National Art Education Association

Art of the Narrative: Interpreting Visual Stories

Author(s): Beth Goldberg
Source: Art Education, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Mar., 2005), pp. 25-32
Published by: National Art Education Association
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 INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES

Art of the Narrative:

Interpreting

Visual Stories

BY BETH GOLDBERG

Recommended for students in grades 3-6

Images with narrative intent are ideally suited for beginning art viewers.
As cognitive psychologist Abigail Housen has discovered inher research on
aesthetic development, viewers at this stage?children and adults alike?look
for stories in art, even when the artist did not intend them. In this first"Aesthetic
Stage" viewers are considered "accountive" storytellers. They make concrete
observations about an artwork that contributes to a narrative.

If selected appropriately, artworkswith narrative content have the potential for

many levels of interpretationand are especially intriguingforyoung viewers.
Themes about work, play, and family interaction,which relate directly to a child's
life experience, are especially ideal for exploration. While some of the most

engaging scenes may involve stopped action, childrenwill also enjoy interpreting
less active themes that focus on human relationships and quiet activities ifthey
contain narrative potential. Images should be accessible and provide points of

entry towhich children can relate, but they should also be open to interpretation,
with a range of possible This allows children to experience a variety of
meanings.
points of view as they and their classmates mine the images for stories.With
careful guidance, students can move to more complex over time.
gradually images

This InstructionalResources follows theVisual Thinking Strategies (VTS)

developed by art educator Philip Yenawine. Yenawine collaborated with Abigail
Housen to design school and museum programs that foster cognitive growth
through interactionwith art images.

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 Art of the Narrative:

Visual Stories
Interpreting
The key to theVTS technique is the discovery process, not Four Narrative Approaches
pre-existing "truths" or correct answers. The discussion
revolves around open-ended questions about the images, and Mary Case Dekker
builds confidence in the students' own ability to construct Thin Ice on CrazyWoman Creek, 1994
meaning. Three primary steps stimulate student thinking, Pastel and acrylic, 58" x 42"
communication, and visual literacy skills: 1) looking at art of
increasing complexity; 2) responding to developmentally-based "Growing up inWyoming with nary a playmate less than ten
miles away I learned to explore thewide open spaces of the
questions, and 3) participating in group discussions that are
carefully facilitated by the teacher. This approach invites land, the sky and my own imagination.Drawing, making things
and make believe was play, expression and comfort."
students to focus, become reflective and to question?the basis
for thinkingcritically. It encourages students to listen, Mary Case Dekker's images often spring from familyevents
concentrate, and respect their fellow students as theywork and visual memories. She likes to indulge in a passion for
together on the discussion. making marks, telling tall tales, and exploring the fine lines
between and
In this InstructionalResources, some of theVTS strategies are reality imagination.

applied to classroom activities designed to help young children

Lucy Traeger
interpretthe visual stories that can be discovered in two
dimensional images. The four images in this Instructional FirstGrade
on canvas, 60" x 72"
Resources all refer to the artists' memories of their own early Acrylic

childhood years. "This painting is about my experience in firstgrade. I felt

compelled to paint after coming across my class picture from
Objectives thatyear.My preliminary sketches included a teacher, other
Students will:
children and a classroom filledwith drawings, stories and lots
identifynarrative elements invisual images. of fun things to do. I began to paint this scene. As I continued
suggest interpretivemeanings foractions and attitudes painting almost everythingdisappeared, leaving only a massive
depicted invisual images. blackboard, one tiny chair, and the six year-oldme. This is how
write or talk about personal experiences that share Imust have felt, alone anxious to please, and not sure what

similaritieswith experiences depicted invisual images. was expected of me."

create that communicate

self-portrait collages important Sandra Ortiz Taylor
information about themselves.
Measuring Up
Mixed media, 11.5" x 14.5" x 2.75"

"'Measuring up' is a process that frequentlyhas itsbeginning in

childhood. Parents set standards and expectations early in the
socialization and educational process. School further empha
sizes measuring and standardizing and adds the formalprocess
of grading. By the time one reaches adulthood, much of the
process is internalized. Sometimes itworks foryou and
sometimes against you.

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 INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES

Thin Ice on CrazyWoman Creek, 1994. Mary Case Dekker. Pastel and acrylic, 58" x 42". Collection of theartist.

MARCH 2005 /ART EDUCATION 27

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 llllllll^^ :
iliiiiBB^

F/rs/Grade. Lucy Traeger.Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 72". Collection of theartist.

Beneath the piece a ruler-likeobject forms the bottom of the Beth Moon
image. It is a stick thatwas used tomeasure the gas in the The Gates of Dawn, 2000
tanks of early automobiles. The three-dimensional black chair Platinum Palladium print, 16" x20"
has a game piece that says "no" and physically as well as
... childhood
psychologically prevents the child from sittingdown. She is "Daydreams influence my work experiences, or

excluded and reduced to her child identityby the process of
once again measuring up. The child holds a lightbulb
representing her ideas and thus her creativity?this becomes
her compass, her self-identityfromwhich she will not be
deprived." Sandra Ortiz Taylor's mixed media pieces are like
small theaterwhere the actors, objects and symbols unfold in
miniature dramas.
an image found in a book sometimes becomes the inspiration
fora photograph. Having just started a familymyself, my
attentionwas drawn into the seemingly private, enchanted
world of children, theirminds full of fantasy and colorful
imagination."
This image is part of the artist's photographic series called
"Seen But Not Heard." A boy looks up at an imposing gate.
Where is he going?What is he thinking?For the artist, the
story is like looking through a mysterious keyhole.

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 INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES

MEASURING UP
Measuring Up. Sandra OrtizTaylor.Mixed media, 11.5" x 14.5" x 2.75". Collection of theartist.

Activities
Group Discussion
Guidelines for Examining the Images. All students should First, give students a minute to look at the image silently
have ample opportunity to point out what they see in and before you start.Ask: "What's going on in thispicture?" This
express their opinions about the art they examine. Students question opens up the discussion and suggests that the image
must know that their thoughts are heard, understood, and is about something that can be figured out. The question plays
valued. Students should provide visual evidence to explain into the natural tendency of beginning viewers as storytellers
their interpretivecomments. They should also see that each and encourages the accountive storytellingof beginning
comment contributes to the group process ofmining the art for viewers. In contrast,merely asking "What do you see in this
multiple meanings?the diversity of insightshelps students picture?" often leads to students making lists ofwhat is
grow beyond the tendency to see things froma single depicted. Making meaning is rewarding in a way that list
and leads to habits of valuing differentviewpoints making is not. It engages students and nudges them toward
perspective
deeper thinking.

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 ms, im
?''<<!

w.
.fMku

M?M
?H

&*3

Hi

777eGates of Dawn, 2000. BethMoon. Platinum Palladium print,16" x 20". Collection of theartist.

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 INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES

"What do you see thatmakes you say that?"This question

Interpretive
Writing Activity
forces the child to refer to visual evidence to support his or her In this assignment, studentswrite about an image and are
opinion, encourages critical thinking,and evidential reasoning. given a chance to make choices and to work on their own.

"Whatmore can we find?"Here students are led to discover
that there is always more to be found invisual art images
through careful viewing.The question encourages students to
go deeper into the image and mine the story formultiple
interpretations.
Writing is one way to obtain concrete evidence ofwhat
students are learning in the discussions. How do writing skills
compare to students' abilities to speak in class? How do they
thinkwhen theyare not prompted with questions and are
without the insightsof other students?

Listen carefully to students.Make sure thatyou hear all of Write the following statements the board: "What's going on in
what they say and thatyou understand itaccurately. Ask this picture?", "Make sure you write what you see that makes

students to clarify their comments. Point towhat they are you think that,"and "Keep looking and thinkingabout what
mentioning in the picture. Use encouraging body language and more you can find." Give students as much time as they need
facial expressions to encourage to write their responses.
participation.

Paraphrase each comment. For example, "Eric thinks this Reviewing Student Writing. Notice the student observations.
woman looks happy because she is smiling."This makes each How many are there?How varied are they?How complex are
student feel acknowledged and heard, and provides the teacher the observations? What conclusions do the students draw? Do
with a chance to furtherclarify the points studentsmake. they see just one or a number of possibilities? What visual
Accept each comment neutrally. Do not encourage "right"
evidence do they supply to ground theirobservations and
versus "wrong" answers. opinions (e.g.: "I think this is because..."). Do they speculate?
answers even when (e. g: "It might be..." "I could be..." "Maybe it is..."). Compare
Link that relate, there are disagreements.
theirwriting to other examples of theirown work, and not to
Show how the students' thinking evolves, how some observa
other students'writing.
tions and ideas stimulate others, and how opinions change and
build. Conclude by reminding students that viewing art is an
Personal Experience CreativeWriting Activity
ongoing, open-ended process.
One way studentsmake connections toworks of art is by
When Students Ask Questions. When a student asks a
recognizingwhat they see or know about themselves. In this
question, the first response should be, "Canwe answer that by students tell their own narrative about a personal
activity,
looking?" or, the teacher can open the question to the group by
experience. This activity can also be done verbally in frontof
asking, "Whatdo you think the answer to thatmight be?" or the class or with a partner.
"Does anyone know the answer to that?"
Use theVisual Thinking Strategies (VTS) approach to discuss
How long should each image be discussed? Fifteen to 20
Thin Ice on Crazy Woman Creek byMary Case Dekker. After
minutes per picture is a good rule of thumb fordiscussions,
the discussion, the children should write or talk about a sport
although there is no prescribed lengthof time. Silence does not or activity inwhich theyhave participated. How did they learn
always mean that students are finished; theymay just be this sport? Did they ever feel scared? What do they enjoy about
thinking.If students seem restless and unresponsive, or if this activity?
comments are repetitive or silly, itmight be time tomove on.
Discuss First Grade by Lucy Traeger using VTS. Ask the
Closing the Discussion. Efforts to bring closure to the
children towrite or talk about theirfirst day of school. What
discussion through consensus are not necessary. One of the
do they remember about that day? Did they feel nervous?
most wonderful aspects of art is the fact that itcan be revisited
Excited? Confused? Why?
productively many times. There is no "right" or "wrong"
answer. After discussing Measuring Up by Sandra Ortiz Taylor, ask the
children towrite or talk about a timewhen they felt theywere
Summarizing or tryingto render some kind of consensus is
being "measured up." Students should describe the experience,
unwise, as it is difficultto remember all thatwas said.
including the time,place, and other people involved.
Summaries seldom do justice to the art or the discussion. One
Use VTS to discuss The Gates ofDawn by Beth Moon. Next,
way to end a class discussion is to compliment students on
how well theyworked to probe a particular image or listened ask the children towrite or talk about a timewhen theywere
in an unfamiliar ormysterious place. What did this place look
respectfully.
like? Smell like? Sound like?

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 Artmaking Activity Begin a class discussion about what studentswill include in
Students can create artworks to tell stories about themselves
their self-portraitcollages. Ask the students to discuss their
and their lives. They can make self-portraitsderived from favoriteactivities, places, and people with questions such as
"What are your favorite places?" "What are your favorite
photographs to create these narratives.
foods?" Validate each idea bywriting iton the board. Ask for
Time Three 45- 50-minute sessions.
Required:
visual, descriptive details. For example, "I like toride my bike
Supplies Needed: Digital, Polaroid?, or disposable camera; to the park,"might be followed up with "Whatdo you wear
carbon paper for tracing; 8Y2"x 11" cardstock white paper; when you go there?" or "What does it look like there?"
multi-colored assorted papers; colored tissue paper (optional); Give each child a glue stick and a pair of scissors. Students
a wide of magazines with relevant to young
variety images should create a collage about themselves in and around their
children's oil pastels
experiences; markers, pens, pencils, faces with differentcolored papers and magazine clippings
(optional); glue sticks; scissors. and. They can also use markers to color in parts of their faces.

Session One. The students should practice differentfacial Encourage students to return to the supply table as theyneed
expressions?such as surprise, anger or delight. Student more materials.

should take photographs of each othermaking interesting Session 3. Facilitate a discussion about the students' self
expressions.
portraits.Ask the students to hold up theirportrait and answer
Divide the students intopairs to take the photographs. The this question: "What is going on in your picture?" Follow-up
studentwho is having his/herphotograph taken should stand with further questions to encourage more detailed responses.

against a plain backdrop, such as a whiteboard or projector Invite the other students in the class to participate in the
screen. Show the other student how to use the camera. When discussion. Invite students to suggest titles other than their
the subject is ready,help the student photographer position the own names for theirportraits. Display the portraits along with
camera and take the picture. Photographs should depict just the titlesand students' names on the bulletin board. Take a
the students' faces. photograph of the display and print copies forall students to
take home as a group picture of their class.
After class, print the photos. Ifusing a digital printer,print
them at 8 Va"x 11".You do not need to print in color for these
Beth Goldberg is Curator ofExhibitions at Falkirk
photographs, as theywill be used for tracing. Ifusing
Cultural a contemporary art center and national
commercial photo processing, the pictures should be no Center,

smaller than 4" x 6".

historic site in San Rafael, California. She is Director of
Learning to Look, an arts education outreach program
Session Two. Spread the colored papers, magazines and
for Marin County elementary school students.
markers on a table in the room. Students should examine their
E-mail: Beth. san-rafael. ca. us
Goldberg@ci.
self-portrait photographs.

Give each student an S1/^x 11"piece of card stock paper and

the same size piece of carbon paper. Next, students should lay RESOURCES
the carbon carbon side over the card stock.
paper, down, Now, Housen, A., & Yenawine, P. (2000). Visual Thinking Strategies:
they should lay the photograph on top of the carbon paper, Learning to think and communicate through art. New York: Visual
in Education.
image side up. Help them to attach the carbon paper and Understanding
P. (2001). Basic VTS at a glance. New York: Visual
photograph with paper clips to avoid slippage. Using a pencil,
Yenawine,
Understanding in Education.
students hold the picture firmlyinplace and trace the outlines on image
Yenawine, P. (2002) Jump starting visual literacy: Thoughts
of their faces and hair onto the paper. The teacher should selection. New York: Visual Understanding in Education.
explain that theymust press firmlywith theirpencils in order
for the lines to transfer.When theyhave finished tracing, NOTES
students should remove the photograph and carbon paper. For more information about Visual Thinking Strategies contact:
use a colored or pastel to http ://www.VUE. org
Next, they should marker crayon
Artists' quotes are from statements written for the exhibition, "Art of the
redraw the lines they traced to create their self-portrait.
Narrative," at Falkirk Cultural Center, September 30-November 23,
2003. The exhibition was curated by the author.

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