Transcript 02_how_to_make_a_premier_in_the_artsx

MAKING A
PREMIER IN THE ARTS
USING
PRINCIPLES & ELEMENTS
Jump to the Elements Navigation Panel –
HUMA1315 – Spring 2011 – J. Walter
YOUR PROCESS
1. Find an explicit purpose, motivation, message, excuse, need, or reason to
make art.
2. Select your form of art. (painting, play, photograph, poem, piece of music).
3. Plan by making decisions about your use of the principles of art works,
specifically addressed through the elements of your art form. Decide which
of the elements and principles you will focus on in your work. Select
media or aspects of your art which allow you to focus on those elements &
principles.
4. Make your art! Pay attention to the process, constantly asking yourself,
“how is it going?” in terms of how your execution is following your plan.
5. Evaluate your art by accessing how it happened in relation to your plan,
and also in relation to your feelings about the process AND the product –
use this evaluation to plan your presentation, reflecting on how the result
matches your goals, and how your feelings are affected. Prepare your
presentation as a story about your goals versus the result.
DOING YOUR MY PREMIER IN THE ARTS PROJECT
BEFORE anything else happens, know that you should Pre-Plan to keep notes on your process. This
is because you have to make a presentation, your final and ultimate goal. Think of a way to keep notes
on your process so that it is easy to put together the presentation of your project.0
1. Set your Goals
•
What do you want to say? What do you want others to think, or feel? What do YOU feel
or think? What is your purpose?
2. Select the Art Form that will help you achieve your goals
•
Photograph, Painting, Poem, Play, Piece of Music
3. Select the Principles that will help you achieve your goals
•
Can you express your goals through affecting Emphasis, Balance, Unity, Contrast,
Movement, and/or Pattern? You will learn about these principles in this presentation.
4. Select the Elements of your art form to help you manipulate those
principles.
•
The elements for each of the art forms will be addressed in this presentation.
5. Get your materials together, get prepared… then DO IT!
6. When finished making the art, take your notes on the process, consider your
own feelings/thoughts about the result (art work), and write the story of your
premier! This will help you form an outline for your presentation
DOING YOUR
PREMIER
Your Purposes,
Reasons,
Message
PLAN
IT
PRESENT
IT
DO IT
The Principles
of Art Works
The Elements of
Your Art Form
KEEP NOTES
ON THE
PROCESS
THE ELEMENTS OF THE ARTS - INTRODUCTION
You will use the Elements of your specific art form to plan and execute
your premier. This presentation will lead you toward those elements.
Because each art form or discipline of art has its own characteristics of
creation and analysis, the elements of each form are usually unique in
comparison to those of another form. The elements of music are not
exactly comparable to those of painting, for example.
When you choose the form of art you want to work in, you’ll need to
learn about the elements of that form, then you’ll be ready to
manipulate those elements to affect the Principles of Art Works.
This presentation will outline some of the elements of each art form and
provide guidelines for how you can apply those elements to the
Principles of Art Works. We’ll look at the Principles first (go figure!),
because they will guide your application of the elements in your work.
THE PRINCIPLES OF ART WORKS
Before looking at the elements of each art form, let’s consider the principles that guide their application
These Principles of Art Works are
choices or areas of focus about the
different possibilities you have for 
arranging, composing, and

applying the ELEMENTS of each

art form.

The principles guide you in your

use of an art form’s elements so
that you can create works that are 
artistic, interesting, expressive,
emotional, innovative, provocative,
and/or powerful.
Emphasis
Balance
Unity
Contrast
Movement/ Rhythm
Pattern/Repetition
THE PRINCIPLE OF EMPHASIS


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Emphasis refers to developing points of interest to pull the
viewer's eye, the readers mind, or the listener's ear to important
parts of the body of the work.
Emphasis is stressing a particular area of focus rather than
presenting a maze of details of equal importance. Visually:
You can achieve the equivalent of a “black triangle” in all forms
of art. For example, a strong melody or strident harmony in
music, a stressed image or alarming word in poetry, or a main
character or striking scene in the plot of a play.
THE PRINCIPLE OF BALANCE
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Balance is stability in the body of an art work, achieved by creating
a feeling of equal weight between the elements of the work.
Symmetrical balance is when the artist
places “heavy” elements equally on
balanced “sides” of an art work.
Asymmetrical balance is when a sense of equal weight is achieved
with elements of different sizes or types, or
with different elements (color, etc).
You can balance a long musical melody with
two shorter melodies, strong light on one side
of a photograph with strong shadows on the
other, etc.
You can also REJECT balance and symmetry
in order to make a statement or send a message.
THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY


Unity is achieved when the parts of an art work equal or support
the entire work. An art work is unified when it seems to hold
together, and when listeners/viewers/readers sense that each part
of the art work “fits” with the others.
Listen to “unified” music
Click this box:
Listen to “NON-unified” music
Click this box:
Note – you can tap your foot to the “regular”
tempo, the instruments are unified, the
melody is unified.
Note – you can’t tap your foot because of the
irregular tempo, the instruments are varied,
there are multiple melodies.
When s/he wants to achieve unity, an artist focuses on making
sure there is a clear sense of similarity and consistency in each of
the elements used in the art, and also amongst and between all of
those elements.
NEXT SLIDE
THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTRAST

The opposites and differences
in the art work.

Artists exploit contrast to achieve
a sense of variety in their work,
to affect movement and rhythm,
and/or to affect the feelings of their
viewers/listeners/readers.

You can focus on contrast by altering shapes, changing
the tone of the language, adapting a hue and saturation of
colors, changing the tempo, using different instruments or
characters, changing the highlighting and shading , etc.
THE PRINCIPLE OF


MOVEMENT/RHYTHM
Movement directs the
attention of your
viewer/reader/listener by
adding a sense of action. You
can create movement with
shapes, words, sounds, and
manipulating an art work’s
structural elements.
Rhythm is the specific type of
movement used. It can be
focused on rate or pace of
motion for the entire art work,
or on particular instances of
movement in specific places
in the art work.
Poets create rhythm by repeating
words and phrases, as
Walt Whitman does in
"Song of Myself":
I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice,
I hear all sounds running together, combined, fused, or
following,
Sounds of the city and sounds out of the city, sounds of
the day and night,
Talkative young ones to those that like them, the loud
laugh of work-people at their meals...
Notice the change in rhythm
near the end of this excerpt
THE PRINCIPLE OF
PATTERN/REPETITION

An artist can repeat an element of the
art work, making it occur over and
over again. You can repeat words,
themes, sounds, harmonies, actions,
colors, shapes, etc.

S/he can plan and execute a
consistent pattern of repetition for a
given element, with breaks between
repetitions.

Or, s/he can create an inconsistent
pattern or repetition, making the
element “structural” in various and
varying ways.
REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES OF ART WORKS
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Emphasis
Balance
Unity
Contrast
Movement/ Rhythm
Pattern/Repetition
As you move on to consider the elements of
each of the art forms, remember that most
artists work from
“principles-TOWARD-elements”
Artists work to achieve their goals by
exploiting these principles – and in order to
do that, they adapt and manipulate the
elements of their art form.
In general, FOR ARTISTS MAKING ART
PRINCIPLES ARE PRIMARY!
Return to the Home Page
THE ELEMENTS NAVIGATION AND DISCLAIMER!
This guide does NOT attempt to present anything like a complete or exhaustive
list of elements for each of the art forms. Once you have selected a form of art
to work in, you should do your own research on that form of art so that you can
find, understand, and then use more of that form’s elements, if you so choose.
What is presented here is a somewhat arbitrary and ONLY foundational list of
elements for each of the forms. However, this listing of basic, partial & limited
elements WILL allow you to successfully create a work in one of the forms.
CLICK ON THE LINKS IN THE TABLE BELOW TO GO TO THAT SECTION
ART FORM
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS PRESENTED
PHOTOGRAPHS
(1)Line
(2)Color & Value
(3)Space
(4)Editing
PAINTINGS
(1)Line
(2)Color & Value
(3)Texture
(4)Size/Proportion
POETRY
(1)Meter
(2)Simile/Metaphor
(3)Rhyme
(4)Diction
PLAYS (Drama)
(1)Action/Plot
(2)Character
(3)Language/Dialog 4)Scene(ry)
MUSIC
(1)Melody
(2)Tempo & Meter
(3)Texture
(4) Dynamics
PHOTOGRAPHY– THE ELEMENTS
 Line
 Color
& Value
 Space
 Editing
LINES IN PHOTOGRAPHY



A mark made by a moving point.
Directs the eye – horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curvy, zig-zag, etc.
Can be either actual, obvious lines or the borders/edges of shapes.
Note the use of LINE in these photos. Which of the Principles of Art are
affected by the line: Emphasis, Balance, Unity, Contrast, Rhythm, or
Pattern? More than one?
You can “exploit” the element of LINE in your premier. IF you do so, you
should be thinking about the Principle you are affecting. That will give
you something to talk about in your presentation!
PHOTOGRAPHIC
COLOR




&
HUE & SATURATION
You need light to see color.
Made of Primary,
Secondary, Intermediates.
Edit color schemes to
enhance appeal or make
impact.
VALUE


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
Black & White & Grays in
between
Light to Dark
Adds drama & impact to
Look for the “value” we can
readily see in Black & White
when you move to color.
PHOTOGRAPHIC
VALUE & COLOR (MORE EXAMPLES)
Photographic Artists can manipulate Value & Color in various ways:
• By carefully choosing what to photograph
• By carefully choosing how to photograph it (with extra lights, in
daylight, at night, etc.)
• By carefully editing the raw image in post-production (another
element we’ll discuss)
SPACE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

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



The area used or unused in a
composition.
Positive space = the area the
objects/subject takes up.
Negative space = the area
around, under, through and
between.
Gives the photo a 3-dimensional
feeling. (Depth)
This element also involves the
Foreground (closest), Middle
ground, and Background
(farthest).
The use of space can be open,
crowded, near, far, etc.
Space is an element controlled by what you photograph and how you photograph it
– it may be more difficult to “edit in” a manipulation of space.
EDITING PHOTOGRAPHS



Most photo editing software programs allow you to manipulate the basics
– levels, values, hues and saturations. You should also be able to crop
and resize. These can help you create Balance & Unity in your work.
Learn about and use “layers” in your editing program. Imagine stacks of
plastic overlays on your photo, each one either transparent or opaque,
some having texts, some providing a deepening or darkening of the
image – a tool for editing in Emphasis, Contrast, and Movement.
Editing software will also allow you to rotate images, invert the colors, etc.
Be careful to work on these more creative options using only a copy of
your original. In fact, one option – if you have a purpose for doing so – is
to present two or more versions of your photo, using the more creative
editing options to express an emotion or make a statement.
MAKING A PHOTOGRAPH FOR YOUR PREMIER IN THE ARTS!
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Study and research the elements of photography that
have been presented here, then look for others in your
own research.
Decide how you can focus on the Principles by using
the elements.
Plan your photo shoot – schedule extra time.
Develop your photograph. If you want to explore
options, visit a photo store and ask questions.
When you have made the art work, work on your
presentation. Tell the story of your process (word
process it for submission via Campus Cruiser).
Prepare how you will show your work. You can project Return to
MENU
it in the classroom, or mount/frame it for viewing.
PAINTING– THE ELEMENTS
Line - Color & Value - Texture - Size & Proportion
LINES IN PAINTING



As in photography, a line is a mark made by a moving
point which directs the viewer’s eye and can be
horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curvy, zig-zaggy, etc.
Occurs as either actual, obvious lines OR the
borders/edges of shapes
Lines which are vertical/horizontal
have a feeling of order
and Unity.
Diagonals, are more
dynamic and
suggestive of Movement.
COLOR AND VALUE IN PAINTING – PAGE 1
Tone is also
called Saturation

Color is the result of wavelengths of
light reflecting off objects. Objects
absorb certain wavelengths and
reflect others. The human eye sees
the reflected wavelengths as hues,
or color: most simply red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, violet and red.

Value is the lightness or darkness
of a color, or hue. Even a subtle
change in value can define a shape
AND SEND A MESSAGE. Learning
to see and manipulate the value of
a color strengthens an artist’s
ability to control shapes and forms
to guide the viewer’s eye through
the painting.
COLOR AND VALUE IN PAINTING – PAGE 2
The top image is a greyscale copy of the “real” color
painting. Notice what you
can see in the upper righthand corner.
The artist has used a soft or
light Value/Hue for the yellow
upper shape and the orange
lower shape just below it –
DO YOU SEE HOW THESE
BLEND TOGETHER IN THE
UPPER IMAGE?
Changing the Value of one of
those colors would alter this
blended effect. The artist
can make a choice!
TEXTURE IN PAINTING – PAGE 1
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

Brushstrokes - For smooth and even textures, you can use swift
brushstrokes with soft bristles. For a rough texture, brush stokes are hard,
broad and impulsive. Dry brush and wet brush techniques are also used for
different textures. Brushing with heavy colors creates a heavy texture, while
mild textures can be done by gliding the brush smoothly. Shading is one of
the most important aspect of building texture in the painting.
Painting Surface - A rough canvas or recycled paper gives different effect
than smooth papers. You can choose to paint on glass, wood, walls, rags,
newspaper, carpet, other found objects, and any sort of surface to affect
texture.
Paint & Painting Tools - Acrylic paints, oil paints, fabrics and water colors
are different forms of media used to create texture. Adding coats, scraps of
material, spraying instead of brushing, splattering paint, stamping, applying
tissue paper, washing with other chemicals/solutions (be careful!). You can
apply tea leaves, salt, pasta, egg shell, sand, sugar, rice, etc. - Or you can
paint with “non-brush” tools (putty knives, fingers, sticks, leaves, etc.)
TEXTURE IN PAINTING – PAGE 2
In general, smoother
textures are passive,
decorative, and
spatially static, while
rough textures are
active, emotive, and
spatially dynamic.
Notice the difference in texture in these famous paintings:
Van Gogh, Starry Night
Dali, Persistence of Time
SIZE & PROPORTION IN PAINTING – PAGE 1



Proportion is the comparative relationship between two or more elements
in. With Painting, this can involve numerous elements, including size, color,
value, types of shapes, quantity of objects, degree, setting, etc. Proportion is
about the sizing and distribution of those element or other objects.
Size is also about the total dimensions of your art work, or the overall size of
the “canvas.” When deciding on this type of size for your work, make sure to
align your decision with principles (Emphasis, Balance, Unity, etc.) AND also
with your purposes or reasons for making the art. (Is you message “BIG”?)
When proportion is applied within a painting (regardless of the painting’s
total size) it is often focused on relationships of the size of one element
compared to the size of another related element. This can involve planned
differences between:




Height, Width, Depth
One area of the surface compared to another area
The spacing of differences in an element (rough vs. smooth textures in the work)
The spacing between objects (filled vs. empty space, for example)
SIZE & PROPORTION IN PAINTING – PAGE 2
An example of the effective use of size and proportion
Size of object and spaces for
elements
• The Sky is 50%
• Then, the Mountain is 50-66%
of the bottom half
• Then, wagons, horses, people
diminish in size
Also notice:
• Two main lines that divide the
painting are diagonal = action
• color/value employs hue
for a message (where are they going?)
MAKING A PAINTING FOR YOUR PREMIER IN THE ARTS!
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Study and research the elements of painting that have been
presented here, then look for others in your own research.
Decide how you can focus on the Principles by using the
elements. Try to blend your manipulation of the elements to
achieve the principles you have selected.
Plan your work– schedule extra time to paint. Keep notes,
especially when things DON’T go as planned.
When you have made the art work, work on your
presentation. Tell the story of your journey (word process it
for submission via Campus Cruiser).
Prepare how you will show your work. You can project it in the
classroom, but it may be best to frame it for viewing Return to
MENU
when you present to the class.
POETRY– THE ELEMENTS
Meter
 Simile & Metaphor
 Rhyme
 Diction

METER IN POETRY – PAGE 1
In verse and poetry, METER is a recurring pattern of stressed (accented, or
long) and unstressed (unaccented, or short) syllables in lines of a set length.
For example, suppose a line contains ten syllables (which is the set length
of that line) in which the first syllable is unstressed, the second is stressed,
the third is unstressed, the fourth is stressed, and so on until the line reaches
the tenth syllable. The line would look like the following one (the opening
line of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18) containing a pattern of unstressed and
stressed syllables.
Shall I comPARE thee TO a SUMmer’s DAY?
Each pair of unstressed and stressed syllables makes up a unit called a foot.
The line contains five feet In all:
1
2
3
4
5
Shall I
comPARE
thee TO
a SUM
mer’s DAY?
METER IN POETRY – PAGE 2
A “foot” is the first term of poetic meter. In all, there are six types of feet:
Iamb (Iambic)
Unstressed + Stressed
Two Syllables
Trochee (Trochaic)
Stressed + Unstressed
Two Syllables
Spondee (Spondaic)
Stressed + Stressed
Two Syllables
Anapest (Anapestic)
Unstressed + Unstressed + Stressed
Three Syllables
Dactyl (Dactylic)
Stressed + Unstressed + Unstressed
Three Syllables
Pyrrhic
Unstressed + Unstressed
Two Syllables
The next term of meter is the length of lines, defined by the number of
feet (not the “foot” quality). There are eight basic types of meter length:
Monometer = One Foot
Pentameter = Five Feet
Dimeter = Two Feet
Hexameter = Six Feet
Trimeter = Three Feet
Heptameter = Seven Feet
Tetrameter = Four Feet
Octameter = Eight Feet
METER in poetry is defined by
the quality of a foot + the number of feet.
METER IN POETRY – PAGE 3 (EXAMPLES)
Iambic Pentameter (from Milton’s On His Blindness):
When I consider how my life is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide
Unstressed + Stressed x 5
Anapestic Tetrameter (from Byron’s The Destruction of Sennacherib):
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold.
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold.
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea.
Unstressed + Unstressed
+ Stressed
x3
Mixed Meter (from Wordsworth’s Intimations of Immortality):
It is not now as it has been of yore;
Iambic Pentameter
Turn where so e’er I may,
Iambic Trimeter
By night or day,
Iambic Dimeter
The things which I have seen I now can see no more.
Iambic Hexameter
Which Principles of Art Works are affected by mixed meter?
SIMILE & METAPHOR IN POETRY
Metaphors carry meaning from one word or idea “across” to
another word or idea, to show that seemingly unrelated words are
connected by an important or essential idea or essence they have
in common. Initially, metaphors are about connotations.
But there are
visual metaphors
in poetry as well…
l(a... (a leaf falls on loneliness)
e.e. cummings
Use the power of both
connotative and visual
metaphors
as an element of poetry
l(a
le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
l
iness
Why do the
words fall
down the
page?
Why is there
space
between
some parts of
the words?
RHYME IN POETRY – PAGE 1
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Rhyme is perhaps the most recognizable convention of poetry,
but its function is often overlooked. Rhyme helps to UNIFY a
poem by repeating a sound that links one concept to another,
thus giving structure to a poem. In contemporary poetry, where
conventions aren't as rigidly prescribed as in cultures past,
rhyme can indicate a poetic theme or a structure to what might
seem chaotic.
Rhyme works closely with meter!
There are varieties of rhyme: internal rhyme functions within a
line of poetry; end rhyme occurs at the end of the line; also,
true rhymes (bear, care) and slanted rhymes (lying, mine).
There are also a number of predetermined rhyme schemes.
RHYME IN POETRY – PAGE 2
A Rhyme scheme is a regular pattern of rhyme, one that is consistent
throughout the extent of the poem. Rhyme schemes are labeled
according to their rhyme sounds.
Dulce Et Decorum Est, Wilfred Owen
End Rhyme
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
a
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
b
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
a
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
b
End
Rhyme
Internal
Rhyme?
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
a
Yes
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore —
b
No
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
c
Yes
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
b
Yes & No
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door —
Only this and nothing more.”
b
Yes
The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe
DICTION IN POETRY – PAGE 1
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
The language of poetry is sometimes different from the language of
everyday life. Poets may set their language apart by choosing archaic
words, or they may use Latinate diction ("Propitious Heaven," "ethereal
plain") rather than more familiar Anglo-Saxon words. They may employ
devices such as "periphrasis," in which a simple term is avoided by
constructing a more roundabout alternative (one of the most famous is
"the finny tribe" instead of "fish").
Diction refers to both the choice and the order of words. It has typically
been split into vocabulary and syntax. The basic question to ask about
vocabulary is "Is it simple or complex?" The basic question to ask about
syntax is "Is it ordinary or unusual?" Taken together, these two
elements make up diction.
Poets may employ more than one kind of diction in a poem, perhaps
setting one speech pattern off against another to achieve a particular
effect. (see the next slide…)
DICTION IN POETRY –
PAGE 2
Twice in this poem, Hughes quotes a
blues song; when he does, he uses
words like "I's," "gwine," "ma," and "mo."
But dialect words such as these do not
appear in the rest of the poem, which is
composed in standard written English.
Notice the importance of repetition of
lines, the blues lyrics, and the shift in
diction.
What difference does it make that the
persona who observes the blues singer
in the poem uses more formal, educated
language than the singer himself does?
Is there anything else in the poem that
seems to suggest that the speaker is not
fully a part of the scene he describes? In
line 13, what metaphorical meanings can
you apply to “raggy?”
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Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
He did a lazy sway ....
He did a lazy sway ....
To the tune o' those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
O Blues!
Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool
He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool.
Sweet Blues!
Coming from a black man's soul.
O Blues!
In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone
I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan-"Ain't got nobody in all this world,
Ain't got nobody but ma self.
I's gwine to quit ma frownin'
And put ma troubles on the shelf."
Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor.
He played a few chords then he sang some more-"I got the Weary Blues
And I can't be satisfied.
Got the Weary Blues
And can't be satisfied-I ain't happy no mo'
And I wish that I had died."
And far into the night he crooned that tune.
The stars went out and so did the moon.
The singer stopped playing and went to bed
While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.
He slept like a rock or a man that's dead.
The Weary Blues - Langston Hughes (1923)
MAKING A POEM FOR YOUR PREMIER IN THE ARTS!
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


Study and research the elements of poetry that have been
presented here, then look for others in your own research.
Manipulate the Meter, Rhyme Scheme, Diction, and use of
Metaphor just like a painter manipulates colors, values, and
lines. They are tools that should help you address the Principles
you are working with. Don’t’ forget the power of visual
metaphors… how will you “layout” your poem on the page?
When you have made the art work, work on your presentation.
Tell the story of your process (word process it for submission via
Campus Cruiser).
Decide how you will share your poem. The best option
is to “sound it out” by reading it live, but always include
the written version in your Campus Cruiser submission. Return to
MENU
PLAYS (THEATRICAL DRAMA) – THE ELEMENTS
 Action/Plot
 Character
 Language/Dialogue
 Scene(ry)
ACTION/PLOT IN THEATRE
 The events of a play; the story as opposed to the theme; what
happens rather than what it means. The plot must have some
sort of unity and clarity by setting up a pattern by which each
action initiating the next rather than standing alone without
connection to what came before it or what follows.
 In the plot of a play, characters are involved in conflict that has
a pattern of movement. The action and movement in the play
begins from the initial entanglement, follows through rising
action, the climax action, then the falling action into resolution.
 Write the point of attack into your plot, the main action by
which all others will arise. It is the point at which the main
complication is introduced.
CHARACTER IN THEATRE
 These are the people presented in the play that are involved in
the perusing plot. Each character should have their own distinct
personality, age, appearance, beliefs, socio economic
background, and language. Plays can have one character, or
many, determined by your purpose and by the action needed for
your plot.
 A CHARACTER SPEAKS TO GET WHAT S/HE WANTS. All
characters have dreams that make him or her unique. How are
they fulfilled? How are they not fulfilled? How do they turn in on
themselves?
 A character should be off-balance in some way. Real characters
are excessive in some areas, deficient in others. If there is no
disparity between what your characters are saying and what they
are doing, you probably aren’t writing theatre.
LANGUAGE/DIALOGUE IN THEATRE
 When composing a short play, avoid writing an exposition! Just
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jump into your story. This presents a puzzle for the audience to
unravel and allows them to play with you. Remember—we are
fascinated by the unknown!
Don’t provide too much information at once. Let things flow
slowly and plan how much you reveal, and when.
Break up dialogue with action (you can write movement for
character in parentheses in the script). Just as in music,
silence is meaningful!
Character is shown by dialogue, but don’t rely on slang or
stereotypes to carry the action.
Look at plays to see how the script looks on the page. Mimic a
standard format.
PLOT, CHARACTER, DIALOG – A COMPARISON
 This “play” or scene is ABOUT a
communication problem, not the subject matter
of the script.
 Notice how the “point of attack” in the plot
comes after a brief exposition/introduction.
 Notice how each character is focused on what he
wants, and also “off balance” in different ways.
 Notice how, in the second version, the plot and
problem of the scene is the same – it is ABOUT
the same issue, communication.
 Notice how the dialogue is adjusted to fit the
characters. The language is different, but the
“character types” are the same.
 Finally, notice that, in this case, the scene or
staging is equal between both (our next element).
SCENE & SCENERY IN THEATRE
 There are two connotations of the word scene in theatre. One is
a part of the whole, a segment of an act of the total play. The
other is the setting or scenery.
 Scene-as-Setting involves scenery, costumes, and special effects
in a production, all of the visual elements of the play created for
theatrical event. Here, scene is the playwright’s creation of an
atmosphere or context for the audience’s eye.
 When your play begins, the reader or director/actor wants to
know the Setting and who and what is seen on stage. This
description is usually a non-spoken part of the play, written in
parentheses in the script. Look for example plays online to see
how this is done.
 Describing the scene is vital, even when the performance of the
your play may not include scenery and costumes.
MAKING A PLAY FOR YOUR PREMIER IN THE ARTS!
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Study and research the elements of PLAYWRIGHTING that have
been presented here, then look for others in your own
research.
Decide how to focus on the Principles by using the elements.
Plan your work– schedule extra time. Read your dialogue out
loud to see if it works and makes sense.
When you have made the play, work on your presentation. Tell
the story of your process (word process it for submission via
Campus Cruiser).
Are you going to read the play? Are you going to ask
classmates to read part of it? Are you going to shoot a
video of your own enactment at home and then project
Return to
the video in class? NOTE - You may have to share only an excerpt
MENU
because of time limits.
MUSIC – THE ELEMENTS
♪ Melody
♪ Tempo & Meter
♪ Texture
♪ Dynamics
MELODY IN MUSIC
♪ A melody is also called a tune, voice, or line, and is a linear
succession of tones which is perceived as a single entity.
♪ Melodies are described by their melodic motion, the intervals
between pitches (conjunct or disjunct), the pitch range, or with
regard to tension and release, continuity and coherence,
cadence, and/or shape.
♪ In general, good melodies build to a climax at some point, then
resolve. However, if the melody is written for a song its shape
may be unique, and sometimes composers intentionally control
a melody for some other type of expressive purpose.
If you want to practice creating melodies with an interesting,
FREE, SAFE, online tool –
and one that does NOT require you to read or write musical notation…
CLICK HERE
TEMPO & METER IN MUSIC
• Tempo is the rate or speed of the beat;
fast or slow, and all the variations in
between.
• Meter is the pulse of the groupings of
beat. The basic meters of music are
duple and triple, where the pulse is
divisible by 2(duple), or where the pulse is
divisible by 3 (triple).
• In the examples to the right, the METER is
constant – it is a march, and it is in a
duple meter. However, the TEMPO is
different , as well as the instrument(s)
playing.
You can choose a Meter for your work and then alter the tempo to create motion and movement. You can
switch meters to create Contrast or affect the sense of Unity and Balance.
TEXTURE IN MUSIC – PAGE 1
♪ One definition of texture refers to a "structure of interwoven
fibers." In music, texture refers to the way multiple voices (or
instruments) interact in a composition. One may also think of
texture as a description of musical hierarchy: which voice is
most prominent? Are all the voices equal?
♪ There are multiple ways of describing texture in music, but we
can focus on four basic types:
 Monophonic - Polyphonic - Homophonic - Heterophonic
NOTE – As you look through the following slides and examples, remember that it is not always
easy to detect the texture of a piece of music. Whereas monophonic is fairly transparent,
polyphony and homophony often sound similar and may need further investigation to
differentiate. It is easy to generalize that all popular styles are homophonic, but polyphony
occurs occasionally as a result of the interaction of various parts. On the other hand,
orchestral music-such as a symphony-may sound polyphonic, but very often there is a
dominant melody; it's just obscured by the busyness of the accompanying parts. Also,
orchestral music sometimes contains moments of monophonic texture to emphasize a
particular melody. Careful listening and practice will aid in the discernment of musical texture.
TEXTURE IN MUSIC – PAGE 2
Monophonic
Literally meaning "one sound," monophonic
texture (noun: monophony) describes music
consisting of a single melodic line. Whether
it is sung/played by one person or many,
as long as the same notes and rhythms are
being performed, monophonic texture
results.
Example of monophonic texture =
♪ Unison singing at a religious service
♪ "Happy Birthday" at a birthday party
♪ A lone bugle playing "Taps"
♪ The singing of "The Star-Spangled
Banner" at a baseball game
♪ A composition for solo flute
Polyphonic
Literally "many sounds," (noun: polyphony)
describes a musical texture where 2 or more
melodic lines of relatively equal importance
are performed simultaneously. If sung,
polyphony requires a group of musicians,
but it can be played on some instruments by
one musician (piano, organ, guitar).
Example of monophonic texture =
♪ A round or canon (Row Your Boat, or
Three Blind Mice)
♪ Vocal and instrumental music from the
Renaissance through the Baroque
♪ Music for large instrumental ensembles
♪ Religious choral music
Monophony sounds and looks like this:
Polyphony sounds and looks like this:
Click to Hear
Click to Hear
TEXTURE IN MUSIC – PAGE 3
Homophonic
Homophonic (or homophony) is the texture
we encounter most often. It consists of a
single, dominating melody that is
accompanied by chords. Sometimes the
chords move at the same rhythm as the
melody; other times the chords are made up
of voices that move in counterpoint to each
other. The important aspect is that the
chords are subservient to the melody.
Example of monophonic texture =
♪ Hymn singing during a religious service
♪ Most popular music styles (rock, folk,
country, jazz, etc.)
♪ Accompanied vocal music from the
Middle Ages to the present
Homophony sounds and looks like this:
Heterophonic
Heterophonic texture is rarely encountered
in “western” music. It consists of a single
melody, performed by two or more
musicians, with slight or not-so-slight
variations between those performers. These
variations usually result from ornamentation
being added spontaneously (improvisation)
by the performers. Heterophony is mostly
found in the music of non-”western” cultures
such as Native American, Middle Eastern,
Asian, and South African.
Heterophony sounds and looks like this:
Click to Hear
Click to Hear
DYNAMICS IN MUSIC
Sounds, including music, can be
barely audible, or loud enough to
hurt your ears, or anywhere in
between. When they want to talk
about the loudness of a sound,
scientists and engineers talk about
amplitude. Musicians talk about
dynamics. In the sciences, the
amplitude of a sound is a particular
number, usually measured in
decibels, but in music dynamics
are relative; an orchestra playing
fortissimo sounds much louder than
a single violin playing fortissimo. In
any case, composers use dynamic
contrasts to create Contrast and a
sense of Movement or energy.
Watch and Listen
for loud-to-soft contrasts
Here is a film scene in which you can hear
HUGE musical dynamic contrasts in
Ludwig van Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica“
With the added benefit of showing you the typical
setting in which this music was originally performed
--- as well as the composer’s typical personality ---
MAKING A PIECE OF MUSIC FOR YOUR PREMIER IN THE ARTS!
Study and research the elements of Music that have been
presented here, then look for others in your own research.
 Decide how to focus on the Principles by using the elements.
 Plan your work– schedule extra time.
 When you have composed your music, work on your
presentation. Tell the story of your process (word process it
for submission via Campus Cruiser).
 Prepare how you will share your work. Will you perform it live,
yourself? Will you ask friends to visit class and perform with
you? Will you record it and play in back for the class using
the equipment in the room?
Return to
NOTE – you do NOT have to notate your music,
MENU
a recording or live performance is sufficient.
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INSTRUCTIONS

For each elements sections, 5 total slides:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Element 1 with examples
Element 2 with examples
Element 3 with examples
Element 4 with examples
Titled “Making a xxx for YOUR Premier in the Arts
Project”. Give instructions (“If you make a xxxx…”),
giving LINKS to other elements information, then
explaining what to do for the class presentation (‘if
music, play live or play recorded music’ – etc)