critical thinking and the visual arts

1. critical thinking and the visual arts

2. “Don’t brush your hair in the kitchen” “smile, even if you don’t mean it” “you’re wearing that?” “Always sit with your knees together” “close the door” “close the door” “Sit up straight” “Don’t talk with you mouth full” previous understanding of critical thinking

3. old definition critical thinking = criticism modern definition critical thinking = a comprehensive intellectual process

4. It is important to understand Art is not something that just happens!

5. OK . . . . Sometimes it does “just happen” Artist = Andrea Nechita Age =10 Lithograph = selling for $11,020.00 Critical thinking skills = unknown

6. The making of art or design provides an excellent Usually. . . The making of art or design requires the opportunity to witness, identify, and demonstrate engagement in critical thinking.

7. Artists and designers are seldom recognized for having 1600 on SAT scores.

8. Those scores reflect verbal and math skills. And the ability to think in L O G I C A L terms

9. verbal and math skills are necessary thinking skills for making art but RIGHT brain thinking skills are not reflected in SAT scores The more invisible thinking skills . .

10. Such as the ability to questionquestions,

11. Such as the ability to question broadly,to think on multiple simultaneous levels with little predictability or testability,

12. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships, to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is created, and to respond physically to evolving human desires for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure, etc, etc, etc.

13. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is created, and to respond physically to evolving human desires for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure, etc, etc, etc.

14. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something tovisualize, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is created, and to respond physically to evolving human desires for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure, etc, etc, etc.

15. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is created, and to respond physically to evolving human desires for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure, etc, etc, etc.

16. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess at the same time and to respond physically to evolving human desires for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure, etc, etc, etc.

17. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is and to respond physically to desire for change, revolution, color, form, expression, structure,

18. Such as the ability to question broadly, to think on multiple simultaneous levels with less predictability and testability, to see unexpected relationships,to recognize an innovative methodology, to make something work better, to be inventive, to take risks, to make conscious that which is often unconscious, to be able to create and assess that which is etc, etc, etc.

19. Artists and Designers must be willing to take a position, or defend a position,, conduct appropriate research, and “live with” the ramifications, and consequences of their visible expression on very complex issues.

20. They must be willing and able to take a position, or defend a position, to conduct appropriate research, and “live with” the ramifications, and consequences of their visible expression

21. They must be willing and able to take a position, or defend a position, conduct appropriate research, and “live with” the ramifications, and consequences of their visible expression.

22. art and design require intellectual courage as well as intellectual autonomy. It's Offensive! “it’s ugly. . . . “looks dumb!” “Yuck . .why did you do that?” .k “Ick . . . “I don’t like it . . .

23. Rudyard Kipling wrote: I keep six honest serving-men (They teach me all I need to know) Their names are: What? Why? When? How? Where? Who?

24. Those are critical thinking questions designers must solve in order to develop a creative (successful) solution to a problem.

25. Artists have both public and critical ownership of their ideas, and the critical ability to recognize and analyze the intellectual success of their failures. Artists must: P R O B L E M S O L V E !

26. Artists or designers uses critical thinking skills to communicate with your sub-conscious thoughts.

27. They must anticipate the audience,

28. They must know their frustrations, fears, politics etc.

29. And communicate with (through) them visually.

30. Artists and Designers use their medium to express a point of view

31. The general public thinks creative ideas float around in talented heads.

32. And pop out whenever needed E=MC2

33. This is what we call an ah hamoment

34. But ha ha, it only happens after the following . . .

35. 1.Thinking to define the problem • 2.Thinking to understand the parameters • 3.Thinking to grasp the budget • 4. Thinking to understand the time frame • 5.Thinking to recognize the load limit (if applicable) • 6.Thinking to conceptualize the destination • 7.Thinking to understand and imagine the use • 8. Thinking to define the audience • 9. Thinking to visualize the final location/ application • Thinking to recognize the proportion / size / scale • Thinking to understand the politics of the environment • 12. Thinking to know the historical context

36. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

37. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

38. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

39. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

40. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

41. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

42. Questionsmust be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

43. Questions must be asked such as: What was used in the past? What is the audience familiar with? Why was that form used? What impacted historical expression / design in the past? What rules can be broken? What would a new solution look like? Is that solution new for the sake of being new or new for the sake of improvement? etc, etc, etc

44. What does a Designer do? He/Sheorchestrates the conceptual process of combining graphic materials: words pictures other graphic materials To construct a visible communicationgestalt

45. Gestalt= The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

46. for example:

47. These dots have no meaning or content beyond the phenomenon of twelve dots randomly placed

48. By contrast, these dots have been consciously structured into a visual configuration which has meaning

49. In a sense, the letter H is not really present but the human eye perceives the dots and the human mind connects them into a recognizable pattern - the structure of a letterform -

50. Understanding that takes some critical thinking skills!