How to do a Picture Study

In this post, with an accompanying video, I will show you how to do a picture study whilst completing the third double page of my project. Studying a chosen picture of an artist you are studying is such an effective way of gaining more understanding into the process the artist in question uses. Whenever we do an artist study, I will always choose one or two pictures for the children to do a deeper dive into.

Obviously, right now, I am carrying out my own art project, based on the word ‘UNEXPECTED’. I have already written a post and uploaded a video of my first double spread which you can find linked below:

Find Out More! In my first double page, I explored the word ‘unexpected’ and how it might link in with the direction I wished to take my project in. I taught how I did continuous drawings as a warm up exercise, ideas for mark making and looked at a variety of artists who saw the world in a rather unexpected way. As collage has become a bit of a passion to me, I completed my first ever collage of the racing car from Helen Cooper’s ‘The Baby Who Wouldn’t Go To Bed‘. To read, click on my post as I Pursue Art in my Fifties! If you’d prefer something more visual, head over to my YouTube channel and watch the whole process

Step by Step Process of How to do a Picture Study

1. Select a Picture

Choose a high-quality print of a painting, ideally one that is clear and large enough for easy viewing.  If I am doing this for my children, I will always get them involved in the process and give them a selection from the same artist, if we are doing an artist study, or from the historical period we are studying at the time. In my own project, I chose the picture I wished to study which was the most interesting to me, and which had the largest scope for learning. Obviously, I linked it to the artist study I was in the middle of! My picture was super small, so I scanned it into my computer, enlarged it and printed out both a coloured copy and a black and white copy, which I would be using for an upside down warm up exercise I had planned.

2. Introduce the Picture

Begin by showing the picture to the child, revealing the title and artist (if desired).  I tend to go a bit mad around this because I think the more art the children are exposed to and the more frequently, the more they will enjoy the process of studying it. So, I seek for ways to include the pictures informally in our every day lives. I guess, a bit like I do with scripture. The picture, therefore, may find its way onto the table as laminated placemats, on windows and walls, on home-made calendars…you name it and I will try to add a piece of art to it! For myself, I simply photocopied the picture to pin up in my office, a smaller one to keep in my daily notebook and one to pop into my art project book.

3. Silent Observation

Allow the child time to study the picture silently, encouraging them to look closely at details, colours, and the overall feeling or mood. 

4. Narration

Turn the picture face down or cover it. For younger children, ask them to describe what they remember, starting with the big picture and then moving to details.  You could then write this onto a special note page as a written narration. Older children can do this themselves.

5. Re-evaluation

Reveal the picture again and discuss any details the child may have missed or misinterpreted.  Ask open-ended questions where there are no right or wrong answers. For example, when discussing the decisions the artist chose, ask the child what he might have chosen to do differently. Think composition, colours, the art medium the artist chose to use…The discussions between children and parent enables the child to think outside of himself but without fear of ‘getting it wrong’. These new thoughts can be recorded for their notebooks.

6. Display and Review

I’ve already touched upon this, but try to keep the picture displayed in a prominent place for the rest of the week, allowing the child to revisit it and further imprint it in their memory.  Again, encourage them to note down any new thoughts.

7. Replicate Some Part of It

We have had so much fun over the years trying to replicate some of the great artists, with varying levels of success. Your child can choose to only partially recreate some part of the picture, or even just replicate the process used. For my own picture study, I chose to attempt to recreate some of the mark-making Helen Cooper did onto separate paper. I then used this mark making to recreate the car with the little boy and his teddy bears in a collage.

8. Repeat with the Same Artist

For several weeks, focus on pictures by the same artist to help the child become familiar with their style and techniques.  I have a stack of artist studies on my blog so do feel free to take a peruse…

Find More Tips! I have written an EXTENSIVE blog post about carrying out an artist study. All the artist studies inevitably include how to do a picture study. Also, last week’s art video demonstrated my own artist study of Helen Cooper. Here, you’ll find warm up exercises such as negative space paintings, mark making with items found in the bathroom as well as another collage of the goodnight train.

Tips for Success

• Keep it Joyful: Create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for the child. If you are doing a picture study as part of your own project, romanticise it as much as you can. Make a favourite drink and snack to do alongside it, pop on your favourite tunes and focus on process over product
• Don’t Overwhelm: Start with a short observation time and gradually increase it as the child becomes more comfortable. 
• Be Patient: It takes time and practice to develop strong visual memory and descriptive skills. 
• Consider the Child’s Age: Adjust the level of detail and discussion to suit the child’s age and developmental stage. 
• Use Resources: Utilise resources like art books, online platforms, or picture study portfolios to support your studies. 
• Remember Process Over Product: What they/you learn is more important than that which they/you create

By following these steps and adapting them to your child’s needs, picture study can become a rewarding and enriching experience, fostering a lifelong love of art and learning. 

Last but not least, here is the accompanying video:

In case it doesn’t play, you can watch it here