Write a story from “inside” the world of the painting.
For your first draft assignment, you will focus on the genre of fiction—specifically writing clear and interesting imagery.
Here are links to several well-known paintings. Choose one painting, and write a story from “inside” the world of the painting.
“Cafe Terrace at Night” by Vincent Van Gogh (1888) (Links to an external site.)
“American Gothic” by Grant Wood (1930) (Links to an external site.)
“Me and My Parrots” by Frida Kahlo (1941) (Links to an external site.)
“Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper (1942) (Links to an external site.)
“Nightlife” by Archibald Motley (1943) (Links to an external site.)
“Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth (1948) (Links to an external site.)
“Saying Grace” by Norman Rockwell (1951) (Links to an external site.)
You may go “inside” the painting in a number of ways:
Imagine you are a figure (character) depicted in the painting. What is your story?
Imagine you are a person about to enter the scene depicted in the painting. What are you doing there?
In addition to writing the scene, be mindful about giving your character a possible conflict, which may be internal (a psychological struggle) or external (against another person, against nature, etc.)
Balance your story with scene and summary. (Consult p. 263 in your text.) As you view the painting and imagine your story, remember to create a world for your readers by using sensory detail; write what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and/or touch.