SECTION EUROPEENNE

How to comment on a picture ? Step n°1 – Identifying the picture In order to identify the picture correctly, you must determine when it was made, by who, why it was made for and you must be able to tell its exact nature by looking at the following list:      

Cartoon Drawing Printing Frescoe Painting Engraving

     

Photograph/snapshot Satellite picture Poster Caricature Strip cartoon Advert

Step n°2- Describe the picture You will need specific vocabulary to be able to locate accurately and depict correctly a picture, here are some useful terms to do so:  To locate something in the picture In the top left-hand corner

On the left

In the bottom left-hand corner

In the top part of the picture

In the top right-hand corner

In the centre of the picture

On the right

in the bottom part of the picture

In the bottom right-hand corner

 Point of view In the foreground : Au premier plan In the background: A l’arrière-plan In the middle distance: Au second plan Out of shot: hors-champ To the right of: A la droite de…

Nearest objects/farthest objects: les objets les plus proches/les plus éloigéns Seen from above/from below: vu par en haut/par en bas Three quarter view: vue de trois-quarts

 Colours Cool colours :couleurs froides Deep colours : couleurs soutenues Bright colours : couleurs vives

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Soft colours : couleurs douces Light/dark colours : couleurs claires/sombres

SECTION EUROPEENNE  Light Light/dark :Clair/sombre Bright/Dim :Brillant/faiblement éclairé Highlights :Les points les plus lumineux Shadows : Les ombres

Contrasts Chiaroscuro :Clair-obscur Backlighting :Eclairage par l’arrière Glow : Lueur

 Lines Horizontal/vertical lines Straight/curved line: lignes droites/courbes The lines converge into a single point : Vanishing point: Point de fuite

At the intersection of the diagonals: Receding lines: Lignes de fuite

 Composition Horizontal/vertical lines Straight/curved line: lignes droites/courbes The lines converge into a single point : Vanishing point: Point de fuite

At the intersection of the diagonals: Receding lines: Lignes de fuite

Example:

Stalingrad, 1942

Example : This black-and-white photograph was shot during the battle of Stalingrad in 1942. In the foreground, on the left, we can see a German soldier holding a machinegun. Other soldiers are visible in the middle distance, one on the left-hand side and another in the centre of the picture. In the background, we can notice ruins.

Step n°3 –Explaining When the description is completed, you might move on to the explanations and try to relate the elements of your description with your own knowledge or your course.

Helpful vocabulary The picture conveys… The viewer feels that… Etc…

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The picture presents information on… The picture reminds us of…