Art+Literature

Guide to Formal Analysis

Analysis of an object’s form is intended to answer the question: How does the artist manipulate formal devices (composition, line, shape, color, etc.) to convey the subject and meaning of the work to the viewer? These formal devices are used to focus the viewer’s attention and suggest what the most important aspects of the work are. Explore logical and convincing answers to these questions through critical observation. A close reading of the object will suggest a thesis or hypothesis about the significance of the work that your analysis can support.

I. Description

Describe the work as fully as possible. Include the following information:

a. Artist, Title, Date, original location of object, current location (museum)

b. Size (colossal, over life-size, life size, miniature, etc.)

c. Materials (bronze, granite, oil on canvas, tempera on panel, ink on silk, etc.)

d. Condition (mention this especially if there is damage-the head is missing, the paint has worn away, the gold has been removed, etc.)

e. Subject Matter

II. Questions to help you analyze art

This is not a checklist of questions that must be answered; some will be relevant and some will not. Decide which questions are most important for any given object.

A. Sculpture

Type of Sculpture: It is low relief, high relief, a free-standing figure, a group of figures, a combination of these, etc.

Methods and Materials: How was the sculpture made? Was the work carved out of wood or stone (subtractive)? Was it modeled in clay/wax or cast in bronze (additive)? How does the choice or method of production and material affect its shape, scale, or design?

Composition: Is the arrangement of forms symmetrical or assymetrical? Is the basic form open or closed (i.e.—do parts thrust out in various directions or does it have a simple, contained silhouette)? If the sculpture is composed of more than one figure or form, how are these arranged in relation to each other?

Volume: What kind of volumetric forms are basic to the work? Are they geometric ones (cones, cubes, pyramids, etc.) or irregular ones? Are they jagged or smooth? How are these forms organized?

Space: How do form and space interpenetrate? Is the work a relief which creates the illusion of space within it? Is the figure meant to be seen in space from a particular view? Is it frontal? Does it turn in space? Can its composition be understood from one view only or from multiple views?

Line: Is there decorative linear emphasis on the surface of the sculpture? Are the dominant linear elements seen in the forms themselves or are they incised into the surface of the forms? Describe the character of the lines: predominantly horizontal, vertical, diagonal, smooth or flowing?

Light: How does light affect the work? Are the forms and surfaces arranged so that a particular effect of light and shade will be sustained? Does light enhance or play against contour? Does light affect the spatial qualities of the work?

Color and Texture: Consider the color of the material, if visible. Is color added? Consider surface texture: polished or unpolished? How does this affect the play of light and the expressive qualities of the work?

Movement: Do the above factors contribute to a sense of movement or stillness?

B. Painting

Type of Painting: Is it a single canvas or panel? Is it a diptych or triptych? It is one of a pair or series of paintings?

Methods and Materials: How was the painting made? Is it oil or tempera on panel, fresco, or oil on canvas? What is the relationship between the choice and use of pigment and the support?

Composition (Surface Organization): How are the forms arranged on the surface of the canvas (picture plane)? Is the composition symmetrical, asymmetrical, simple or complex? Are rhythms created by the repetition of shapes and colors or by the relationship of lines and forms to each other? How does composition direct your gaze?

Shapes: What types of two-dimensional shapes are used in the composition? Do they tend to be geometric or free and irregular? Are certain shapes used more than others? Do patterns emerge in the use of particular shapes?

Line: How do lines organize the composition? Are lines important as silhouettes, as edges, as forms, or as modeling techniques (i.e. –diagonal shading or cross-hatching)? Do particular types of lines dominate (long, quiet horizontals; soft, flowing curves; short choppy strokes)? Do lines create rhythm or a sense of motion in the composition?

Color: Describe the organization and intensity of colors. Consider hue, value, and intensity. How do colors interrelate: in bold contrast or gradual transition? Is color used to focus your attention on particular parts of the composition? How does color affect the illusion of light or depth in the painting?

Space: Is an illusion of space created or denied? Is the depicted space shallow or deep? How are the forms arranged within the depicted space? Are they pressed close to the picture plane? Are they set back into the background or middleground? What devices are used to create an illusion of space (if there is one)? Consider linear and aerial perspective, overlapping, foreshortening, diminution of scale in the background, etc.

Volume: What types of volumetic forms dominate in the painting? How are these forms organized?

Light: Can a light source be localized? From which direction does the light fall into the picture? What is its intensity and character: evenly distributed, flickering out of shadows, or no depicted illumination at all? Is light used to direct your attention to particular parts of the composition? How does it affect the illusion of space?

Brushwork: Is it visible? Does it produce tight forms and contours or free, irregular shapes? How is it related to light, color, form, and rhythm? What kind of surface texture does the brushwork create: smooth, finished, matte, glossy, patchy, open, etc.? Does brushwork contribute to the overall effect of the work?

Movement: Do the above factors contribute to a sense of movement or stillness?

Point of View: Has the artist established a particular point of view? If yes, where is the viewer situated in relation to the forms in the painting: hovering over the landscape, looking up from below, gazing from standard adult eye level, etc.?

III. Interpretation

Think positively. Artists in every period have been skillful and purposeful. Artistic objectives have changed through time. Consider the following: What was the original purpose of the work? How do you think the above formal elements shaped the original viewer’s response to the work? How did the above formal characteristics contribute to the purpose of the work? How do they convey its message/meaning/mood? How would this have been interpreted in its original context? What was the artist trying to say?