Most people look at a painting for about eight seconds. You are going to look at one for eight minutes. That changes everything.
Step 1 - Choose one artwork
All six works are public domain or CC0. Pick the one that pulls your attention - you can't get this wrong.
-
-
Worked example - Composition VII (Kandinsky): Describe: "I can see curved black lines, bright patches of red and yellow, and no recognisable objects." Examine: "The artist used overlapping shapes and strong diagonal lines to fill almost the whole canvas." Analyse: "I think it is about movement and collision because the shapes seem to be crashing into each other in the centre." Respond: "It makes me feel slightly dizzy because there is nowhere for my eye to rest."
Word bankcolourThe hue and intensity the artist chose - can carry mood on its own.lineA mark that guides the eye - straight, curved, thick, thin.shapeA flat area with a defined edge - geometric or organic.textureHow a surface looks like it would feel - smooth, thick, rough.compositionHow everything is arranged in the frame.symbolSomething that stands for an idea beyond itself.critiqueA considered judgement, backed by evidence - not just an opinion.sourceWhere a piece of information comes from - who published it, and when.
Step 2 - The DEAR method
D
Describe
Only facts · max 200 characters
What is actually in this picture? Only things everyone would agree on.
💡 There are three people… The top half is dark blue… No opinions yet - just what's there.
That sounds like an opinion - save it for step A. What can you actually see?
E
Examine
How it's built · max 200 characters
How is it built? Use colour, line, shape, texture or composition.
💡 The light falls on… There is repetition of… The eye moves from… to…
A
Analyse
An idea backed by something visible · max 250 characters
What do you think it is about? Point at something you can see.
💡 Not "this is sad" alone - "this feels sad to me because everything is in shadow except one small window."
R
Respond
Your personal reaction · max 200 characters
What do you think of it? You are allowed to dislike it.
💡 Say exactly why - not just how you feel, but what caused the feeling.
Step 3 - Now say the whole thing in one sentence
Deliberately no starter · max 150 characters
0 / 150
"You've read what's in front of you. Now find out why it exists at all - and check whether an AI tool can be trusted to tell you."
An 8-minute Phase 3 - Investigation activity. Choose 1 of 6 public-domain artworks, then work through the DEAR method - Describe, Examine, Analyse, Respond - one step at a time, each with its own sentence starter and character limit. The artwork stays visible the whole time. A soft nudge (not a block) appears if your Describe answer sounds like an opinion. Finishes with one critique sentence, deliberately with no starter.
🎯 Learning objectives
Use the four DEAR steps on one artwork. Tell fact from opinion. Back up an opinion with something visible. Write one clear summary sentence.
♿ Junior (10-12) / SEN Adaptations
Junior does three steps (Describe, Analyse, Respond) - Examine is folded into Describe
Two sentence starters per step, plus a checklist (shown by default for Junior, hidden for Senior)
Drawing accepted instead of writing on any step
Voice input on every field; extended time 1.5× or 2× from the accessibility profile
🎓 Senior (13-15)
All four DEAR steps, one starter per step, checklist hidden by default
Extra prompt: "What has the artist left out, and why might that be?"
🖨️ No-Tech Format
Print-pack card 3 is the DEAR sheet with the same prompts and starters
Print 2-3 of the six artworks in A4 colour - Hokusai and Rembrandt survive greyscale best
Can run with one artwork projected for the whole class while writing stays individual