Art History Research Paper (1945~ artists)
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formal_analysis.docxFormal Analysis
Formal analysis is an important technique for observing and organizing visual information.
To analyze an image, you must first be able to look at it closely and describe it in detail. Translating a visual image into a written description in a learned skill that develops with practice.
1. Content: what does the image depict? How does it depict it? What seems to be the central focus of the image? Are there particular details that draw your attention?
2. Note the author, title, date, dimensions, and medium of the work.
3. Formal Elements
Composition/spatial organization: How would you describe the overall composition of the image? Simple or complex? Is it centered, or off center? Does the subject matter crowd the image, or is there a great deal of space around it? Is the image busy and cluttered, or empty?
Point of view: Considering just the image, what is the viewer’s position in relation to the things depicted? Was the image made from above or below our usual visual point of view?
Space: Is the space suggested by the work 2-D or 3-D? i.e. Is the pictorial field flat, or does space recede and give an impression of spatial depth? What formal elements contribute to this understanding of space? Is there linear perspective? Is there atmospheric perspective (e.g. where cooler colors recede into space)? Is the space shallow or deep? Does this change over time?
Figure and Ground: What is the relationship between “figure” and “ground”? Figure, here, can be abstract and ground means background. Does one predominate? Is the relation fixed or does it change over time?
Lines: Are there clear lines in the work? Are there any implied lines? What is the quality of the line (bold, assertive, jagged, etc.)
Colors: How many colors are used? Is any one dominant? Are they warm or cool, dark or light, muted or vibrant, or strongly contrasting? Describe the palette overlall: is it limited or taking in the full spectrum? What types of pigments dominate (primary, visible spectrum, earth tones, etc.)?
Texture: smooth or rough? Has the surface actually been built up with thicknesses of paint (impasto) and/or other materials, or does the way the work has been created imply a texture?
