The Basics
Ekphrastic poetry is a form of poetry in which the poem is written as a response to or description of a piece of visual art. As a result, this is a highly interpretive form of poetry, which can be molded by the style and diction of the poet. For information on what Ekphrastic poetry is, tips on how to write it, and inspiration to get started check out our other post: Ekphrastic Poetry: A Beginner's Guide.
How A Question Can Inspire
A question can spark interesting thoughts, just like a poetry prompt. It can initiate a new stream of poetic thinking. It can illuminate a fresh perspective. It can become the scaffolding structure to a poem. It can light a bonfire of more questions. It can inspire. Keep this in mind, while reading the following list of questions. They are not meant to create poems, but merely to give you a jumpstart. Enjoy!
85 Inspirational Questions
Color
1. What colors do you see in the art?
2. What do the colors represent/symbolize?
3. How do the colors add depth or meaning to the art?
4. Consider the placement of colors, how does this affect their importance or meaning?
5. What emotions do the colors in the art evoke?
6. How do the color add to the mood or tone of the art?
7. Why do you think the artist chose these colors?
Shapes
8. What shapes can you spot in the art?
9. What do these shapes represent/symbolize?
10. How do the colors add depth or meaning to the art?
11. How do the interactions of different shapes add to the poetic quality of the art?
12. How does the placement of the shapes affect their meaning?
13. Why do you think the artist chose these shapes
Lighting and Shading
14. Consider the light and shadows, how do these add meaning to the art?
15. How does the lighting affect the mood of the piece?
16. Which parts of the art are lighter/darker, why?
17. Why do you think the artist chose to shade in these places?
18. How does the lighting/shading add depth or meaning to the piece?
19. Does the lighting or shading evoke an emotion, if so what?
Elements
20. Do the elements (a shoe, a dog) in the art symbolize something?
21. Why did the artist choose these elements?
22. Consider the placement of the elements, how does this affect their meaning?
23. How do the interactions between elements express new meanings?
Past and Future
24. What do you think occured before the captured scene?
25. What do you think will happen after the captured scene?
26. Why did the artist pick the scene shown in the art?
Scene
27. Consider the overall setting, how does this affect the art?
28. Is the scene indoors or outdoors, what does this entail?
29. What time of day is it, how does this affect the meaning?
30. What is the weather depicted in the art, does this affect the meaning?
31. Where in the world do you think the art takes place, what does this mean?
32. Does the art occur in a made up world, if so how does this change the meaning?
33. What time period do you think the art is set in, why?
34. Is the art a parody or a prediction of the future?
35. Why did the artist choose this setting?
Emotion
36. What are the prominent emotions depicted in the art?
37. How do the depicted emotions affect the meaning?
38. What emotion does the art initially make you feel, why?
39. After inspecting the art, do you feel a different emotion, why?
40. What do you think the artist was trying to convey through the emotions depicted?
41. What emotion do you think the artist was feeling when creating the piece?
Characters
42. Who are the characters in the art?
43. What do you think their relationships are, how does this affect the art?
44. What emotions are the characters feeling?
45. What do the characters do for a living, what are they?
46. Why did the artist choose these characters?
47. What are the motivations of the characters depicted?
48. What are the pasts of the depicted characters?
49. How did the characters end up in this scene together?
50. What do you think the characters will do next?
51. How does the depicted scene affect the characters lives, does it change them?
52. Why did the artist decide to bring these characters together?
Artist
53. Who created the art?
54. Why did the artist create this art when they did?
55. What message was the artist trying to convey with the art, why?
56. How does the artist's past affect the meaning of the art?
57. How did the artist feel creating the piece of art?
58. Why did the artist create the art (profit, fame, self expression, etc.)?
59. Was the artist commissioned to create the art, how does this affect the meaning?
60. Who else was involved in the creation of the art, how did they feel?
61. How did the artist create the idea for this piece of art, what was the inspiration?
History
62. When was the art created, how does this affect the meaning?
63. Where was the art created, how does this affect the meaning?
64. Where did the art go after it was created?
65. Who came into possession of the art, and how?
66. Was the art a symbol of something to people, if so why?
67. Was the art publicized or kept hidden?
68. What happened to the art after the artist died, was it placed in a museum?
69. Was the art ever stolen or missing, why?
70. Where is the art now?
Interpretation
71. How do you interpret the meaning of the art?
72. Why do you interpret this meaning? 73. How do other people interpret the meaning of the art, why?
74. What did the artist publicise as the meaning of the art?
75. What are the different interpretations of elements in the art?
76. How do different interpretations affect popular belief?
77. Are there other poems or songs about the art, what interpretation do they explore?
78. How is your interpretation similar/different from others?
79. What is the common belief about the art?
80. Why do people believe this?
Perspective
81. What different perspectives (shoe, painting, etc.) could you write the poem from?
82. How are these perspectives unique?
83. What is the most interesting or imaginative perspective?
84. What time settings could you write your poem in (past, present, future)?
85. How do these different perspectives express unique poetic qualities?
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