Here is a draft essay on the topic we discussed: A Masterpiece of Color and Form Vibrant colors and expressive shapes have always captivated me in works of art. One painting that stands out as a true masterpiece of these elements is Wassily Kandinsky's Composition VIII. Through its brilliant hues and abstract formations, this non-representational work beautifully illustrates Kandinsky's revolutionary ideas about the emotional power of color and form. Kandinsky was a pioneering artist who helped establish abstract painting in the early 20th century. Rejecting realistic depictions, he sought to communicate feelings and impressions through arrangements of lines, shapes, and tones alone. In Composition VIII, created in 1923, these

1. Epigraph
To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts –
such is the duty of the artist
Schumann

2. Leisure
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep and cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
William Henry Davies

3. A water colour, a dot, a sketch, profound, line,
a portrait, elusive, a landscape, in dots,
a self portrait, banal, a seascape, outstanding,
a historical painting, in strokes,
a flower piece, a battle piece, deep, space
Impressions Genres
Methods
of
painting

4. Painting
Impressions
Genres
Methods
of
painting
A portrait
A self-
portrait
A landscape
A seascape
A historical
painting
A still
life
A battle piece
A flower
piece
A water
colour
in dots
A line
plane
In strokes
profound
elusive
deep
banal
outstanding
A sketch

5. to paint
to depict
to master
to portray
worth
to paint – painter –– painting;
to depict – picture – picturesque
to master – master – mastery – masterpiece
to portray – portrayal – portrait – portraitist
worth – worthy – worthless;

6. Beauty is but skin-deep
Blind men can judge no colours
Tarred with the same brush
Tastes differ
The devil is not so black as he is painted
That's a horse of another colour
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Красивая вещь радует надолго.
На вкус и цвет товарища нет
Это другое дело
Не так страшен черт, как его малюют.
Красота приглядится, а ум вперед пригодится
Слепой курице всё пшеница
Одной и той же кистью мазаны

7. A rich American went to Paris and (buy-1) a picture by a modern
artist. He( pay-2)
a lot of money for the picture, so he thought the picture was very
good. He came
to the hotel where he (stay-3) and wanted to hang the picture. To
his surprise he
(cannot tell-4) what was the top and what was the bottom.
So he (think-5) of a plan and invited the artist to dinner. The artist
looked at the
picture many times. He put on his glasses and approached the
picture to look at it more closely. And at last when they began to
drink coffee, the artist told the American
that the picture was upside down.
the American (surprise-6) and wondered why the artist not (tell-
7) it to him at once.
The artist must (admit-8) that he himself (not be sure-9) about it
at first.
So the rich American left the picture on the wall as it was. He
thought that nobody
(notice–10) that it was upside down

8. A rich American went to Paris and bought a picture by a
modern artist. He had paid a lot of money for the picture,
so he thought the picture was very good. He came to the
hotel where he was staying and wanted to hang the picture.
To his surprise he couldn’t tell what was the top and what
was the bottom.
So he thought of a plan and invited the artist to dinner. The
artist looked at the picture many times. He put on his
glasses and approached the picture to look at it more
closely. And at last when they began to drink coffee, the
artist told the American that the picture was upside down.
The American was surprised and wondered why the artist
not hadn’t told it to him at once.
The artist had to admit that he himself had not been sure
about it at first.
So the rich American left the picture on the wall as it was.
He thought that nobody would notice that it was upside
down

9. Choose the right variant
1. Why did the American think that the picture was good?
A - it was painted by a famous artist;
B - the American was a great connoisseur (ценитель)of art;
C – his friend told him that the picture was good;
D -The picture cost a great sum of money.
2. What difficulty did he find in hanging the picture?
A – He was at a loss hat wall he would hang the picture on;
B – He didn’t know where the top of the picture was;
C – The picture didn’t pass through the door;
D – The picture suited neither the furniture nor the wall paper of
the room.
3. What plan did the American think of to solve his difficulty?
A – He showed the picture to the expert;
B – He tried to find the author of the picture;
C – He invited the author to the dinner
4. Why didn’t the American change the position of the picture?
A – He liked the picture as it was;
B – The artist told him there was everything right with the picture;
C – He thought nobody would notice anything wrong with the
picture

10. Choose the right variant
1. Why did the American think that the picture was good?
A - it was painted by a famous artist;
B - the American was a great connoisseur (ценитель)of art;
C – his friend told him that the picture was good;
D -The picture cost a great sum of money.
2. What difficulty did he find in hanging the picture?
A – He was at a loss hat wall he would hang the picture on;
B – He didn’t know where the top of the picture was;
C – The picture didn’t pass through the door;
D – The picture suited neither the furniture nor the wall paper of
the room.
3. What plan did the American think of to solve his difficulty?
A – He showed the picture to the expert;
B – He tried to find the author of the picture;
C – He invited the author to the dinner
4. Why didn’t the American change the position of the picture?
A – He liked the picture as it was;
B – The artist told him there was everything right with the picture;
C – He thought nobody would notice anything wrong with the
picture

11. I have only been once to an art__ (1). In fact, the
Tate in London was my ___ (2) to modern art,
but although the gallery was quite interesting,
I found the pictures difficult to understand.
The __ (3) in the exhibition were by famous __
(4) from all over the world. Our guide told us
about each painting, and I listened carefully to
her___ (5). After she had given us a __ (6) of a
painting by Picasso, I asked her what it all __
(7). She said we should not look for meaning
but for __ (8), as the most important thing was
to enjoy the shapes and coloures. __ (9), I
found this advice a complete __ (10).
exhibit
paint
explain
mean
person
introduce
art
describe
please
reveal

12. I have only been once to an art exhibition. In fact, the Tate
in London was my introduction to modern art, but
although the gallery was quite interesting, I found the
pictures difficult to understand. The paintings in the
exhibition were by famous artists from all over the
world. Our guide told us about each painting, and I
listened carefully to her explanation. After she had given
us a description of a painting by Picasso, I asked her
what it all meant. She said we should not look for
meaning but for pleasure, as the most important thing
was to enjoy the shapes and coloures. Personally , I
found this advice a complete revelation.

13. “V”
information
is known
“E”
new
informat
ion
“-“
you don’t
think
so
“?”
you don’t understand. or
have further
questions
This technique is called INSERT
I - interactive
N - noting
S - system
E - effective
R - reading
T – thinking

14. 1. What facts do you know before?
2. What information is new for you?
3. What don’t you understand?
4. Do you have another ideas or
information?

15. Advantages
1. Produce a bright colour
2. Artists paint to discover truth and
to create order
3. They put into their pictures our
common hopes, ideas and passion
4. Creators in all the arts make
discoveries about the wonders and
beauties of nature and the dignity
and nobility of man.
5.They understand life with greater
depth
6. They discover new areas of
enjoyment
7. They represent the world around
us more beautiful and exciting
Disadvantages
1. Not all works of art are
beautiful
2) some pictures are
difficult to understand
3) The simple forms
might be interpreted in
many ways
4) They focus on the
shapes not their
personalities
.

16. 1. Through painting, the artist expresses ideas and emotions
2. The language of the artist consists of shapes, lines, colours, tone, and textures
3. It helps to produce in the viewer sensations of light, space, and movement.
4. Some artists paint concrete forms with which viewers are generally familiar
5. Others try to create entirely abstract relationships
6. By giving expression to personal feelings, the artist develops individuality
7. An appreciation of painting deepens and enriches life.

17. If I were an artist I would
paint a beautiful picture.
If V2 would V

18. A word
Two adjectives
Three verbs
The main idea
A synonym of a general word

19. You should write an essay on the
topic we have discussed, about
your favourite picture or an artist.