Build a Story World

Read With Impact

For Paintings or Photographs read for theme, story, and image. When we ‘see’ the effect of micro scenes, we can then apply the techniques to our fictional scenes therefore deepening their effect.

1          1) Journal

a.     What makes a photograph or a painting interesting to look at?

b.     Why do some catch your attention?

      2) Read     

a. Choose a photograph or painting that represents either the actual look of a particular place in your world, or the emotion that you want to convey?

This is an absolute favorite and fun to do. Due to copyright issues I cannot post a favorite workshop painting but hopefully you can find it by typing in "automat by edward hopper" on google. But only look at the image and don’t read any information on it until after you’ve completed the response below.

      3) Respond

                        a. What do you first notice about this scene?

                        b. What is the attitude or feeling portrayed?

                        c. What images, topics jump out at you?

                        d. Do you think this picture is staged? Why? Why not?

                        e. What does this imply about this person?

                        f. What does this painting ‘say’ to you? What do you think is the

            ‘voice’?

Applications:

1.     Sort through paintings, photographs, or brochures that have a particular landscape you want in your novel. Choose one or two and develop them as a scene.

2.     Go through a family photo album and pick out unknown people. Write up a mini scene for them based on their facial expression.

3.     Freeze frame a movie scene and apply the questions. What did you not notice the first time around?

Share: Which one gave you the least amount of  ‘information’? Why?