For this assignment, you must
write a formal analysis the work of art you have chosen to research this
semester. Formal analysis focuses not only on what you are seeing, but also on why
it is there and how it is presented. Formal analysis is a way of
explaining how the visual elements you describe work together to form a whole
composition and convey meaning. Submit your paper on Moodle using the Writing
Assignment 1 Turnitin link.
Your paper should be between
750 and 1000 words, not including your name, any footnotes, etc.
Your analysis will address
the form of the work: line, shape, composition, color, texture, handling of the
medium, etc.
Please use the writing
assignment checklist, available on Moodle under Writing Assignment 1, as a
guide when you write your paper. Review the checklist before writing your paper
to make sure that you are following it correctly. The checklist has very
specific rules and guidelines for how to write your paper, how long it should
be, etc.
Please also use Barnet’s
chapter on formal analysis as a guide (on Moodle).
Although you will be
researching your object, for this paper, base your comments solely on what you
see, rather than any research. This paper should not involve any research at
all.
The following example is from
a student paper on Kathe Kollwitz’s lithograph, Death Reaches for a Child (1934).
“The placement of the figures
in space plays an essential role in the picture. The three figures occupy the
bulk of the framed area. The woman technically occupies the most drawn space;
however, the figure of Death dominates and controls the space of the other
figures. His head almost touches the uppermost border, but he does not strain
against it. In a sense, the figure of Death becomes the top part of the frame.
The vertical nature of Death’s domination over the mother and child makes the
compression of space all the more menacing. The woman strains against the
borders that Death constricts. She attempts to break out of these confines with
her extended elbow, which pushes against the right-hand edge of the picture,
but resistance is futile. Her arm is necessarily attached to the arm of Death,
as all three figures are inextricably bound both physically and symbolically.”
For this assignment, your
paper should have:
- an introduction
that provides a clear thesis statement that you will support through observable
details. The introduction should include a brief description of the work of
art. Tell your reader what you will say in the paper.
- Exampleof an effectivethesis statement: “In Club Night, George Bellows uses high contrast, shape, and line
to capture the energy of the athletes and provide an evocative and
sensational interpretation of the club scene.”
- a comprehensive description of the work. Pretend that
your reader does not have the image available. Show me that you have looked
closely at the work and really spent time with it.
- a body
of developed supporting paragraphs that not only describe but also analyze the
work’s specific visual characteristics.
- Example of effective analysis: “Bellows traces the boxers’ limbs
with distinct, arcing lines that define the curvature of each muscle and
give the viewer a sense of the energy in their bodies. These long
brushstrokes convey stability and fluidity, whereas the short brushstrokes
in the boxers’ upper bodies suggest an immense accumulation of tension,
like a coiled spring. Additionally, strong diagonal lines in the boxers
create a sense of lunging, dynamic movement.”
D) If you you can identify
the figures or subject matter, go ahead and do so, but give reasons for your
identification. However, it is not necessary to identity them. If you can
identify the style/period, you may comment on that, but it is not required. You
don’t need to speculate about the meaning of symbols—it’s fine to just describe
them.
E) a conclusion. You should not
waste this final paragraph by merely repeating your thesis and supporting
points. You may want to return to an
examination of the work as a whole: its broader implications, its stylistic
significance. However, you should not introduce any new concepts that you have
not discussed in the paper.
Some questions to get you thinking:
- How successful is
the illusion of three-dimensionality? How deep is the illusionistic space? Is
perspective being used? If so, what kind(s)?
- How successful is
modeling with light and shadow?
- How accurate is
the anatomy?
- Is the artist
interested in the observation of naturalistic detail? Or does the artist omit
close observation of detail?
- How is the work
arranged compositionally?
- How do all the
elements you have noted work together to project visual meanings?
- How are the
surfaces handled? That is, are they rough, smooth…?
- Is the work
naturalistic or abstract?
- Do the visual
elements create harmony? Conflict?
- The list below
provides useful vocabulary terms which can give you some ideas about what to
discuss.
Formal elements of
painting:
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
technique [additive vs. subtractive]
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