather than lie, he took responsibility for his actions.

· The story was of course meant to showcase Washington’s well-known moral character and sense of honor.

Analysis

• For more about this painting and the story behind it, visit the following website:

• http://www.cartermuseum.org/picturing- america/parson-weems-fable Link opens in a new window.