My picture study project is finished!!

To Narrate a Picture is to Describe a Work of Art

In every picture study lesson it is important that there should be a short time in which children can look quietly at the picture, uninterrupted by questions or discussion. That is when each of us will have the best to gain his own link with the picture and its painter's thought.

After a time of "looking," you can hide the picture from view and ask the child to describe it. Knowing this might happen encourages children to really "look" at the picture, not just stare vaguely.

A very young child's attention might wander, unless you give him a little help beforehand. Don't go so far as to explain the picture--that would be taking the child's part from him. Instead, provide any facts that the child might need to know in order to enjoy and properly describe the picture. For a picture like Raphael's "The Miraculous Draught of Fishes," for example it really helps if the child is familiar with the Biblical story on which the picture is based.

With very young children it is better to tell or read the story before they have the picture, and then let them have the fun if discovering which part of the story is illustrated.

It is good to give older children a variety of ways to "narrate" the picture. They can describe it orally or in writing, or they can try to sketch it from memory. Karen Andreola

One of my favorite subject is picture study. Unfortunately in the past I've not always been organized enough to round up the pictures, print them, display them, etc. Until now. I forced myself to sit down with the computer and I placed each and every picture from Ambleside's online picture study curriculum in a file. I then placed them on a travel drive and 'traveled' to Office Max to have them printed off. Every year!! From year one on up to high school. I was so blessed as ell to have a coupon I found online for half off the normal price of an 8X10 photos. What a deal. So here they are. Tucked away in sheet protectors and organized by artists in my notebook. Nor more excuses! I have the pictures and will display the one being studied for about 10 days. Each day I will have my children record in their commonplace books one new thing they noticed in the picture. They can also use the picture for 'copywork' as well by sketching it into their art books. No more excuses!!