Visual Literacy Paper Select one to three still images from fine art, advertising, and/or mass media (please, no work by friends or relatives), to describe and analyze in a paper 3-5 pages long that focuses on your own ideas and incorporates lessons you have learned in class. (Length does not determine quality.) Include color copies of the images stapled to the back of your paper.

How You Will Be Graded See evaluation checklist for essays. You will be graded on how original, complex, thorough, insightful, articulate, and well supported your ideas are.evaluation checklist for essays I do not have any preferences about kinds of work you write about. I am not grading you based on whether or not I agree with your opinions. But if you want to have original and complex ideas, you will probably need to select original and complex work to discuss. And that usually means which usually means something beyond Hallmark cards with sunsets, rainbows, butterflies, and puppies. Move beyond ideas that are cliché, obvious, or simplistic.

Brainstorming You might want to begin brainstorming by describing, just to break the ice. Consider the content of the work. What is being represented? Think about form (how it is being represented): e.g., elements: line, shape, color, light, perspective, etc. principles: balance, repetition, anomaly, etc.

Incorporating Theories O.K., now that we have described this work, what lessons are you reminded of when you look at the image? What about Berger? What about Sontag’s theories?

Paper Structure --Intro with thesis statement at end -- Body paragraphs w/ topic sentences -- Body paragraphs support topic sentences. -- Concluding paragraph does not repeat what has already been said, but instead reflects upon it.

Organizational Strategies You may use any organization strategy that you find effective—for example: - classification - comparison and contrast - persuasion, etc. You might want to select two or three works of art, devoting a body paragraph to each one, and then comparing/contrasting them. Or, you might want to analyze a single work of art, addressing a different aspect of it in each body paragraph--for example, one paragraph might address form while another addresses content

Relying On Your Own Ideas This assignment is designed for you to develop YOUR own theories/interpretations and put them in your own words, so it I recommend that you do not research or reference any sources that directly analyze the work you choose to discuss, unless you receive special permission. For example: Stacey Crooks’ “History Rewritten” OR (read the review of the Dwarf Art)“History Rewritten” Do incorporate readings from class if appropriate. Use MLA documentation to cite outside resources (e.g., articles from class). You may feature commonly known factual information as brief background without citing a source.

Writing Tips The writing should be grammatically solid. See Saunders Writing Center if you need help. Avoid starting your paper with: “I am going to write my paper about... “ You can use first person, but if you do, use it to show how your individual perception gives you unique understanding.

Grades A = Exceptional/Outstanding (highly original, one of the top papers of COM 232 — brings discussion to a higher level than the work itself; comments on culiture e.g., Stacey Crooks ’ paper) B = Very Good (solid, clearly written, many insights — e.g., the Bronzino exercise) C = Average (meets requirements)

QUESTIONS?