Things to consider when looking at art
Although the majority of artists mentioned in Western Art History textbooks are white European males, there were women & non-white males producing excellent art, too. If you look at old art history textbooks from the 1960’s & before, you’d think that ALL artists were white European males, if that was your only resource. They excluded everyone else. Thankfully, things have improved. When researching the topics, try & remember this & seek out those overlooked in the past.
Notice the actual size of the artwork you are viewing in the textbook or online & try to envision it as it really is. The true size is usually stated below the illustration. You may be looking at a little postcard size image, when in actuality the work is 12 x 28 FEET in size. Your response to it would certainly be different!
WHERE is the work you are researching now? If a painting or sculpture was once part of a group setting, remember that you are looking at it as an object in a museum setting instead of in its original one. A good example of this would be an altarpiece removed from its original space & now displayed in a museum, often without the other objects it was designed to be part of.
Guidelines for looking at & writing about art
INTRODUCTION
We all look at what is around us, but do we fully appreciate & truly SEE? Everything we look at & think about we are experiencing from a 21st century perspective. All that has come before our time affects our vision, so, in a way, we are looking through jaded eyes, as one of my students put it. We also have the excitement of knowing more & more about past civilizations as new excavations continue to give us more information about how people lived before & how we’ve gotten to where the world is now.
DESCRIPTION
Note the title of work, name of artist, date of completion, size of work (height x width x depth) medium (painting---oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc., drawing---chalk pastel, conte crayon, etc., sculpture--marble, clay, etc. format (horizontal or vertical) single piece or composed of several units, representational, non-representational or abstract.
Consider the items listed below to describe in detail the work of art you are analyzing. You must be objective; your personal interpretation comes at the end of the paper. If the work is representational, you can begin by describing the subject--objects, people, etc. If it is abstract, you will begin by describing what is shown---colors, shapes, etc.
Take notes while looking at the artwork using the following reference to help you clarify what you want to focus on.
ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
unity
emphasis/focal point
balance
scale/proportion
rhythm
illusion of space
illusion of motion
ELEMENTS
line
shape/volume
texture
value (relative lightness & darkness)
color
ICONOGRAPHY (SUBJECT MATTER)
Description of what the work of art depicts. This can be simple and direct, or obscure and
obtuse.
COLOR SCHEME
- Bright or dull hues (name the colors)
- high or low contrast
- gradual changes or abrupt
- Warm or cool or a combination of both
- Primaries, secondaries, complementaries, analogous, tertiaries, etc.
- Use of local color or expressive use of color
EMPHASIS & FOCAL POINT
How does the artist guide you through the work; what is most important? Think about repeated colors, lines, textures, shapes, objects, etc.
repeated
repeated
repeated
VALUE
Relative lightness & darkness.
Use of light--abrupt changes, gradual, high or low contrast
TEXTURE
Actual or implied. Smooth, rough, etc. Is there really texture, or is there the illusion of texture?
SHAPE
LINE
------------------!!!!!!!!!!!!!///////// Horizontals, verticals, diagonals. Thick, thin, heavy, light, straight, curvilinear, jagged, long, short, continuous, broken, implied, emphasized or minimized. Use of cross-hatching, stippling, scribbling, outline or define forms?
SPACE
Is there illusion of depth? If so, what means is used to convey this: linear, aerial, reverse perspective, foreshortening. Open or closed shapes. Symmetrical or asymmetrical balance. Dominating shapes, colors, how the space is utilized. Movement, stillness, rhythm, proportion, scale.
CONTENT
What do you think the artist is trying to convey? Based on your formal analysis, decide what the work is about. Consider which of the visual elements (color, line, shape, etc.) are most important; this may give you a clue to the content.
PERSONAL MEANING AND IMPACT
This is your subjective opinion. Based on all of your observations, what is your response to the work? Do you like or dislike it? WHY? Does it make you think? Which aspects of it most strongly influenced your response?