Students are given time to express their immediate reactions to the original painting without discussion at this point. Students make a schematic sketch of the composition of the Bierstadt painting by outlining the distinct broader areas of the composition. Distinct differences in paint application from fine, smooth surfaces to more heavily applied or impasto areas. They might also consider size of brushes, palette knives, length of strokes, and the like. Obvious colors used in various sections, considering if hues are saturated or mixed, complementary or similar.
Students observe which of the above are more obvious in the original compared to the reproductions.
Students discuss the physical characteristics of the original work in comparison to a reproduction, including the environment or setting. An artwork has a presence, an individuality, and it has an immediate effect on the viewer. It is also a precious object because of the immediate imprint of the artist. To emphasize this point, ask students how they would feel if a friend gave them a photocopy or a tracing of a rock star's autograph. What is true for a signature is even more significant for an artwork, which is an object of aesthetic expression and much more complex than an individual's signature.