Expressionists distort or change an image to express the emotions of the artist.
Throughout history, people have distorted images to show emotions. Medieval artists exaggerated faces to show deep religious feelings. Mesopotamian artists made kings larger and more powerful looking than the rest of the populace. Famous speakers are shown looming above the crowds. But expressing emotions did not become a international style until the early 1900's. Starting in Germany, artists began focusing on their feelings and emotions rather than what the world looked like. They exaggerated, left out, extended, colored and erased parts of their drawings in order to push the emotional response to the image.
Did it work? Do we care about these emotions the artists tried to show? How many of you recognise the emotions in "The Scream" ?
7th grade students are experimenting with showing emotions through their art. How do line, shapes, texture and colors effect emotions?
