Words can be part of art — Art, 4–6
Words do not only carry a message. Their size, shape, sound and place can also help make a poster, picture, song or performance.
Words can be seen and heard
Words can tell us something, but they can also become part of how an artwork looks or sounds. A huge word may feel strong, while tiny words may feel quiet. A word can be painted, stamped, sung, spoken or arranged in a shape. In art, the message and the way it is presented can work together.
Why use words in art?
Sometimes a picture alone is not enough to tell who, where or what is happening. Words can add a name, a sound or a clue. Artists use them when they want the viewer to read and look at the same time. The problem is not solved by adding lots of words: one carefully chosen word may do more.
Make a word-picture
Choose the word “RAIN”. Write it once in small letters, then again in very large letters. Add short blue lines falling around the large word. The small version may feel like a quiet drizzle; the large version with many lines may feel like a storm. The letters say “rain”, and their size and setting help show how the rain feels.
Words are not only labels
You might think words must sit neatly underneath a picture to explain it. That is reasonable because labels in books often work that way. In art, words may be inside the picture, hidden, repeated or shaped like the thing they describe. They still need to be readable enough to help, unless making them mysterious is the deliberate idea.
Words shape everyday art
You meet words as art on posters, signs, book covers, comics, greeting cards and shop displays. In a comic, the shape of a speech bubble can make a voice seem loud or quiet. On a poster, large letters help people notice the message from far away. Next time you see words, ask what their design makes you feel or do.
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