☰ Contents · English

Genres of painting and describing a picture

Lessons 52–53 · 2 lessons · S. Khan, L. Kamalova, L. Jurayev. Teens’ English 8 (English, Grade 8). “O‘qituvchi” Publishing House, Tashkent, 2020
53

What’s your favourite picture?

Textbook: p. 65
GoalDescribing a picture: genre, position, details, feeling and opinion; may be / might be a symbol.
New words
background · fonin the centre · markazdasymbol · ramzatmosphere · muhit, kayfiyat
Explanation

A picture description has four parts: 1) genre: This painting is a landscape painted by ... ; 2) what we see: In the centre we can see ... ; Further back we can see ... ; On the left / right there is ...; 3) details: people, clothes, colours, place; 4) opinion: I think ... ; I find it calm / colourful / realistic. To guess a symbol: The tree might represent ... ; Maybe the artist wanted to show ... . Mood words: calm, sad, romantic, mysterious, realistic. In “The Starry Night” the centre of the picture is a swirling blue and yellow sky with a moon and stars, on the left in the foreground is a tall dark cypress tree, and below there is a village with a church spire.

Worked examples
First of all, I should say that this painting is a landscape painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889. In the centre we can see a night sky with big swirling stars. Further back we can see hills, and on the left there is a tall dark tree. Below there is a quiet village. The tree might represent the link between earth and sky. I find the atmosphere mysterious and exciting. I like the picture because its colours seem to move.
Useful positions: in the centre; in the foreground; in the background; on the left; on the right; at the top; at the bottom.
Class activity

“Picture description”: in pairs choose a picture, A describes and B draws; then compare with the original.

Practice
1
Position: ___ the background there are hills.
2
Guess: The tree ___ be a symbol of strength. (possible)
3
Write an opinion phrase.
4
Why must a description give clear positions?