Close Looking Exercises

We’ll be sharing artworks from our collection so that you can do some close-looking exercises from wherever you are. Grab a friend and do it togetherÌýto spark conversationÌýor do it by yourself for some relaxation.

Here are some tips for doing theseÌýclose-looking exercises yourself or with others:

  1. LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!
  2. DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!
  3. FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use what you were able to see in earlier steps to here.
  4. INTREPRET. Finally, what do you think the artist is trying to convey?

It’s normal to leave with more questions than you started with!

Close Looking: Japanese woodblock print (Woman)

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: Japanese woodblock print (Sumo)

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: Italian Engraving

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: American Engraving

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: Ecuadorian Lithograph

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: 3-D Lithograph

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: Athenian Amphora

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...

Close Looking: American Etching

Here are some tips for doing this close-looking exercise yourself or with others:LOOK. Start by looking at the image for around 10 minutes. Don’t worry about writing anything down, yet – you just want to look at the art, first!DESCRIBE. Ask yourself what you’re seeing – are there figures present? How many? Is it a landscape or a portrait? Feel free to write your observations down. Be descriptive!FEEL. Think about how the artwork makes you feel. What does it remind you of? Why does it remind you of that? Use...