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Thinking Routine of the Week: Zoom In

Zoom In Thinking Routine

The thinking routine ‘Zoom In’ asks people to observe part of an image closely and develop a hypothesis or interpretation.

More of the image is revealed and we are asked again to look closely and reassess our initial ideas in the light of the new information.

The process is repeated until the whole of the image is revealed.

By only revealing part of the image, we need to pay close attention to details. This fires up our curiosity about what the image might look like as a whole and encourages us to act as art detectives looking for hidden meanings and symbols.

Because you only reveal part of the image at at time, Zoom In is perfect to use on a screen or in online guided discussions. It is great to use with complex or large paintings where you want to break up the image into more manageable sections for observation and discussion.

For detailed instructions on how to use Zoom In in an art discussion see here.

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