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Visual Arts Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2014 2014.

A Maoli-Based Art Education: Ku'u Mau Kuamo'o 'Ōlelo , Raquel Malia Andrus

Accumulation of Divine Service , Blaine Lee Atwood

Caroline Murat: Powerful Patron of Napoleonic France and Italy , Brittany Dahlin

.(In|Out)sider$ , Jarel M. Harwood

Mariko Mori's Sartorial Transcendence: Fashioned Identities, Denied Bodies, and Healing, 1993-2001 , Jacqueline Rose Hibner

Parallel and Allegory , Kody Keller

Fallen Womanhood and Modernity in Ivan Kramskoi's Unknown Woman (1883) , Trenton B. Olsen

Conscience and Context in Eastman Johnson's The Lord Is My Shepherd , Amanda Melanie Slater

The War That Does Not Leave Us: Memory of the American Civil War and the Photographs of Alexander Gardner , Katie Janae White

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Women and the Wiener Werkstätte: The Centrality of Women and the Applied Arts in Early Twentieth-Century Vienna , Caitlin J. Perkins Bahr

Cutting Into Relief , Matthew L. Bass

Mask, Mannequin, and the Modern Woman: Surrealism and the Fashion Photographs of George Hoyningen-Huene , Hillary Anne Carman

The End of All Learning , Maddison Carole Colvin

Civitas: A Game-Based Approach to AP Art History , Anna Davis

What Crawls Beneath , Brent L. Gneiting

Blame Me for Your Bad Grade: Autonomy in the Basic Digital Photography Classroom as a Means to Combat Poor Student Performance , Erin Collette Johnson

Evolving Art in Junior High , Randal Charles Marsh

All Animals Will Get Along in Heaven , Camila Nagata

It Will Always Be My Tree: An A/r/tographic Study of Place and Identity in an Elementary School Classroom , Molly Robertson Neves

Zofia Stryjeńska: Women in the Warsaw Town Square. Our Lady, Peasant Mother, Pagan Goddess , Katelyn McKenzie Sheffield

Using Contemporary Art to Guide Curriculum Design:A Contemporary Jewelry Workshop , Kathryn C. Smurthwaite

Documenting the Dissin's Guest House: Esther Bubley's Exploration of Jewish-American Identity, 1942-43 , Vriean Diether Taggart

Blooming Vines, Pregnant Mothers, Religious Jewelry: Gendered Rosary Devotion in Early Modern Europe , Rachel Anne Wise

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Rembrandt van Rijn's Jewish Bride : Depicting Female Power in the Dutch Republic Through the Notion of Nation Building , Nan T. Atwood

Portraits , Nicholas J. Bontorno

Where There Is Design , Elizabeth A. Crowe

George Dibble and the Struggle for Modern Art in Utah , Sarah Dibble

Mapping Creativity: An A/r/tographic Look at the Artistic Process of High School Students , Bart Andrus Francis

Joseph as Father in Guido Reni's St. Joseph Images , Alec Teresa Gardner

Student Autonomy: A Case Study of Intrinsic Motivation in the Art Classroom , Downi Griner

Aha'aina , Tali Alisa Hafoka

Fashionable Art , Lacey Kay

Effluvia and Aporia , Emily Ann Melander

Interactive Web Technology in the Art Classroom: Problems and Possibilities , Marie Lynne Aitken Oxborrow

Visual Storybooks: Connecting the Lives of Students to Core Knowledge , Keven Dell Proud

German Nationalism and the Allegorical Female in Karl Friedrich Schinkel's The Hall of Stars , Allison Slingting

The Influence of the Roman Atrium-House's Architecture and Use of Space in Engendering the Power and Independence of the Materfamilias , Anne Elizabeth Stott

The Narrative Inquiry Museum:An Exploration of the Relationship between Narrative and Art Museum Education , Angela Ames West

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

The Portable Art Gallery: Facilitating Student Autonomy and Ownership through Exhibiting Artwork , Jethro D. Gillespie

The Movement Of An Object Through A Field Creates A Complex Situation , Jared Scott Greenleaf

Alice Brill's Sao Paulo Photographs: A Cross-Cultural Reading , Danielle Jean Hurd

A Comparative Case Study: Investigation of a Certified Elementary Art Specialist Teaching Elementary Art vs. a Non-Art Certified Teacher Teaching Elementary Art , Jordan Jensen

A Core Knowledge Based Curriculum Designed to Help Seventh and Eighth Graders Maintain Artistic Confidence , Debbie Ann Labrum

Traces of Existence , Jayna Brown Quinn

Female Spectators in the July Monarchy and Henry Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d’Arc à Orléans , Kalisha Roberts

Without End , Amy M. Royer

Classroom Community: Questions of Apathy and Autonomy in a High School Jewelry Class , Samuel E. Steadman

Preparing Young Children to Respond to Art in the Museum , Nancy L. Stewart

DAY JAW BOO, a re-collection , Rachel VanWagoner

The Tornado Tree: Drawing on Stories and Storybooks , Toni A. Wood

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

IGolf: Contemporary Sculptures Exhibition 2009 , King Lun Kisslan Chan

24 Hour Portraits , Lee R. Cowan

Fabricating Womanhood , Emily Fox

Earth Forms , Janelle Marie Tullis Mock

Peregrinations , Sallie Clinton Poet

Leland F. Prince's Earth Divers , Leland Fred Prince

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Ascents and Descents: Personal Pilgrimage in Hieronymus Bosch's The Haywain , Alison Daines

Beyond the Walls: The Easter Processional on the Exterior Frescos of Moldavian Monastery Churches , Mollie Elizabeth McVey

Beauty, Ugliness, and Meaning: A Study of Difficult Beauty , Christine Anne Palmer

Lantern's Diary , Wei Zhong Tan

Text and Tapestry: "The Lady and the Unicorn," Christine de Pizan and the le Vistes , Shelley Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

A Call for Liberation: Aleijadinho's 'Prophets' as Capoeiristas , Monica Jayne Bowen

Secondhand Chinoiserie and the Confucian Revolutionary: Colonial America's Decorative Arts "After the Chinese Taste" , Kiersten Claire Davis

Dairy Culture: Industry, Nature and Liminality in the Eighteenth-Century English Ornamental Dairy , Ashlee Whitaker

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Navajo Baskets and the American Indian Voice: Searching for the Contemporary Native American in the Trading Post, the Natural History Museum, and the Fine Art Museum , Laura Paulsen Howe

And there were green tiles on the ceiling , Jean Catherine Richardson

Four Greco-Roman Era Temples of Near Eastern Fertility Goddesses: An Analysis of Architectural Tradition , K. Michelle Wimber

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The Portrait of Citizen Jean-Baptiste Belley, Ex-Representative of the Colonies by Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson: Hybridity, History Painting, and the Grand Tour , Megan Marie Collins

Fix , Kathryn Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Ideals and Realities , Pamela Bowman

Accountability for the Implementation of Secondary Visual Arts Standards in Utah and Queensland , John K. Derby

The Artistic and Architectural Patronage of Countess Urraca of Santa María de Cañas: A Powerful Aristocrat, Abbess, and Advocate , Julia Alice Jardine McMullin

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MFA Thesis: Finding a Balance

Writing an mfa thesis, thesis outlines, mind mapping.

• Group 4 Research Tips

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Writing an MFA thesis is a delicate balance between maintaining focus on your process and your art, while also using research and citations to put your art into a larger context with evidence as support for your claims.

Think of two extremes.   People write completely narrative theses, like this one . Other people write long, well-researched art history theses, like this one .  In the Lesley program you're aiming for somewhere in the middle, but you all might vary in how close they are to one or the other.

• HOW TO WRITE YOUR MFA THESIS IN FINE ART (AND BEYOND) A professor's tips and suggested exercises to help with writing

If you aren't sure how you want to organize your thesis, try mind mapping your ideas to find connections (scroll down for videos!) or read other MFA theses to see how other people organize a thesis.

Abstract vs. Practical

Notice how all the examples below compare in their organization (check out their table of contents!), even when dealing with a similar topic or medium!

• Example: Practical Organization This MFA thesis, written by Robert Bradley at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, is organized practically, with a section for each medium, a section on process, and a section on influences.
• Example: Abstract Organization This MFA thesis, written by Jin Lee at Illinois State University, is broken up by abstract headings. Instead of practical headings like "Materials" "Process" "Influences" the artist uses abstract ideas as her organization, like "Beginnings" and "Being Seen".

Notice how the two theses below both center around art and trauma, but how they organize their thesis is different. 

• Ceramics MFA Thesis, written by Alex Bailey at Southern Illinois University This one has a more practical organization. It is organized based on the artist's life and the chronology of healing, with sections called "One: Lived Experience", "Two: Trauma, Damage", "Three: Mending, Coping", "Four: Restoration".
• Visual Arts MFA Thesis, written by Angel Estrella at Clemson University This thesis has a more abstract organization, with sections called 'Seeing Feeling", "The Body Remembers", and "Inside-Out". The more practical information, like clay recipes, is includes as an appendix.

Process-Based Art

If your art is very focused on your process, you may want to find a way to put more focus on that in your thesis. You can have a section of your thesis about your process but for some people their work is very process-based so they speak to process throughout the thesis.

• Digital Production Arts MFA Thesis, written by Thomas Scott Rapp at Clemson University This thesis has a very practical organization, but it's focused on the preparation and process of creating. There is a section for background, one for influences, and one for production, and the results aren't discussed until the end. This puts the focus on the process and technique while still designating space to discuss the final product.
• The Pain that Love Produced Moton, Barrymore A. Illinois State University Check out the section "MEANING OF MATERIALS & RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORM AND PROCESS"
• My Culture Art in Healing Action Chavarria, Fabian. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Process is discussed thoroughly in specific sections like: PROCESS AND MEDIA, MIX MEDIA, SCULPTURE, & INK ON CANVAS
• Curating Memories; Art as a Collection of Loss and Nostalgia Feagin, Christle Dawn. Azusa Pacific University There are intrinsic relationships between artists, their collections, viewers, cultures, and nostalgic memories resulting from loss. This thesis probes these deep-rooted connections by examining how early traumatic experiences inform not only the objects an artist collects and uses in their art, but also how viewers and culture perceive these creations.

Mind mapping is a great way to organize your thoughts visually.  There are digital tools you can use ( check out this list of 5 ) but it's usually more effective to create one on paper by hand.  They can be used for:

Studying:   Map a textbook chapter or lecture notes to better understand, remember, and make connections

Writing Papers : Map out your thoughts to generate a topic or thesis question, outline your supporting research, and find connections to help you with transitions

Presentations : Present information visually, so that the audience can see how your ideas are organized and connected

See mind mapping in action:

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of The Arts > School of Art and Art History > Theses and Dissertations

Art and Art History Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Fragmented Hours: The biography of a devotional book printed by Thielman Kerver , Stephanie R. Haas

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Assessing Environmental Sensitivity in San Diego County, California, for Bird Species of Special Concern , Eda Okan Kilic

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Empress Nur Jahan and Female Empowerment: A Critical Analysis of a Long-Forgotten Mughal Portrait , Angela N. Finkbeiner

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Seeing King Solomon through the Verses of Hafez: A Critical Study of Two Safavid Manuscript Paintings , Richard W. Ellis

Moving Away from The West or Taking Independent Positions: A Structural Analysis for The New Turkish Foreign Policy , Suleyman Senturk

A Quiet Valley at Roztoky : Testimony of Singularity in the Landscape Imagery of Zdenka Braunerová , Zdislava Ungrova

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Mirror Images: Penelope Umbrico’s Mirrors (from Home Décor Catalogs and Websites) , Jeanie Ambrosio

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Incongruous Conceptions: Owen Jones’s Plans, Elevations, Sections and Details of the Alhambra and British Views of Spain , Andrea Marie Johnson

An Alternative Ancien Régime? Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun in Russia , Erin Elizabeth Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Sarah Sze's "Triple Point": Modeling a Phenomenological Experience of Contemporary Life , Amanda J. Preuss

Cross-Cultural Spaces in an Anonymously Painted Portrait of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II , Alison Paige Terndrup

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

The Choir Books of Santa Maria in Aracoeli and Patronage Strategies of Pope Alexander VI , Maureen Elizabeth Cox

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Painting Puertorriqueñidad: The Jíbaro as a Symbol of Creole Nationalism in Puerto Rican Art before and after 1898 , Jeffrey L. Boe

Franz Marc as an Ethologist , Jean Carey

Renegotiating Identities, Cultures and Histories: Oppositional Looking in Shelley Niro's "This Land is Mime Land" , Jennifer Danielle Mccall

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Empty Streets in the Capital of Modernity: Formation of Lieux de Mémoire in Parisian Street Photography From Daguerre to Atget , Sabrina Lynn Hughes

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Intervention in painting by Marlene Dumas with titles of engagement: Ryman's brides, Reinhardt's daughter and Stern , Susan King Klinkenberg

Self-fashioning, Consumption, and Japonisme : The Power of Collecting in Tissot’s Jeunes Femmes Regardant des Objets Japonais , 1869 , Catherine Elizabeth Turner

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Kandinsky’s Dissonance and a Schoenbergian View of Composition VI , Shannon M. Annis

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Re-Thinking the Myth of Perugino and the Umbrian School: A Closer Look at the Master of the Greenville's Jonas Nativity Panel , Carrie Denise Baker

I'm Not Who I Was Then, Now: Performing Identity in Girl Cams and Blogs , Katherine Bzura

Manifestations of Ebenezer Howard in Disneyland , Michelle M. Rowland

The assimilation of the marvelous other: Reading Christoph Weiditz's Trachtenbuch (1529) as an ethnographic document , Andrea McKenzie Satterfield

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Rethinking the Monumental: The Museum as Feminist Space in the Sexual Politics Exhibition, 1996 , Devon P. Larsen

Vision and Disease in the Napoleonic Description de l’Egypte (1809-1828): The Constraints of French Intellectual Imperialism and the Roots of Egyptian Self-Definition , Elizabeth L. Oliver

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The articulate remedies of Dolores Lolita Rodriguez , Hyatt Kellim Brown

Negotiating Artistic Identity through Satire: subREAL 1989-1999 , Anca Izabel Galliera

From Chapel to Chamber: Liturgy and Devotion in Lucantonio Giunta’s Missale romanum , 1508 , Lesley T. Stone

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Ensenada , Julia DeArriba-Montgomery

Threatening Skies , Brandon Dunlap

Apocalypth pentagram , Matthew Alan Guest

African Costume for Artists: The Woodcuts in Book X of Habiti antichi et moderni di tutto il mondo , 1598 , Laura Renee Herrmann

The Artist and Her Muse: a Romantic Tragedy about a Mediocre and Narcissistic Painter Named Rachel Hoffman , Rachel Gavronsky Hoffman

Procession: The Celebration of Birth and Continuity , I Made Jodog

The Thornton Biennial: The Kruszka Pavilion: The 29YR Apology , Ethan Kruszka

american folk , Preston Poe

A Simple Treatise on the Origins of Cracker Kung Fu Or Mai Violence , Mark Joseph Runge

"My Journey" , Douglas Smith

Twilight , Britzél Vásquez

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Art History MA Thesis: Thesis

View examples of in-progress and completed theses from School students and alumni.

Before beginning work on a master’s thesis, the student must receive the Supervisory Committee's approval of a written proposal. The thesis may be an extension of a seminar paper, and it must demonstrate the student's ability to conduct rigorous research, indicate familiarity with bibliographical and reference materials, and show a capacity for the synthesis and critical evaluation of the material under consideration. A complete draft of the thesis approved by the Chair of the Supervisory Committee must be delivered to each member of the committee at least 30 days before the date of the Final Examination.

Supervisory Committees

Students should consult with the Graduate Program Coordinator and the faculty member of the field in which the student wishes to write a thesis to determine the appropriate chair of the Supervisory Committee. In consultation with the committee chair, the student forms a Supervisory Committee consisting of three faculty members, two of whom must be current members of the Art History faculty, including the committee chair. Adjunct or Emeritus faculty may serve on committees if the committee also includes two regular members of the Art History faculty. One or more members of the committee may be selected from a field other than art history if appropriate to the subject. The Supervisory Committee will be available for consultation with the student and will be responsible for final evaluation of the thesis. The Graduate School does not require notification of the membership of this committee. The committee chair shall keep written records concerning any formal agreements or stipulations regarding the student’s program of study and thesis.

Final Examination

The final examination is an oral defense of the candidate's thesis conducted by the Supervisory Committee. The Supervisory Committee must certify the results of the final examination. At the final examination, the graduate student and at least one Art History faculty member from their committee (or a substitute from the Art History faculty, if necessary) should be physically present when any members participate through audio or electronic conferencing.

Degree Application

Students must apply online to the Graduate School for a master’s degree in the quarter in which they expect to graduate; check the Graduate School website for deadlines . The filing of the online application (warrant) is the responsibility solely of the student, who must be registered for the quarter in which the degree is expected. Master's degree applications are valid for one quarter only; if requirements for the degree are not completed during this quarter the student must file a new application. The thesis must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School by the last day of final examinations of the quarter in which degree requirements are completed. Students will need to apply online in MyGrad for their degree updates and forms and to schedule their defense date. The application for graduation must be completed at least three weeks prior to the defense. The Master’s Supervisory Committee Approval Form and the warrant, generated by the online application, need to be submitted with original ink signatures of all committee members; when this is not possible, email approvals are permitted by the Graduate School. For further instructions, see the Graduate School website .

Department of Art and Art History

The MA thesis represents the final step in the fulfillment of your degree at Hunter. It should embody originality of thinking underscored by solid research based on primary and secondary sources. The thesis should demonstrate your ability to gather, evaluate, and present material in a critical and professional manner. It is intended to prepare you for further study on the doctoral level or as an end in itself to equip you with the skills necessary for a professional career in Art History.

Completed theses are approximately 50-75 pages in length and should exhibit a full scholarly textual apparatus: footnotes, bibliography, illustrations, and other relevant documentation.

For a comprehensive guide to the MA Thesis, please see MA Thesis Guidelines . 

The MA thesis is designed to be written over the course of two consecutive semesters and is formally divided into two classes: Thesis Research (ARTH 79900) and Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000). 

In Thesis Research the student will, in collaboration with their thesis advisor, define a topic, structure an argument, and begin researching and writing their thesis. In order to receive course credit, the student must submit an outline (including abstract and chapter summaries) and a draft of one chapter by the end of the semester.

Over the course of Thesis Writing , each student works individually with their primary advisor towards the completion of a polished, submission-ready thesis, which involves the deployment of primary and secondary research, the analysis of objects of visual and material culture, the crafting of convincing argumentation, and the editing of language at the sentence, paragraph, and thesis-level. The student will only receive credit for ARTH 80000 upon successful completion and submission of the thesis.

Each MA student is required to choose an advisor from the full-time Art History faculty to supervise their thesis project. The faculty member should be someone who is a specialist in your chosen area and, ideally, someone who you have already taken a class with during the course of your studies at Hunter. Students are advised to approach their intended advisor no later than the semester before enrolling in Thesis Research (ARTH 79900). While the faculty advisor can be of some assistance in refining an appropriate topic, you should already have several ideas in mind before opening the discussion. 

The faculty advisor formally acts as the first reader of your thesis, providing direction and initial criticism of your research. Students are expected to speak regularly with their advisor over the course of two semesters. Before enrolling in Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000) students are advised to select a second reader for their thesis. The second reader is not a mentor but an external assessor of your final work. They should be chosen in consultation with your first reader and approached in a timely manner. Once the thesis has been finalized by the primary advisor, it will be turned over to the second reader for review. The second reader can make helpful suggestions and corrections to produce a better thesis. 

Your thesis cannot be submitted without the signature of your first and second reader.

• October 30:  Submit completed thesis to the first reader (thesis advisor). 
• November 20:  Submit the thesis, approved by the first reader, to the second reader
• December 14:   Submit completed, edited thesis to the graduate advisor
• December 21:   Upload the thesis to CUNY Academic Works

Funding for travel and thesis research:

The dean of arts and science offers travel grants to support thesis research up to $500 each.

To apply, please visit the following website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/artsci/graduate-education/funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students . 

For further information please email Rob Cowan: [email protected] 

 Examples of recent MA Theses:

• Croft, Kyle, “Mobilizing Museums Against AIDS: Visual AIDS and Day Without Art, 1988–1989” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/578

• Shaikewitz, Joseph S., “Mexican Modernism’s Other: The Contemporáneos, Gender, and National Identity, 1920–1940” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/601

• Shevelkina, Maria M., “The Chôra of Dionisy’s Wall-Painting (1500-1502) at the Nativity of the Mother of God sobor, Ferapontovo Monastery” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/548

• Thackara, Tess, “Beyond Movements: Senga Nengudi’s Art Within and Without Feminism, Postminimalism, and the Black Arts Movement” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/605

Important Links and Documents

• Guidelines for the Preparation of a Master’s Thesis In Art History
• MA Thesis Agreement Form
• Maintenance of Matriculation Form
• School of Arts and Sciences Guidelines
• Step by Step Guide for Students
• Step by Step Guide for Readers
• Art History 799 Thesis Research
• Art History 800 Thesis Writing

How to Write Your MFA Thesis in Fine Art (And Beyond)

by RYAN SESLOW | Nov 10, 2014 | Art , Design , News , Teaching , Useful Articles / Essays | 55 comments

I enjoy writing, and I find the process to be fun. Do you? I know that writing takes regular practice and it’s an essential part of my learning process. Writing helps me see and organize my thoughts. This allows me to edit and become clear about what it is I am expressing. Practicing writing helps me identify mistakes as well as further emphasize what I really want to explore and write about. When a topic of interest strikes me the process is effortless. I notice how I feel about the topic and this is a key factor as to how quickly I will get working on as essay, blog post or tutorial. This is something I have identified in myself over time and through repetition, how about you? Writing induces and activates new awareness. In my experiences as a college art professor, I have taken notice of a few consistent patterns when it comes to more formal writing. Especially a final thesis deadline. For some, the thought of generating a final graduate thesis can be a daunting thought in and of itself. Associated with that thought may be an outdated feeling that your body still remembers. This outdated association can be especially frustrating to the point of extreme procrastination. If you are unaware that you are the cause of this feeling then you will continue to perpetuate it. Sound familiar? If you choose to enroll into an MFA program you will be required to write a final thesis. This will be an in-depth description of your concepts, process, references, discoveries, reflections and final analysis. The best part of writing a final thesis is that the writer gets to create, format, define and structure the entirety of it. Throw away any pre-conceived and or outdated perceptions of what you think you should do. You must take responsibility for your writing the same way that you discipline yourself in the creation and production of your art work.

Where do you begin?

Your final thesis is an official archival record of what you have completed, explored and accomplished during the duration of your MFA program. Not only will your thesis be written for yourself, but also it will prove and back up your convictions, theories, assessments and statements for other people. It should be known that the content in this tutorial could also be applied to other writing needs that may be similar to the MFA thesis structure. An MA thesis or undergraduate BFA thesis can also easily follow this format. By all means, you can share it and remix it.

A regular writing practice must be established. This means, you will need to create a plan for how and when practice will take place. The calendar on your mobile device or the computer that you use will work just fine to remind you of these dates and times. Thirty minutes of practice twice a week can work wonders in the installation of a new habit. Are you up for that? Perhaps there is a way to make this decision seem effortless, keep reading.

You can get started right away. Technology in this area is very accessible and helpful. With use of a blogging platform such as word press one can privately or publicly begin their writing practice and archiving process. Even setting up a basic default blog will do just fine. You can always customize and personalize it later. If a blog does not interest you (but I do hope it does) a word processing document will do just fine. Either way, choosing to wait until your final semester to get started is a really bad idea and poor planning. Are there exceptions to this statement? Of course, and perhaps you will redefine my outlook, and prove me wrong, but until I experience this from someone, let’s make some longer-term plans.

I teach an MFA and MA course at  LIU Post  in NY that puts an emphasis on content and exposure to help students generate their final thesis. The course revolves around several exercises that contribute to the process as a whole broken down into individual isolated parts. Much like your thesis itself, this process is modular, meaning many parts will come and work together to make up the whole. One of the first exercises that I do with this class is identify a thesis template format. This is the basic structure that I have students brainstorm via a series of questions that I ask them. Keep in mind; you most likely already have a default version of this template. This could be the writing format that you learned in high school and had redefined by a professor in college. You may have been forced to use it or suffer the consequences of a poor grade solely on that formatting restriction. This feeling and program may still be running inside of you. So how do we deal with this? Together as a class we discuss and record the answers directly onto a chalkboard (a dry erase board or word document will also do just fine) I ask one of the students to act as the scribe to record the list manually while notes are individually taken also. I later put the information into a re-capped blog post on our class blog. Are you surprised that I use a blog for my class?

The Format-

The format for an MFA thesis in Fine Art (applied arts & digital) will in almost all cases coincide with a final thesis exhibition of completed works.   This formats fits accordingly with the thesis exhibition in mind.   This is a criteria break down of the structure of the paper. It is a simplified guide. Add or remove what you may for your personal needs.

• Description/Abstract:  Introduction. A detailed description of the concept and body of work that you will be discussing. Be clear and objective, you need not tell your whole life story here. Fragments of your current artist statement may fit in nicely.
• Process, Materials and Methods:  Here you will discuss the descriptions of your working processes, techniques learned and applied, and the materials used to generate the art that you create. Why have you selected these specific materials and techniques to communicate your ideas? How do these choices effect how the viewer will receive your work? Have you personalized a technique in a new way? How so? Were their limitations and new discoveries?
• Resources and References:  Historical and cultural referencing, artists, art movements, databases, and any other form of related influence. How has your research influenced your work, ideas, and decision-making process? What contrasts and contradictions have you discovered about your work and ideas? How has regular research and exposure during your program inspired you? Have you made direct and specific connections to an art movement or a series of artists? Explain your discoveries and how you came to those conclusions.
• Exhibition Simulation:  You will be mounting a final thesis exhibition of your work. How will you be mounting your exhibition? Why have you selected this particular composition? How did the space itself dictate your choices for installation? How will your installation effect or alter the physical space itself? Will you generate a floor plan sketch to accompany the proposed composition? If so, please explain, if not, also explain why? What kind of help will you need to realize the installation? What materials will you be using to install? Do you have special requirements for ladders, technologies and additional help? Explain in detail.
• Reflection:  What have you learned over the course of your graduate program? How has the program influenced your work and how you communicate as an artist? What were your greatest successes? What areas do you need to work on? What skills will you apply directly into your continued professional practice? Do you plan to teach after you graduate? If so, what philosophies and theories will you apply into your teaching practice? Where do you see your self professionally as an artist in 3-5 years?

Individual Exercises to Practice-

The following exercises below were created to help practice and expand thinking about the thesis format criteria above. It is my intention to help my students actively contribute to their thesis over the course of the semester. The exercises can be personalized and expanded upon for your individual needs. I feel that weekly exercises performed with a class or one on one with a partner will work well. The weekly meetings in person are effective. Why? Having a classroom or person-to-person(s) platform for discussion allows for the energy of the body to expose itself. You (and most likely your audience) will take notice as to how you feel when you are discussing the ideas, feelings and concepts that you have written. Are you upbeat and positively charged? Or are you just “matter of fact” and lifeless in your verbal assertions? Writing and speaking should be engaging. Especially if it is about your work! The goal is to entice your reader and audience to feel your convictions and transcend those feelings directly. Awareness of this is huge. It will help you make not only edits in your writing but also make changes in your speaking and how you feel about what you have written.

• The Artist Interview – Reach out to a classmate or an artist that you admire. This could also be a professor, faculty member, or fellow classmate. It should be one that you feel also admires or has interest in your work if possible. Make appointments to visit each other in their studios or where ever you are creating current work. This can even be done via video chat on Skype, a Google hang out or face-time if an in person visits cannot be made. In advance prepare for each other a series of 15-20 questions that you would like to ask each other. Questions can be about the artist’s concepts, materials, process, resources and references about their works. Questions may be about how they choose to show or sell their work. Personal questions about the artist’s outlook on life, business, and wellbeing may come to mind and may also be considered. Record and exchange each other’s responses in a written format. You will make a copy for yourself to retain. Re-read and study your responses to the questions that the artist asked you. This will be helpful for you to read your spoken words coming from another format of communication. Do you find that speak the same way that you write? Where do these words fit into the thesis criteria format above?
• The Artist Statement & Manifesto – Of course this will change and evolve over time but it is a necessary document that you will update each year as you evolve and grow. In one single page generate your artist statement or manifesto. Who are you? What is your work about? What are you communicating with your current work, projects and why? Who is your audience? How is your work affecting your audience, community and culture? Manifestos are usually published and placed into the public so that its creator can live up to its statements. Are you living up to yours? Keeping this public is a good reminder to walk your talk. Where do these words fit into the thesis criteria format above?
• Reactive Writing – Create a regular online space, document or journal to generate a chronological folio of reactive writing. Visit museums, galleries, lectures and screenings regularly. If you live outside of a city this may require a bit of research, but if you are in NYC this is all too easy. Bring a sketchbook and take notes! For each experience share your impressions, thoughts, feelings and reactions. Describe what you witness. Be objective down to the smallest details that have stayed with you. Reflect and find similarities and contrasts to what you are working on. Use this exercise as a free writing opportunity. Write without editing or without any formatting restrains, just express yourself in the immediacy that you feel about your experiences. At the end of each month (or designate a class for this aspect of the exercise) sit down and re-read your passages. Select the reaction(s) that you resonate with the most. Edit and format this selection into a more formal essay paying proper attention to a formatting style, grammar, punctuation and spelling. Where do these words fit into the thesis criteria format above?
• Tutorials  & How To Guides – Writing tutorials and how-to guides are great ways to practice getting really clear about what you are doing. It helps you cultivate your vocabulary and describe the actions that you are performing with specific detail. It puts you in a position to list your steps, process, materials, and references and explain what the contributing contextual aspects are. Try this with a specific project or with the art that you are currently creating. Are you painter? Explain how you create a painting from start to finish. This includes the very first spark that inspires the idea for the painting, as well as how it will be installed, packaged, transported and exhibited. Details matter. Are you sculptor working in woodcarving? Explain the process from start to finish. Ask a fellow artist if you can sit in on his or her process and record what you experience. This is a really fantastic and fun exercise. It also contributes greatly to creating lesson plans for teaching. (I’m actually obsessed with this exercise a little bit.) Where do these words fit into the thesis criteria format above?
• Reviews & Critiques – Much like the reactive writing exercise above, generating reviews and critiques will foster great ways to find insight into your own work. With regular practice you will find common threads of thought and subject matter. You will discover similar referencing and contrasts. This can easily be done in two ways. You can visit specific museums, galleries, lectures and screenings to write about that excites you. This already puts a positive charge on the act of writing itself. I also suggest that you contrast this with subject matter and content that also does not agree with you. We want to be able to fully express what we do not like as well. Understanding why helps us become clear in our choices. Understanding this helps strengthen our position on what we do want to write about and what we want our audience to understand. It allows us to explore dichotomies. The second way to further exercises in writing reviews and critiques is to speak about them. Speaking about art in person is a great way to further the clarification of you writing. Where do these words fit into the thesis criteria format above?

Further Experimentation-

The spoken word versus the act of writing? I have come across many students and colleagues who find that they write much differently than they speak. I feel that writing needs to have a consistent flow and feel fluid to keep its reader engaged. Speaking well and articulating oneself clearly is also something that takes practice. I have found that sometimes recording my words and thoughts via a voice transcribing application is helpful to get ideas out and into a more accessible form. A lot of transcribing software is free for most mobile devices. Much like voice recording the powerful enhancement is to see your words take form after you have said them. You can simply copy and paste the text and edit what is valuable.

This essay is also a work in progress. It’s an ongoing draft in a published format that I will continue updating with new content and fresh ways to simplify the exercises.

I appreciate your feedback!

short-link to this post ::  https://www.ryanseslow.com/YMgUl

55 Comments

Thanks for sharing this. I have 3 semesters to go and was already beginning to panic over the idea of writing a thesis this will help me to begin to organize my thoughts. I have promised myself I wouldn’t procrastinate.

Sounds good Chris Ann! I will see you in the ART550 course this coming fall!

I will definitely make use of your template when trying to organize my thesis draft that I will be sending you this weekend! Thanks again for posting this and for making is straight forward and simple by narrowing it down to the most important stuff. I think what at least I suffer from most is that I find it hard to break apart the paper and instead I see it as a big scary one, which doesn’t exactly make it easier to write. So, thanks! 😀

Thanks Sofie! Glad to help!

Thank you for making this public! I enjoy writing, but “written thesis” is so daunting, especially without any sort of guidelines. I feel empowered.

Thanks so much Elyse!

Thank you so much for this! I’m only entering my second year as a BFA student and thought that I should start practicing when it comes to writing a thesis. I stumbled upon your article and I find that your guidelines and exercises helpful.

Greetings from Malaysia. 🙂

Thanks so much Jessieca! Good Luck, keep me posted if I can help further.

Thank you Ryan,

I am in my final semester of a low residency MFA program. It is a brand new MFA and we had lots of growing pains. While I have been “journalling” all along, we did not get any guidelines for our thesis until a few weeks ago. The panic is real. Your article is very helpful.

Thanks so much Anita. Im glad you have found this essay as I wrote it to offer help, and create dialog here! The beauty of writing the MFA thesis is the freedom one gets to really dig into their 2-3 year specified process and format the structure itself. This structure can be transparent and also retained. I believe that many programs follow a similar format as they encourage their students to cultivate self-motivation and also the inventiveness one needs to stand out in contrast to the other 25,000 plus people who complete MFA degrees each year. This is my opinion, but how uninteresting would it be for everyone to follow the exact same format? What would be learned that way? Perhaps we all need to re-write our thesis every few years to measure our growth as we expand and evolve. 🙂

Thank you so much for this. I’m only in my second semester of the MFA program. However, they’ve been urging us to start early. They haven’t given us any tools for actually HOW to do this besides the technical format. I find this article to be super helpful. Do you have any tips for how to incorporate the writing into a blog? It would be an interesting way to document my growth over the next two years.

Thanks so much LaKaye! Indeed, this seems to be a common concern as programs tend to give a vague or limited “technical abstract” of what they may want but don’t seem to clearly offer techniques and exercises to help achieve this. Perhaps this is intentional, and or a metaphor for students to take action. Im sure your professors would help you if you were to approached them specifically with this in mind. You could be the one who helps generate a template (like this one above) for other incoming students. Let me know if I can help you and your classmates do this? The idea is to get the student pro-active, and to take inspired responsibility for creating and crafting the final thesis in their personal style. One thing is for sure, waiting for your final semester to get started would be a terrible idea. I highly suggest starting a blog to use as a means of practice, exercise, assessment, promotion, discussion and archiving! My friends at reclaim hosting ( reclaimhosting.com ) have a great rate for students to register a unique domain name and host their websites for less than $35.00 for the year. This is an incredible rate! Setting up a self hosted wordpress blog is a powerful tool. (I can share a video tutorial with you on how to do this as well) Blogging is a great way to get into the practice of consistent, free and expressive writing. Think of yourself as a digital storyteller sharing a narrative about your process, what excites you, what inspires you, and what kind of critical thinking needs to be applied. The how’s and why’s of our experiences are where we dig into the core of understanding our intentions and what we are communicating in our work. Perhaps, making your MFA thesis an actual blog is an asset because it shares your transparency in the process and helps others see your example. I intended for this tutorial do that 🙂

I’m loving the idea of keeping record on my blog! Thank you for your very kind and thoughtful reply. I plan to share this information with my classmates.

My Pleasure! Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing!

While reading your words I kept answering “yes” to your questions. Yes the thought of writing a thesis is daunting and yes I have been procrastinating because of it. After reading the post in its entirety I feel relieved. I also feel empowered and ready to tackle this. Thank you, Ryan!

Excellent, Meghan! Lets do it!

Thanks so much Meghan. For many years I was greatly affected by bad past writing assignments and experiences that stayed with me. Especially the ones where bad grades were given. It wasn’t for the lack of grammar or punctuation but the lack of interest in writing about topics that were not interesting. Discovering and creating a technique for oneself is a big part of what has helped me. There is an abundance of contrast out there. Example after example of what to do, and also not to do. Ultimately one must create what works for them, and in the process be able to explain the story that led up to the changes that were made. Im not saying this template will work for everyone, it wont, but I do hope it will be a supporting contrast for those seeking to improve their writing skills. Step by step, with practice.

This outline doesn’t take the edge off for me. While the guidelines to creating a body of literary documentation are quite helpful, this also creates more anxiety as my mind spins in conflict. I understand the reason for documenting a body of artistic work. It makes sense to journal in some way as to make new discoveries and reflect on choices, purpose, and motivation. What I am troubled by is the structure of the paper itself and the expectation of the reader. For me, it is not about the audience primarily. I hope to convey my intention through art and words if only to understand myself and track growth. A critique on what I write about and in a format that is not natural rather imposed, triggers feelings of unease. I myself do not wish to become a corrosion of conformity.

So well said! And the growth will be so very present! The beauty of this kind of paper is the writer’s journey to create the structure in the process and make the needed revisions over time. My template is the one that I created to help myself while in my own process, and I hope it also helps anyone else who may resonate with it. I would never suggest that anyone follow one specific template. We must discover and feel it out. I love the idea of making connections to things via our feelings. We will talk about this in class much more too. The first time I wrote a thesis it took me about a year to understand how I thought about my work. I then discovered when the thesis paper was completed and turned in, time would pass, and it would no longer represent the work I was doing. Change and growth found me in such a graceful way. The paper was a tool and learning metric of growth. It taught me that I would grow, and I would be able to watch that growth. I also taught me that re-inventing ourselves can be done through creating exercises and challenges set up for ourselves. And, if we help others in the process we all learn so much more about ourselves and each other. Thanks so much!

친애하는 교수님께, 먼저 감사의 뜻을 보내고 싶습니다.저에게 큰 용기와 힘을 주셔서 온 마음과 정신을 다하여 최선의 노력을 할 각오를 주셨습니다.저에게는 예술의 학문을 전진해 나가는 것이 저의 절실한 희망이며 최대의 성취고 사회를 돕는 사람이 되려고 교수님게 저의 소망의 의지를 보냅니다. 다시금 감사합니다.

Chie 대단히 감사합니다. 최대한 많이 도와 드리겠습니다. 당신은 훌륭한 일을하고 있습니다! 웹 사이트 번역 기능이 잘 작동합니다. 곧 뵙죠.

Because English is the second language of many international students, learning to write properly for me is terribly difficult. Im very grateful to you Ryan, your article gave me many hints to writing paper. It lets me know where to start, and how to write. In fact, I usually write essays feeling afraid and not getting the main idea across to the reader. I also often write in subtitles, I think this is my biggest weakness, I cannot find my own writing direction. It seems that I need to first outline an outline to write the thesis properly.

Yes! Writing your MFA thesis in your second language is ambitious and wonderful! I am happy to help and we will work hard on this together! Lets first discuss the main idea surrounding your thesis work this week! See you soon!

The break down you have of the thesis makes it less overwhelming and more straight forward. It creates an organization that allows me to really focus one piece at a time. It also allows me see that I still have some figuring out to do but I am excited and hopeful to figure it all out!

Thank you Grace! Simplifying and then continuing to simplify over time has been my greatest asset. Organizing fragments into short lists helps me put a focus of specific points. I build from there and edit after. Less can pave the way for more in some cases. This guide is still in review and I continue to add and reduce from it.

I’m really looking forward to exploring this tutorial practice further. I’m used to jotting ideas and steps in different notepads and iPhone notes but pushing myself to sit and focus and write a step by step practice is extremely helpful. Last night I wrote a tutorial on using acrylic paint after having used oil paint for so long. Breaking down my own process already has me thinking of new ideas I want to try out. I can already see this will help me explain techniques to students in the future in a more effective way too so thank you! I take for granted some small steps that others might find valuable. I myself love when an artist shares their process sparing no details! Formulating guides as a habit will hopefully help me understand my own goals as an artist and also serve as a reminder if I start working differently. As far as the thesis outline goes, I’m thrilled to have this template to stir up ideas to brainstorm while working on new projects. Breaking it down makes it far less intimidating, thank you!

Laura, excellent! I would love to see the tutorial! And indeed, you should share the tutorial online! Transparency is a great teacher, it helps consider that there is always someone who can learn from our sharing!

I have also learned that sometimes all it takes for getting more transparency out of people is by simply asking! I have reached out to quite a few of my favorite artists and online personalities and asked them for a description of their process, most of the time it has worked!

“Thrilled” is a great word to apply to Thesis writing! Awesome! Looking forward to your work Laura!

This outline has made my life so much easier! I am less nervous about starting my thesis. Thank you so much for posting this, it will definitely be something that I will keep coming back to as I prepare my thesis. Writing something like a thesis is very overwhelming to me because English is my second language. I’m worried that I will not be able to share my thoughts exactly, but at least now my format won’t be wrong!!

Excellent! Thank you Hyon! Yes, we will be able to express all of thoughts and ideas perfectly. It will take practice and we will work on this together and in our class! Exciting times!

Thank you for sharing this invaluable content, I am presently doing my MFA at Ulster University. As fine art students we are taught to think subjectively and think reflexively. When I approach my thesis I really struggle with the concept of writing objectively and constantly find myself writing in the first person. Do you have any advice with regards how I can write more “academically”, my subject matter is extremely personal and I am finding due to the nature of the contentious issues I am trying to process, I cannot convincingly depersonalize my writing and thought process.

Thanks so much Gerard, I will respond back with some more info soon! Yes I can advise further.

Hi Ryan, Sorry to bug you. If you could spare a moment and send me any literature that could help me with writing in the third person it will be most valuable. Regards Gerard

Hi Gerard, Thanks for the note, Im super curious as to how you will use the info? Would you be writing your MFA thesis from a third person perspective? Shoot me an e-mail to discuss a bit more. ryan(at)ryanseslow.com

This was much needed! I am beginning to write an abstract for a conference about one of my works. After I began I was wondering if the outline for a standard research paper would even really apply for artwork? After doing some searching I came across this article. Thank you!

I know it will come in handy when I have to write my final thesis too!

Great! Thanks, keep me posted if I can help further. 🙂

Thank you so much for giving world such important and valuable information. i am right now working on my thesis work in fin arts diploma and i really needed this 🙂 once again thank you. Fatima from Pakistan.

Thank you so much Fatima! :))

I am procrastinating on MFA thesis writing as I type! The reminder to treat my writing as I do my art practice is so needed, as is the breakdown of what to include. Thank you!!!!

Excellent! Thanks so much and let me know if I can help further!

Reading this post put my mind at ease about writing my thesis. Previously, I had thought of it as page after page of new ideas i would have to come up with. This post showed me that those ideas are already there, I just have to get them out there on paper. This post showed me where to look for inspiration and how everything can fit together to make a final product.

Excellent! Our class will help via the exercises for sure! You will enjoy the process and the commitment to a single idea.

Writing for me has always been a terrible experience. I am not good at using grammatical rules and just forget about spelling. I am so thankful that spell check is in almost every operating system now. So in short I have always hated writing and would have much rather drawn a picture of what I needed to report on.

When reading through your essay I found that your introduction really brought me in. I don’t really think of writing as a way to organize my thoughts. I have always done that through a picture, so thinking about it that way was very interesting to me. I also did not think of my thesis as a way of documenting and recording my MA program until now. I think that having this paper will be a good way of keeping a record of what I have accomplished during my time at LIU Post. Additionally, it will be helpful to use the thesis as a guide. Rules and clear instructions help me work better and faster. Breaking apart the entire paper into smaller sections is very helpful in providing direction.

Since I still have another year before graduating, creating the exhibition simulation may be difficult to do, because I do not know what gallery it will be displayed in, how many pieces I will have etc. I do not know where my work will be placed yet but I can try to come up with an idea of what I would like and work from there. Furthermore, I have never written an artist manifesto. The thought of presenting one to a group of people is intimidating to me. As a teacher talking to large groups of people about general knowledge is something that I do frequently, but I feel like a manifesto is almost like bearing your soul to the world. I think maybe this can be a good way for me to become more confident in myself. Even though writing is hard for me I look forward to the critiquing process so I can improve my writing skills and convey my message through the written word.

Great, well said here! Practicing various techniques in both short and medium sized exercises works wonders!

Ryan first off thank you for being so thorough and creating almost a recipe for our thesis’. This entire process can really seem anxiety provoking but breaking it down into these terms makes it seem much more manageable. “By the inch it’s a cinch, by the yard its hard” is a quote that I love that reminds me of the reactive writing assignment. Taking sometime to write every month seems a lot more palette able! I also enjoy the recommendation of using an app to write your thoughts. I think I am a much better speaker than writer… I think most people are! If writing were easy we would all have a couple books under our belt! I have also been inspired, by “Resources and References:…” (under the format) into my current work. I have been almost working backwards thinking about the historical and cultural references of an idea i would like to convey to spring board into some art making!

I like the idea of doing the paper over the course of time, I feel like its a good way to stay organized and a good way to have it develop over time. When a writing piece is able to develop over time, rather than rushed it is able to reach its fullest potential; your able to think idea’s through and are able to go back and edit. I was wondering, what if you don’t have any historic references?

Yes indeed! Practice and patience plays a big role in the process, as does revising the results. Historic references are your influences. What artists and art movements have affected you and your thinking? How have these artists and art works made you see the world in a new way? This is where brainstorming and researching plays a big a role. We can get very specific about this, step by step.

Thank you for creating a breakdown to make the task of writing a thesis paper a little less scary. Writing it section by section at a time will be more helpful than to just sit down and try to write it down all at once. I’m still apprehensive on some areas of the paper but this process will alleviate some of the stress and allow me to organize my thoughts better.

Yes, step by step, 🙂

Well said! Section by section with an emphasis on each specific section takes away the anxiety of the whole outcome.

I remembered in my undergraduate year, few graduate friends were telling me about how stressful about writing the thesis. I really can tell that they look more aged before they start writing the thesis. This is the biggest reason that why the thesis scared me. I am neither speaker nor writer, I am not good at any of these two things. I am more about the middle level. So if I have to compare these two, writing skill is better. I very glad to see in the first few paragraphs about the benefits of the writing process and strongly agree that writing can help me to see and organize my thoughts, and be more clear about the content I want my readers to have. Also, very thankful to break the huge thesis into 5 small pieces in general. And fill these 5 small pieces with some little questions that can be easily answered individually. It really encourages me that maybe I can write a thesis too. I understand that I still will face many difficulties like language. But I know I will be very proud of myself that I using my second language to write the thesis at the end of this semester.

Yes! Writing your thesis in your second language is ambitious and amazing! I know that you will you do a great job. Plus, you are not graduating this comingMay of 2019, this will be a simulation and a great practice experience for you.

Thank you for this information. It is thorough and concise.

I have an idea about what I would like to do for my thesis show. The research is almost completed. The work is being created, so I can definitely describe the work and materials.

I am struggling with how to describe my space and the display. I feel it may be to far in advance to describe it. Or should I talk about how I wish I can display it, although that may change?

Yes, lets discuss it now and build off of the ideas that already come to mind. Even if they are a snippet of words and short sentences, we start by getting something into a tangible form. We can always expand from a result produced. You are going to rock it!

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Intimate immensity: MFA Thesis - Ceramics

MFA Thesis - Painting

Corpus Ex Machina: a biomechanically collaborative exploration of the corporeal fantasies of artificial intelligence: MFA Thesis - Painting & Drawing

Fractured horizon: MFA Thesis - Photography and Related Media

Intimate exchanges: MFA Thesis - Printmaking

Take a breath: MFA Thesis - Sculpture

Transcendence: post-Catholic healing: MFA thesis - Photography and Related Media

Ethereal lines: MFA Thesis - Metal

Diasporican: MFA Thesis - Sculpture

At the gate of dawn: MFA Thesis

How are you?: MFA Thesis - Metal

Personal preparedness in the nuclear age: MFA Thesis - Printmaking

Layers of self - an unfolding conversation through painting, encaustics and doll making: MFA Thesis - Painting & Drawing

“Romantic Painter”: MFA Thesis - Painting & Drawing

Adorned with rattles: meditations on indigenous sonorism, communal healing, and nature : MFA Thesis - Photography and Related Media

Dark garden: MFA Thesis - Photography and Related Media

Bloom: MFA Thesis - Ceramics

Slippery spaceIsI: MFA Thesis - Metal

Plain sight: MFA Thesis - Sculpture

$P4RKL3 FiLTH CLOUD NiN3 queerness of the in between: MFA Thesis - Metal  

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Writing Essays in Art History

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Art History Analysis – Formal Analysis and Stylistic Analysis

Typically in an art history class the main essay students will need to write for a final paper or for an exam is a formal or stylistic analysis.

A formal analysis is just what it sounds like – you need to analyze the form of the artwork. This includes the individual design elements – composition, color, line, texture, scale, contrast, etc. Questions to consider in a formal analysis is how do all these elements come together to create this work of art? Think of formal analysis in relation to literature – authors give descriptions of characters or places through the written word. How does an artist convey this same information?

Organize your information and focus on each feature before moving onto the text – it is not ideal to discuss color and jump from line to then in the conclusion discuss color again. First summarize the overall appearance of the work of art – is this a painting? Does the artist use only dark colors? Why heavy brushstrokes? etc and then discuss details of the object – this specific animal is gray, the sky is missing a moon, etc. Again, it is best to be organized and focused in your writing – if you discuss the animals and then the individuals and go back to the animals you run the risk of making your writing unorganized and hard to read. It is also ideal to discuss the focal of the piece – what is in the center? What stands out the most in the piece or takes up most of the composition?

A stylistic approach can be described as an indicator of unique characteristics that analyzes and uses the formal elements (2-D: Line, color, value, shape and 3-D all of those and mass).The point of style is to see all the commonalities in a person’s works, such as the use of paint and brush strokes in Van Gogh’s work. Style can distinguish an artist’s work from others and within their own timeline, geographical regions, etc.

Methods & Theories To Consider:

Expressionism

Instructuralism

Postmodernism

Social Art History

Biographical Approach

Poststructuralism

Museum Studies

Visual Cultural Studies

Stylistic Analysis Example:

The following is a brief stylistic analysis of two Greek statues, an example of how style has changed because of the “essence of the age.” Over the years, sculptures of women started off as being plain and fully clothed with no distinct features, to the beautiful Venus/Aphrodite figures most people recognize today. In the mid-seventh century to the early fifth, life-sized standing marble statues of young women, often elaborately dress in gaily painted garments were created known as korai. The earliest korai is a Naxian women to Artemis. The statue wears a tight-fitted, belted peplos, giving the body a very plain look. The earliest korai wore the simpler Dorian peplos, which was a heavy woolen garment. From about 530, most wear a thinner, more elaborate, and brightly painted Ionic linen and himation. A largely contrasting Greek statue to the korai is the Venus de Milo. The Venus from head to toe is six feet seven inches tall. Her hips suggest that she has had several children. Though her body shows to be heavy, she still seems to almost be weightless. Viewing the Venus de Milo, she changes from side to side. From her right side she seems almost like a pillar and her leg bears most of the weight. She seems be firmly planted into the earth, and since she is looking at the left, her big features such as her waist define her. The Venus de Milo had a band around her right bicep. She had earrings that were brutally stolen, ripping her ears away. Venus was noted for loving necklaces, so it is very possibly she would have had one. It is also possible she had a tiara and bracelets. Venus was normally defined as “golden,” so her hair would have been painted. Two statues in the same region, have throughout history, changed in their style.

Compare and Contrast Essay

Most introductory art history classes will ask students to write a compare and contrast essay about two pieces – examples include comparing and contrasting a medieval to a renaissance painting. It is always best to start with smaller comparisons between the two works of art such as the medium of the piece. Then the comparison can include attention to detail so use of color, subject matter, or iconography. Do the same for contrasting the two pieces – start small. After the foundation is set move on to the analysis and what these comparisons or contrasting material mean – ‘what is the bigger picture here?’ Consider why one artist would wish to show the same subject matter in a different way, how, when, etc are all questions to ask in the compare and contrast essay. If during an exam it would be best to quickly outline the points to make before tackling writing the essay.

Compare and Contrast Example:

Stele of Hammurabi from Susa (modern Shush, Iran), ca. 1792 – 1750 BCE, Basalt, height of stele approx. 7’ height of relief 28’

Stele, relief sculpture, Art as propaganda – Hammurabi shows that his law code is approved by the gods, depiction of land in background, Hammurabi on the same place of importance as the god, etc.

Top of this stele shows the relief image of Hammurabi receiving the law code from Shamash, god of justice, Code of Babylonian social law, only two figures shown, different area and time period, etc.

Stele of Naram-sin , Sippar Found at Susa c. 2220 - 2184 bce. Limestone, height 6'6"

Stele, relief sculpture, Example of propaganda because the ruler (like the Stele of Hammurabi) shows his power through divine authority, Naramsin is the main character due to his large size, depiction of land in background, etc.

Akkadian art, made of limestone, the stele commemorates a victory of Naramsin, multiple figures are shown specifically soldiers, different area and time period, etc.

Iconography

Regardless of what essay approach you take in class it is absolutely necessary to understand how to analyze the iconography of a work of art and to incorporate into your paper. Iconography is defined as subject matter, what the image means. For example, why do things such as a small dog in a painting in early Northern Renaissance paintings represent sexuality? Additionally, how can an individual perhaps identify these motifs that keep coming up?

The following is a list of symbols and their meaning in Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth (1743) that is a series of six paintings that show the story of marriage in Hogarth’s eyes.

• Man has pockets turned out symbolizing he has lost money and was recently in a fight by the state of his clothes.
• Lap dog shows loyalty but sniffs at woman’s hat in the husband’s pocket showing sexual exploits.
• Black dot on husband’s neck believed to be symbol of syphilis.
• Mantel full of ugly Chinese porcelain statues symbolizing that the couple has no class.
• Butler had to go pay bills, you can tell this by the distasteful look on his face and that his pockets are stuffed with bills and papers.
• Card game just finished up, women has directions to game under foot, shows her easily cheating nature.
• Paintings of saints line a wall of the background room, isolated from the living, shows the couple’s complete disregard to faith and religion.
• The dangers of sexual excess are underscored in the Hograth by placing Cupid among ruins, foreshadowing the inevitable ruin of the marriage.
• Eventually the series (other five paintings) shows that the woman has an affair, the men duel and die, the woman hangs herself and the father takes her ring off her finger symbolizing the one thing he could salvage from the marriage.

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Art History Resources

• Guidelines for Analysis of Art
• Formal Analysis Paper Examples

Guidelines for Writing Art History Research Papers

• Oral Report Guidelines
• Annual Arkansas College Art History Symposium

Writing a paper for an art history course is similar to the analytical, research-based papers that you may have written in English literature courses or history courses. Although art historical research and writing does include the analysis of written documents, there are distinctive differences between art history writing and other disciplines because the primary documents are works of art. A key reference guide for researching and analyzing works of art and for writing art history papers is the 10th edition (or later) of Sylvan Barnet’s work, A Short Guide to Writing about Art . Barnet directs students through the steps of thinking about a research topic, collecting information, and then writing and documenting a paper.

A website with helpful tips for writing art history papers is posted by the University of North Carolina.

Wesleyan University Writing Center has a useful guide for finding online writing resources.

The following are basic guidelines that you must use when documenting research papers for any art history class at UA Little Rock. Solid, thoughtful research and correct documentation of the sources used in this research (i.e., footnotes/endnotes, bibliography, and illustrations**) are essential. Additionally, these guidelines remind students about plagiarism, a serious academic offense.

Paper Format

Research papers should be in a 12-point font, double-spaced. Ample margins should be left for the instructor’s comments. All margins should be one inch to allow for comments. Number all pages. The cover sheet for the paper should include the following information: title of paper, your name, course title and number, course instructor, and date paper is submitted. A simple presentation of a paper is sufficient. Staple the pages together at the upper left or put them in a simple three-ring folder or binder. Do not put individual pages in plastic sleeves.

Documentation of Resources

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), as described in the most recent edition of Sylvan Barnet’s A Short Guide to Writing about Art is the department standard. Although you may have used MLA style for English papers or other disciplines, the Chicago Style is required for all students taking art history courses at UA Little Rock. There are significant differences between MLA style and Chicago Style. A “Quick Guide” for the Chicago Manual of Style footnote and bibliography format is found http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. The footnote examples are numbered and the bibliography example is last. Please note that the place of publication and the publisher are enclosed in parentheses in the footnote, but they are not in parentheses in the bibliography. Examples of CMS for some types of note and bibliography references are given below in this Guideline. Arabic numbers are used for footnotes. Some word processing programs may have Roman numerals as a choice, but the standard is Arabic numbers. The use of super script numbers, as given in examples below, is the standard in UA Little Rock art history papers.

The chapter “Manuscript Form” in the Barnet book (10th edition or later) provides models for the correct forms for footnotes/endnotes and the bibliography. For example, the note form for the FIRST REFERENCE to a book with a single author is:

1 Bruce Cole, Italian Art 1250-1550 (New York: New York University Press, 1971), 134.

But the BIBLIOGRAPHIC FORM for that same book is:

Cole, Bruce. Italian Art 1250-1550. New York: New York University Press. 1971.

The FIRST REFERENCE to a journal article (in a periodical that is paginated by volume) with a single author in a footnote is:

2 Anne H. Van Buren, “Madame Cézanne’s Fashions and the Dates of Her Portraits,” Art Quarterly 29 (1966): 199.

The FIRST REFERENCE to a journal article (in a periodical that is paginated by volume) with a single author in the BIBLIOGRAPHY is:

Van Buren, Anne H. “Madame Cézanne’s Fashions and the Dates of Her Portraits.” Art Quarterly 29 (1966): 185-204.

If you reference an article that you found through an electronic database such as JSTOR, you do not include the url for JSTOR or the date accessed in either the footnote or the bibliography. This is because the article is one that was originally printed in a hard-copy journal; what you located through JSTOR is simply a copy of printed pages. Your citation follows the same format for an article in a bound volume that you may have pulled from the library shelves. If, however, you use an article that originally was in an electronic format and is available only on-line, then follow the “non-print” forms listed below.

B. Non-Print

Citations for Internet sources such as online journals or scholarly web sites should follow the form described in Barnet’s chapter, “Writing a Research Paper.” For example, the footnote or endnote reference given by Barnet for a web site is:

3 Nigel Strudwick, Egyptology Resources , with the assistance of The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge University, 1994, revised 16 June 2008, http://www.newton.ac.uk/egypt/ , 24 July 2008.

If you use microform or microfilm resources, consult the most recent edition of Kate Turabian, A Manual of Term Paper, Theses and Dissertations. A copy of Turabian is available at the reference desk in the main library.

C. Visual Documentation (Illustrations)

Art history papers require visual documentation such as photographs, photocopies, or scanned images of the art works you discuss. In the chapter “Manuscript Form” in A Short Guide to Writing about Art, Barnet explains how to identify illustrations or “figures” in the text of your paper and how to caption the visual material. Each photograph, photocopy, or scanned image should appear on a single sheet of paper unless two images and their captions will fit on a single sheet of paper with one inch margins on all sides. Note also that the title of a work of art is always italicized. Within the text, the reference to the illustration is enclosed in parentheses and placed at the end of the sentence. A period for the sentence comes after the parenthetical reference to the illustration. For UA Little Rcok art history papers, illustrations are placed at the end of the paper, not within the text. Illustration are not supplied as a Powerpoint presentation or as separate .jpgs submitted in an electronic format.

Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream, dated 1893, represents a highly personal, expressive response to an experience the artist had while walking one evening (Figure 1).

The caption that accompanies the illustration at the end of the paper would read:

Figure 1. Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893. Tempera and casein on cardboard, 36 x 29″ (91.3 x 73.7 cm). Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo, Norway.

Plagiarism is a form of thievery and is illegal. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, to plagiarize is to “take and pass off as one’s own the ideas, writings, etc. of another.” Barnet has some useful guidelines for acknowledging sources in his chapter “Manuscript Form;” review them so that you will not be mguilty of theft. Another useful website regarding plagiarism is provided by Cornell University, http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm

Plagiarism is a serious offense, and students should understand that checking papers for plagiarized content is easy to do with Internet resources. Plagiarism will be reported as academic dishonesty to the Dean of Students; see Section VI of the Student Handbook which cites plagiarism as a specific violation. Take care that you fully and accurately acknowledge the source of another author, whether you are quoting the material verbatim or paraphrasing. Borrowing the idea of another author by merely changing some or even all of your source’s words does not allow you to claim the ideas as your own. You must credit both direct quotes and your paraphrases. Again, Barnet’s chapter “Manuscript Form” sets out clear guidelines for avoiding plagiarism.

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Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

80 Art History Thesis Topics To Skyrocket Your Grades

An art history paper is just as the name suggests, an academic paper concerned with the history and development of art as a study field. Here, you will explore expert art history research topics for your homework. Are you ready? Let’s get done with it already!

Art History Thesis Topics on the Late Gothic Period

• Significant stylistic changes from the Romanesque style of the 12th century
• The relationship between the great cathedrals of Europe and the late Gothic period
• Monumental sculptures in the cathedrals of Europe
• The relevance of Abbey Church of St. Denis in Gothic architecture
• Gothic art in the Notre Dame in Paris
• Manuscript illustration in the Gothic paintings
• A review of the surviving Gothic paintings

Inspiring Thesis Topics Art History

• The artist’s major influences in a particular piece of art
• The role of recurring subjects in art
• Critically evaluate Lorenzo Costa’s Portrait of a Cardinal in his Study
• Why is photogravure used more than encaustic painting?
• Critical features of Abstract Expressionist painting
• Discuss the common motifs in the embroidery and Scandinavian weaving
• Evaluate the Baroque as a significant period of artistic activity

Art History Senior Thesis Topics

• A review of the images used to communicate messages in art history
• The historical and transcultural contexts of visual works
• The history of feminism art portrayal
• The impact of Marxism ideology on the development of art
• A critical analysis of the aesthetic values of art in homes
• The history of signs and symbols in paintings
• Theories that define the history and development of art

Undergraduate Art History Thesis Topics

• Evaluate the development of art in Ancient Greece
• The role of art in historical analysis and learning
• How different were the artists from the expressionism period?
• The impact of Cubism development on the art world
• How did artists preserve ancient artworks, and why?
• What led to the extinction of the Dadaism art movement?
• A study of Leonardo da Vinci’s life history

Impressive Thesis Topics in Art History

• How do the Eastern and Western artworks of the 18th century compare?
• An analysis of the developments leading to modern art
• Comparison between ancient and contemporary artists
• What is the definition of real art?
• Methods of dissecting a complex piece of art in simple words
• The role of nature and life in influencing art
• How art therapy has developed from ancient cultural practices

Art History Photography Thesis Topics

• How to make a distinction between an American and French art photographer
• Are there distinctions between art and photography?
• Why is photography replacing fine art?
• How the printing press has led to the development of photography
• The cultural revolution and its relationship to art history
• Compare and contrast the relationship between photography and ancient art
• Compare and analyze design styles in Picasso’s blue and rose periods

Popular Art History Thesis Topics

• How science has influenced Ancient Greek sculptures
• What led to the shift of the Roman artistic styles in the 4th century?
• The relationship between The Great Wall of China and art.
• The place and role of women and politics in Ancient Rome architecture.
• Representation of males in Ancient Art.
• How did art influence architectural structures in ancient times?
• Why ancient Rome is full of art

Art History Thesis Topics Greek

• The importance of pottery and vases in ancient Greek art.
• A study of the ancient Greek arts periods: Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic.
• How the Statue of Zeus at Olympia reflects the artistic style of the time.
• Compare and contrast any of these styles of Greek art: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles of Greek architecture
• Why were Fresco paintings included on or inside many ancient Greek structures?
• Contributions of Polykleitos to the ancient Greek art industry
• What was so unique about Parthenon?

Art History Thesis Topics Impressionism

• The role of impressionists in the art hierarchy
• Why canon and traditions were against impressionism
• The origins of impressionism
• The influence of impressionism on the art process
• A study of the founding members of the Impressionism movement
• Why the pioneers of impressionism used diverse approaches to painting
• The impact of the sketch-like appearance

Modern Art History Topics For High School

• The influence of pop art culture in America
• Materials and styles in Chinese calligraphy
• Evaluate the art of henna in the Middle East, India, and Africa
• Art and cultural inclinations
• Ancient art culture
• The emergence of the Bollywood film industry
• The sense of art in today’s movies and series.’

Ancient Art History Research Paper Topics

• The art of disguising
• Cartoons as a form of art
• Color in art
• Similarities between Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci
• Is Graffiti vandalism?

Compare and Contrast Topics in Art History

• Baroque vs. Rococo designs
• Renaissance and Baroque Epoch
• Cubism and impressionism
• French vs. American art
• Gothic vs. Neo-Gothic periods

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Home > FACULTIES > Visual Arts > VISUALARTS-ETD

Visual Arts Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Visual Arts, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

sweeping the forest floor of frequencies , Maria A. Kouznetsova

Achy Awfulness , Rylee J. Rumble

Nonstop Digital Flickerings; , Sam Wagter

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Credulous Escapism , Brianne C. Casey

At Dusk , Michelle Paterok

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Marvelous Monsters , Thomas Bourque

On Ground , Matthew Brown

Pharmakon: From Body to Being , Jérôme Y. C. Conquy

The Other Neighbour of El Otro Lado , Anahi Gonzalez Teran

Neoliberalism, Institutionalism, and Art , Declan Hoy

Strings of Sound and Sense: Towards a Feminine Sonic , Ellen N. Moffat

Cyber Souls and Second Selves , Yas Nikpour Khoshgrudi

The No No-Exit Closet: An Alternative to No-Exit Pathways , Faith I. Patrick

Fleet: Nuances of Time and Ephemera , Rebecca Sutherland

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Hell of a Boiling Red , George Kubresli

still, unfolding , Ramolen Mencero Laruan

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Spanning , Mary Katherine Carder-Thompson

The Medieval Genesis of a Mythology of Painting , Colin Dorward

Philosophical Archeology in Theoretical and Artistic Practice , Ido Govrin

Bone Meal , Johnathan Onyschuk

Inventory , Lydia Elvira Santia

Collaborative Listening and Cultural Difference in Contemporary Art , Santiago Ulises Unda Lara

Absence and Proximity , Zhizi Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Then Again, Maybe I Won't , Claire Bartleman

and where is the body? , Tyler Durbano

Next to a River: Mobility, Mapping, and Hand Embroidery , Sharmistha Kar

Interfaces of Nearness: Documentary Photography and the Representation of Technology , Mark Kasumovic

Buffer , Graham Macaulay

The English Landscapes in the Seventeenth Century , Helen Parkinson

SuperNova: Performing Race, Hybridity and Expanding the Geographical Imagination , Raheleh Saneie

Slower Than Time Itself , Matthew S. Trueman

Skim , Joy Wong

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Gardening at Arm's Length , Paul Chartrand

Lesser Than Greater Than Equal To: The Art Design Paradox , Charles Lee Franklin Harris

Skin Portraiture: Embodied Representations in Contemporary Art , Heidi Kellett

Midheaven , Samantha R. Noseworthy

Drum Voice , Quinn J. Smallboy

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Beyond the Look of Representation: Defamiliarization, Décor, and the Latin Feel , Juanita Lee Garcia

Emphatic Tension , Mina Moosavipour

Symbiotic: The Human Body and Constructs of Nature , Simone Sciascetti

Thin Skin , Jason Stovall

On Coming and Going , Quintin Teszeri

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Crowdsourcing , Sherry A. Czekus

From Dust to Dust , Lynette M. de Montreuil

Hand-Eye , Michael S. Pszczonak

Abstraction And Libidinal Nationalism In The Works Of John Boyle And Diana Thorneycroft , Matthew Purvis

Tangled Hair: Uncertain Fluid Identity , Niloufar Salimi

Liminal Space: Representations Of Modern Urbanity , Matthew Tarini

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Creative Interventions and Urban Revitalization , Nicole C. Borland

What Lies Behind: Speculations on the Real and the Willful , Barbara Hobot

Turning to see otherwise , Jennifer L. Martin

Come Together: An Exploration of Contemporary Participatory Art Practices , Karly A. McIntosh

A Photographic Ontology: Being Haunted Within The Blue Hour And Expanding Field , Colin E. Miner

Matters of Airing , Tegan Moore

Liquidation , Amanda A. Oppedisano

Just As It Should Be: Painting and the Discipline of Everyday Life , Jared R. Peters

Clyfford Still in the 1930s: The Formative Years of a Leading Abstract Expressionist , Emma Richan

From 'Means to Ends': Labour As Art Practice , Gabriella Solti

Across Boundaries , Diana A. Yoo

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Following the Turn: Mapping as Material Art Practice , Kyla Christine Brown

Queer(ing) Politics and Practices: Contemporary Art in Homonationalist Times , Cierra A. Webster

Some Theoretical Models for a Critical Art Practice , Giles Whitaker

Lines of Necessity , Thea A. Yabut

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Out of Order: Thinking Through Robin Collyer, Discontent and Affirmation (1973-1985) , Kevin A. Rodgers

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