Western Humanities 201 12 (Final) (Interpreting Visual Art)

Question 1

Formal analysis

Answer 1

–Start out with a short paragraph describing the general aspects of the piece:
Briefly describe what you see in the piece?
Describe the foreground and background, if applicable.
What’s going on? Any action in the piece?
Is there a focal point? Is the artist emphasizing a particular part of the piece?
Is there a particular mood or feeling generated by the artwork?
–Now move on to the more technical aspects of the piece:

Question 2

Formal Analysis - Line:

Answer 2

Remember, a line is a point extended  \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Types of lines:
Rectilinear lines vs Curvilinear lines
Rectilinear lines
Vertical and horizontal lines or objects
Often imply order and reason

Question 3

Formal Analysis - Curvilinear lines

Answer 3

Curving and flowing lines
Imply liveliness, organic quality, sense of rhythm, flow
Also the non-lines. Boundary/edge between shapes/forms

Question 4

Formal Analysis - Hard lines vs Soft lines

Answer 4

Forms like rocks, trees, clouds are soft, not crisp
People or buildings usually possess hard or clear lines or edges
Actual lines vs. Implied lines

Question 5

Formal Analysis - Shape:

Answer 5

Shape is an area enclosed by lines or curves
What types of shapes are in the piece?
For example, geometric (triangles, circles, etc.) or organic (floral, animal, natural)
Both?

Question 6

Formal Analysis - Color:

Answer 6

Talk about the artist’s use of color using the 3 criteria below
1. Intensity: Are the colors faint or bright? A combination?
2. Value: Light or dark
3. Hue: blue, green, yellow, etc.
Do the colors contrast or blend with one another?
Any psychological effects from the color?

Question 7

Formal Analysis - Texture:

Answer 7

Refers to the surface quality or appearance
How does it feel to the touch
This is a hard one since we can’t actually touch the pieces
But see if you notice anything such as smoothness or roughness
How does the paint appear to have been applied? Carefully? Haphazardly?

Question 8

Formal Analysis - Composition:

Answer 8

Refers to the arrangement or organization of all the visual elements
Is the piece symmetrical or asymmetrical
Symmetrical is a balancing of like forms, mass and colors
Asymmetrical is unbalanced, disproportionate, or unequal.
Is it vertical or horizontal in organization? Both?
Is there movement? Does the work direct the viewer’s eye to any particular place?

Question 9

Formal Analysis - Setting:

Answer 9

Setting refers to the apparent time and place indicated in the work
Is it modern? Ancient?
Is it set in the city? Country?

Question 10

Formal Analysis - Subject:

Answer 10

What is the topic that the art deals with?

Examples: portrait, historical, still life, landscape, genre (everyday life), religious, literary, myth

Question 11

Formal Analysis - Medium:

Answer 11

What materials were used to make the piece
Oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, mixed media
Canvas, paper, mural, scroll, sculpture

Question 12

Formal Analysis - Meaning:

Answer 12

Is the artist trying to say something with this work? About people or society, for instance?

Question 13

Formal Analysis - Imagery:

Answer 13

Is it representational (realistic) or abstract or some combination?

Question 14

Formal Analysis - Perspective:

Answer 14

Creates the illusion of depth in a flat picture
Types of perspective:
Linear: uses line to achieve sense of distance (train tracks)
Aerial : implies distance thru light and atmosphere
Example would be vaguely drawn mountains in the distance

Question 15

Contextual analysis

Answer 15

(Context is outside the work. Extrinsic)

• -Address each of the following criteria. You’ll need to do some research for these:
  1. Forces, styles, happenings, trends outside of the work: artistic, cultural, social, historical, political, economic
  2. Intent of the artist. Possible motives.
  3. How work fits in with other like minded works. Same genre or same/different eras
  4. How work fits with the other works by same artist

Question 16

Personal Analysis

Answer 16

–Finally, bring yourself into the work and answer the following questions and anything else you’d like to address with regard to the piece:
What do you like about it? Dislike about it?
How does it make you feel?
Does it make you think?
Does it disturb you? Delight you? Do nothing for you?
Is it good art or bad art, in your opinion.