Talking about art

CONVERSATION ESL – A WORLD OF ART

Here you have a questionnaire to spark your interest in art, and a list of useful vocabulary and collocations related to visual arts. Talking about art, I hope you love it!

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1) How great is your interest in art?

(2) What’s the best art gallery you’ve been to?

(3) Do you like modern art?

(4) What do you think of installation art?

(5) Do you ever think a lot of art is not really art?

(6) Do you have a favorite artist?

(7) What kind of art do you like – paintings, sculpture, ceramics, etc.?

(8) What is art?

(9) Does art change the way you think or feel?

(10) Do you think anyone can be an artist or do you need a special talent?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1) Do you think all children should study art at school?

(2) Do you think children should learn the history of art?

(3) Do you think a painting can really be worth a million (or more) dollars?

(4) Do you think today’s artists are as good as those from hundreds of years ago?

(5) What was the last painting / poster / piece of art you bought. Why did you buy it?

(6) Describe the pieces of artwork in your house.

(7) What kind of art is your country famous for?

(8) What kind of life do you think an artist’s is?

(9) Do you have any artistic talents?(

10) How would the world be different without artists?

List of useful art vocabulary and collocations connected with

Visual art

• ceramics
• drawing
• painting
• sculpture
• printmaking
• design
• crafts
• photography
• video
• film-making
• architecture

Written art

• literature
• novels
• drama
• short story
• biography / autobiography
• poetry

Performing art

• dance
• cinema
• theater
• ballet
• concert
• opera

Painting

• portrait
• brush stroke
• canvas
• landscape
• still-life picture
• palette
• impressionism
• expressionism
• sketch
• sitter

Places and events

• museum
• gallery
• theater
• cinema/ movies
• exhibition

Collocations

• the sets were incredible
• colorful / elaborate / lavish / national / traditional / period / eighteenth-century / Victorian costumes
• a good cast
• give a fantastic performance
• do a performance
• get a rave review
• an exhibition by Salvador Dali
• to publish a book
• cinema is showing Steven Spielberg’s latest film
• what’s on at the cinema/theater next weekend?

Creative Writing Prompts- Art Institute of Chicago

Descriptionari – Creative Writing Ideas