Describe how they are not only used within the composition but also how they interact with each other.
Written Paper – Visual Analysis
Choose one work of art from an exhibition at a museum or gallery in town (this can be done in person or online). Write a paper on your chosen work of art analyzing the elements and principles of art as well as the themes present in the work. You may choose to include a little background on the artist.
Format: 2-4 pages, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, and a cover sheet.
The emphasis should be on analyzing the formal elements—not interpreting the artwork. Think back to Chapter 1 and how we analyzed each work of art. How the elements and principles of art worked together to help create and convey the artists ideas and themes.
Choosing the piece:
Choose a piece of fine art: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation, video, etc. from the list below. I recommend choosing a piece that is visually complex, as there is more to write about. You must include a clear color image of the piece that you’ve chosen to analyze.
Highly recommend you go to the museum or gallery in person. That way you will understand texture, surface, scale, correct color, etc. in a much more accurate and meaningful way. Go with a friend or by yourself, have fun and take notes.
The Menil Collection
MFA Houston
CAM Houston
Lawndale Art Center
Kerry Inman Gallery
McClain Gallery
Josh Pazda Hiram Butler Gallery
David Shelton Gallery
Texas Gallery
Museums are open Wednesday- Sunday.
Galleries are open Wednesday- Saturday.
Getting Started:
It may be helpful to start by looking at the work of art and identifying the visual elements. How are they arranged? Is the work balanced? Is there a focal point? Is there a sense of movement? Refer back to Chapter 1 and the elements and principles of art.
Describe how they are not only used within the composition but also how they interact with each other.
Formal elements of art: picture plane, composition, color – hue – value – saturation – intensity – warm/cool – primary/secondary – complementary, line – contour lines – lines of direction or movement, shape, contrast, texture, technique [linear vs. painterly], illusionistic space
Formal elements of sculpture: scale, in-the-round vs. relief, directionality, shape [organic vs. geometric], open form /closed form [silhouette], material, texture, volume, light and shadow, color, and technique [additive vs. subtractive].
