IB Art Art Themes - bluelavaart.com

1 IB ArtArt ThemesYou DO NOT have to work in a theme but all of your work must have ideas that back it up. Use these Themes as a jumping off point to develop one or a series of - from Nature, Music, SongsWords - Poetry, Literature, Quotes, PhraseVignettes of nature - observationObservation - RealismImagination - dreams - fantasyExpression - emotionsBeliefs and values - Cultural traditionsEvents - tragedy - war - life experiencesSymbolism - Culture - EnvironmentLayering Nature - Landscape - What is beautifulNature - Conflict - Storms - Sun - StarsNature - Man and animals - animalsEnvironment - InteriorsSeascape - Marine lifeTime - passage of time - cycles of lifeConcealmentInternationalismCityscape - city lifeFamily - mother and child - family loveReligion - Spirituality - beliefs and valuesStill life - observation - realismStill life - abstractionSlice of life - people at work - or playCollectionsFantasy - imagination - inner worldsMythology - Folk talesFigure - portrait-personalityHistorical subjects - War - PeaceNarrative - tells a storyAbstraction - Non-objectiveIdentity (a different kind of portrait)

2 Power and authoritySocial Concerns - IssuesMetamorphosis life cycles, change, alteration, transfiguration, mutationMusic sound, making tone visible, music culture, what do music and art have in common?Dance movement, rhythm, repetition, physicality, meaning in gestureLegend/mythology ancient, primitive, modern, stories, archetypes, moral lessons, religion, ritual, social obligationsNature vs. Science current issues (bioethics) technology, how do we understand the world? Our place in the universe, limits of scientific knowledge, art and science, Cubism, FuturismMyself - memories, esteem, place in the world, pride, shame, family, heritage, ethnicity, self-portrait, friends, loves, male & female, role in society, in family, in evolution. Advantages/disadvantages of being one or the other. Stereotypes, cultural roles, sexuality, gender in politics, gender beyond stereotypesScale close-up/magnified, objects blown out of proportion, large vs.

3 Minuscule, other worlds of scale, space, positive/negative, color and worlds underwater, space, extraterrestrial, microscopic, imagination, computer/virtual other life, instinctual, life cycles of, physical/spiritual power in, ecology, animals as symbols, cultural associations with and the senses ways of knowing, art that smells, tastes, feels, etc. Art that appeals to alternative art as code, codes in life, symbols, signs, text, sense in nonsense, order, mathematics, key to creation, destruction, judgment, what is holy? Role of religion in society, metaphysics, personal sense of god, mercy, forgiveness, justification, sin, what is kitsch? What is beautiful? What is not? Value, mass production, pop culture, your own personal sense of kitsch, aspects of society as revealed in its use of line, color and composition to create a graphic identity, advertising, mass media, manipulation of imagery, the (blurred) line between what reality and the graphic anatomy body, muscle, bone, skin, weight distribution, issues of beauty and human body, use/abuse of the body, skin (color?)

4 , aging, meaning, analysis, associations, truth in, the bizarre, wish-fulfillment, imagery, Surrealism, the subconscious, Sigmund Freud. Chance allowing chance to dictate art, automatic drawing, the Exquisite Corpse, Surrealism, Dadaism, kinetic art, image human feelings, expression, knowledge through emotion, emotional situations, culture and emotions, controlled/uncontrolled emotions, conveying emotion, color, line and shape and emotions, Expressionism, Fauvism, repetition, repeated objects, objects in a series, objects that share something in common, distant vs. close relationships between objects, what defines these? What constitutes the appealing or the repulsive? Manipulating materials so that they take on appealing/repulsive renderings- showing (exploring) the interior and exterior space with a strong focus on light, perspective and structureExploration- using realistic and non-objective animals (stipple series of black and white ink drawings moving into color)Portraits and the human formJunk yard still life- waste-reuseTomatoes, from seed to fruitFantasy characters gargoyles, fairies, dragons, etc.

5 Convincingly renderedCircus lifeMy ancestryCrime and punishmentWomen in feminine roles- not in feminine rolesMen in masculine roles-not in masculine roles Seven deadly sins historical eventsReflections of images wherein the reflections are an emotional exploration (of literal reflections)Instruments that make musicIcons w/in our societyStrength of women (Cindy Sherman, Barbara Krueger)Dreams and dream images (Chagall, Dali)Dance -movement (Degas)Struggle to find one s self (identity)Figure studies in strong lights/darksCar interiors, mechanic,technologyAbstract portraitsIllustrate a classical character or story in a new or modern wayChildhood memories and feelingsEvolution of an item as it deteriorates or decomposesPortrait/figure distortions in color/shapes Personal or social issuesCultural diversity social issues (diego rivera)Visual puns/hybrids (Magritte)Self (you, your identity, self image, self-esteem) or dark self (see Jung)Family or ethnic group (not necessarily yours)Science & TechnologyDreams/the surreal world,/alternate reality/questioning realitySociety/Public vs.

6 PrivateCapitalism/ (Free)Trade/Economic equality/GlobalismEpistemology (ie. how we know what we know)/TOKC onflict/resolution/war/peaceArt/History/ Art History/InterpretationOrigins/Beginnings /Endings/divisions in timeAge/Adolescence/Biological growth/evolutionLocation-place, sense of placeSymbols/Systems of Meaning/CodesTaste/FashionStory/Narrativ eHumor/dark humor/Shock/Horror/Ugliness Action historical Moments CelebrationAnt s Eye View Silhouettes KaleidoscopeClouds Strange ReflectionsRoots (real, metaphorical)Inspired by Music Rhythmic Lines Greek MythologyQuilted Images Folklore giant ObjectsHybrids Nightmares Illustrated StoryMaps Metaphoric Drawings Ravages of WarExplosions Monkey s in suits Events from ChildhoodMacro Drawings Escher Tiling Aerial ViewIncongruous Lonely & Lost TrainsParadox Trees like People MusclesOrdinary Beauty Large things made of small thingsPeople on the beach Combining Opposites Mother & ChildFriendship Precarious WaterStuck together Circus Optical IllusionsLiquefied Sacred Fire & IcePuzzle Pieces Exotic Landscapes HatsSelf Portraits Exaggerated Dancers City ScenesAnachronisms Squashed & Crumpled ObscuredElegance Ruins Bible ScenesBare Feet Extreme Foreshortening ClustersStark ContrastsDoorways & Windows Construction Machinery Sea CreaturesEvolution Symbiosis Negative SpaceUnderneath Order & Disorder EntwinedSanctuaryIllustrated PoetryImprobable TexturesFloral Designs Micro world

7 Inside the Human BodyMotorcycles Abandoned Surreal Unusual Comparisons Something s MissingRadically Cropped Seemingly Unrelated Human FigureCollaged Figures Patterns TechnologyGnarled Hands Reversals Repetition with VariationBacks of heads Transformations Food Floating Things Extreme PerspectivePeople Sleeping Royalty & Pomp Hidden Images Fantasy Cities Herds & FlocksShadows Plumbing Flying thingsGeometric Animals Inspired by LoveAged People Urban Blight Animated ToysFamily Portraits Extreme Elongation MasksExaggerated Expressions Mobs & Crowds Costumes Symmetry Meticulous DetailFabric & Folds Miniatures Death & DyingJunkyard Objects Gloves PrimitiveMusicians Progressively Abstract TanglesIdentity can be about is about is about is about the inside and can be about the fear of is about can be about pecking can be about is about is is about is a tension between self and can be about internal is a is about is about can be about is about is about is both public and is both individual and (Winter, Night etc) / NarrativeArchitectural Drawings, Designs, FeatsArtists at Work - Studios etcDealing with DeathGardensHistorical PaintingsLa Toilette / NudesLiteratureMusicNight LightOccupationsPortrait GenreReligious SubjectsRustic VignettesScapes (Land, Sea, Sky & City)Scenes of AntiquityScenes of the ExoticScenes of WarSocial ScenesStill LifeSupernatural (Faeries and Witches etc)TechnologyAlong for the ride Glassed overMetallicsFood (you are what you eat)SkeletonsOver the edgeMythical creaturesConflict of interestsColor outside the linesLayersQuite an EntranceA moment in timeMagnified beyond recognitionImagine the impossiblePairs (another city)Up close and personalPreserve and protectWarpedTake coverStrength and StabilityOne word prompts to spark your imagination1.

8 Happiness2. Beauty3. Sleep4. Garden5. Imagination6. Secret7. Give8. Thankful9. Kindness10. Inside11. Outside12. Jump13. Friendship14. Love15. Fire13. Light14. Darkness15. Dream16. Believe17. Hope18. Faith19. Focus20. Clean21. Angry22. Work23. Music24. Stars25. Mystery26. Envelope27. Book28. Dare29. Choose30. Beach31. Forgiveness32. Disaster33. Dance34. Mistake35. New36. Yes37. Path38. Horizon39. Mountain40. River41. Open42. Heart43. Soul44. Tear45. Spiral46. Up47. Go48. Be49. Seek50. Learn51. Balance52. Grow53. Strength54. Seek55. Passion56. Move57. Today58. Awaken59. Angels60. Laughter61. Listening62. Pause63. Peace64. Relax65. Space66. Wisdom67. Difference68. Begin69. Time70. Brave71. Breathe72. Childhood73. Discovery74. Mind75. Energy76. Flower77. Health78. Harmony79. Recovery80. Stand81. Nowhere82. Soar82. Skip83. Fresh84. Delicious85. Power86. Complete87. Grace88. Legend89. Ecstasy90. Hug91. Proud92. Simple93.

9 Machine94. Victory95. Vibrancy96. Leadership97. Alive98. Bloom99. Fame100. Enormous101. Independent102. Unique103. Metamorphosis104. Silence105. Tranquility106. Project107. Smile108. Miracle109. Amazing110. Game111. Connected112. Muse113. Dazzle114. Determination115. Free116. Help117. Intuition118. Smart119. Sweet120. Honesty121. Useful122. Safety123. Ready124. Vision125. Cycle126. Discipline127. Promise128. Patience129. Destiny130. Rejuvenate131. Shine132. Talk133. Stress134. Missing135. Age136. Success137. Motivation138. Family139. Loneliness140. Experience141. Future142. Vintage143. Wings144. Letter145. Wandering146. Factory147. Rainbow148. Ask149. Self150. Locket151. Home152. Cloud153. Hunger154. Possibilities155. Boredom156. Innocence157. Charge158. Rhythm159. Date160. Consequence161. Prescription162. Goals163. Lost164. Found165. Cry166. Parade167. Party168. Ice169. Dragon170. Alarm171. Understanding172.

10 Uncomfortable173. Serious174. Opposites175. Playful176. Attention177. Caring178. Hero179. Lace180. Clue181. Ideas182. Junk183. Collection184. Radio185. Interview186. Zoom187. Puzzle188. Landscape189. Advice190. Memories191. Communication192. Compassion193. Universe194. Loyalty195. Sharing196. Travel197. Voices198. Sidewalk199. Tree200. Story201. Why202. Maybe203. Antique204. Action205. Culture206. Fuel207. Desire208. Weather209. Directions210. List211. Ride212. Wish213. Breakfast214. Touch214. Sadness215. Comfort216. Circle217. Reflection218. Optimism219. Anxiety220. Shadow221. Spirit222. Stretch223. Challenge224. Five225. Messy226. Adventure227. Fun228. Surprise229. Illusion230. Mischief231. Shy232. Lesson233. Whisper234. Fight235. Castle236. Protect237. Shop238. Wheel239. Pieces240. Leaves241. Fool242. Productivity243. Overcome244. Encouragement245. Watch246. Lighthouse247. Mild248. Mouth249. Rare250. Target251.