Basic 6 · Creative Arts · Appreciating and Appraising
Making Artworks Inspired by International Artists
In this topic you will study and make artworks inspired by the styles of international visual artists.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify key features of an international artist's style
- Plan an artwork inspired by that style using local subjects
- Create and explain your artwork
What you already know
- International visual artists
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Visual & Performing Arts
- Sub-strand
- Appreciating and Appraising
- Indicator
- B6.1.1.1 – Study and make the artworks of some international visual artists
Introduction
Artists around the world learn from each other. You can borrow a technique from an international artist and use it to show something Ghanaian, creating something new.
1. Styles to Learn From
| Artist | Style features | Project idea |
|---|---|---|
| Vincent van Gogh | thick swirling brushstrokes, bright colours | paint a Ghanaian night sky over your village |
| Henri Matisse | bold paper cut-outs in bright colours | cut-out collage of Ghanaian fruits or dancers |
| Pablo Picasso | cubism: objects shown from several angles in geometric shapes | a cubist portrait of a classmate |
| Katsushika Hokusai | flat colours, strong outlines, woodblock printing | a print of fishing canoes on waves at Elmina |
| Jacob Lawrence | simple shapes, bold colours, a series telling a story | a series of 3–4 panels about your town's history |
2. Planning Your Artwork
- Choose an artist and study two of their works.
- List three features of their style.
- Choose a Ghanaian subject (a market, festival, landscape or person).
- Make two or three small sketches.
- Choose materials and plan your steps.
3. Making the Artwork
Work carefully and keep the key features of the style. For a Van Gogh-style painting, mix paint thickly and use short curved strokes. For a Matisse-style collage, cut bold shapes freehand from coloured paper and arrange them before gluing. For a cubist portrait, draw the face from the front and the side and combine them using geometric shapes.
4. The Artist Statement
Write an artist statement: "My work 'Night over Nkwanta' was inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 'The Starry Night'. I used thick, swirling strokes of blue and yellow poster paint to show the sky above my village. It shows the beauty and calm of night in rural Ghana."
Remember: Inspiration is not copying. Use the style to create an original work and always name the artist who inspired you.
New words
- style
- The special way an artist makes art.
- inspiration
- An idea that encourages you to create.
- cubism
- A style showing objects from several angles at once.
- collage
- Art made by sticking materials onto a surface.
- series
- A group of related artworks.
- artist statement
- A short explanation of an artwork.
Summary
- Study the features of an international artist's style.
- Use the style to show a Ghanaian subject.
- Plan with sketches and suitable materials.
- Write an artist statement naming your inspiration.
Class activity: Global Styles, Local Stories
- Choose one international style from the table.
- Create an artwork showing a Ghanaian subject in that style.
- Display it with an artist statement.
You need: Printed photographs of selected Rebecca Horn sculptures, Recycled cartons, Raffia, Pencils, Drawing paper
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which artist made bold paper cut-outs?
- A. Henri Matisse
- B. Picasso
- C. Hokusai
- D. Jacob Lawrence
Show answer
Answer: Henri MatisseCut-out collages.2. Cubism shows objects…
- A. from several angles at once
- B. only in black
- C. very realistically
- D. without shapes
Show answer
Answer: from several angles at oncePicasso's style.3. Van Gogh's style is known for…
- A. thick swirling brushstrokes
- B. flat grey colours
- C. tiny dots only
- D. photographs
Show answer
Answer: thick swirling brushstrokesExpressive painting.4. You should name the artist who inspired your work.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueHonesty.5. Inspiration means making an exact copy.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt means creating something new.6. A group of related artworks is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: seriese.g. Lawrence's Migration Series.7. List three steps in planning an inspired artwork.
Show answer
Answer: Study the artist, list style features, make sketches (or choose subject and materials).Any three.8. Explain how you could show a Ghanaian festival in the style of Jacob Lawrence.
Show answer
Answer: Use simple shapes and bold colours in a series of panels telling the story of the festival from start to finish.Applying a style.
Homework
- Make two sketches for an artwork inspired by an international artist.