KEY - Franz Marc: Working With Color
Review Questions
Name_______________________________ Period____________ Date____________________
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
Pages 2-3
1. How did the invention of the camera change the way painters thought about art?
a. Because the camera could create realistic images quickly and easily, painters
began to question the purpose of realistic painting and to develop new ways of
painting that went beyond realism.
How did a visit to Paris influence Franz Marc?
In Paris, painters were experimenting with revolutionary techniques. They
simplified forms and used arbitrary colors. These experiments made Marc realize
that, freed from realism, color could express emotions and ideas.
2. How does the landscape on page 2 differ from the one on page 3?
a. The first landscape is realistic and uses naturalistic colors. The second landscape
is stylized and filled with symbolic images. It also uses arbitrary colors to express
ideas and emotions.
What was happening in Europe in 1913-the year the landscape on page 3 was
painted?
Small conflicts between rival nations were growing into larger conflicts that
would lead to the outbreak of World War I the following year.
How does Mar’s landscape reflect this unrest?
The painting is full of war-related imagery and made up of chaotic diagonal lines
that create a sense of restless movement. Scattered bursts of bright color keep the
viewer’s eye moving nervously around the otherwise somber landscape.
Which of the two landscapes on pages 2 and 3 better represents “reality”? Why?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
What kinds of things might the landscape on page 3 show that can’t be seen with the
eyes?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
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Pages 4-5, 8-9
3. Why do the colors in the painting on page 5 look brighter than those in the one on
page 4?
a. The greater the number of colors a color is mixed from the duller it looks. In the
painting on page 4, Marc used tertiary/intermediate (colors mixed from three or
more other colors). But in other one on page 5, he used only primary colors and
secondary colors.
4. Why does the painting on page 5 look more dynamic than the one on page 4?
a. In the painting on page 4, Marc used analogous colors. In the one on page 5, Marc
created dramatic contrasts by juxtaposing clashing color opposites and
complementary colors. He added more contrast by juxtaposing dark shades and
light tints.
5. What technique did Marc use to activate the background in the painting on page 5?
a. Warm colors appear to come forward. Marc used the warm colors red and orange
to bring the background forward.
What are complementary colors?
They are two colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel.
What are analogous colors?
They are two colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel.
Do you agree that colors can suggest qualities and emotions? Why or why not?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
Based on Mar’s use of symbolic color, how would you interpret, The Red Horses,
shown on pages 8-9? How about the painting on page 5?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
Pages 6-7, 8-9
Why did Marc find animals to be the perfect subject for his paintings?
Marc wanted to break with tradition and create a new kind of art. Unlike people,
animals appear free of customs and traditions. Instead, they seem to live in the
moment and have a direct connection with nature.
6. What did Marc want to show in his paintings of animals?
a. He wanted to show the world as animals saw it.
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7. In Horse in a Landscape, how did Marc use color to make the horse seem to want to
run across the field?
a. He painted the foreground in clashing complementary colors (red/green) that
create a sense of unrest. He repeated the pairing toward the background, drawing
the viewer’s eye across the field.
8. In Tiger how did Marc use color to make the tiger seem powerful and dangerous?
a. He used warm colors (yellow and red) to make the tiger seem to glow with power.
9. In Deer in the Woods II, how did Marc make the deer seem frightened?
a. He painted the deer using soft, organic shapes, and composed the forest from
harsh, clashing color opposites and sharp angles that point, like knives, in the
direction of the deer.
Marc wanted to paint the world as animals see it. Can you think of some ways in
which the world might look different to animals than it does to people?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
Do you feel that Marc was successful in showing the world from an animal’s point of
view? If so, why? If not, can you think of some other ways to do it?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
Pages 10-11
What emotions do the colors in Dana Schutz’s self-portrait suggest?
The dull color of the skin makes the artist look like she wants to disappear. The
bright red of the hair suggests deep embarrassment.
Why did Yang Maoyuan make his goat sculpture yellow?
He wanted to suggest humor.
10. What techniques did Ashley Prine use to unite the deer with their surroundings?
a. She used analogous colors along with subtle shades that make the trees appear to
be passing through the body of the deer on the right.
Should someone who supports animal rights dislike Yang’s art?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
What similarities do you notice between Marc’s Deer in the Woods II (page 7) and
Ashley Prine’s work? What differences do you notice?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
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Pages 12-13
What quality of the wolf’s did Brittany Clark want to convey
She wanted to convey its fierceness.
Why did Brittany draw the wolf looking off to the side?
She wanted viewers to wonder what it was looking at.
How did Brittany use color to bring out the wolf’s personality?
Wolves can be dark and mysterious creatures, so Brittany chose colors that would
create a mysterious mood. She used dull tones of orange, yellow, and blue to
suggest a sunset and coming darkness.
How did Brittany use color to draw attention to the wolf’s powerful paws?
She contrasted warm reds, oranges, and yellows against the wolf’s dark fur.
What colors would you use to represent fierceness?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
How are those colors different from ones you would use to represent gentleness?
Answers may vary – defend your answer in complete sentences.
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