Why Is It Important to Analyze Themes in Art

Last Updated on May 27, 2021

This commodity has been written for high school art students who are working upon a critical written report of art, sketchbook annotation or an essay-based artist study. It contains a list of questions to guide students through the process of analyzing visual material of whatever kind, including cartoon, painting, mixed media, graphic design, sculpture, printmaking, architecture, photography, textiles, fashion and so on (the word 'artwork' in this article is extensive). The questions include a wide range of specialist art terms, prompting students to utilize subject-specific vocabulary in their responses. It combines advice from art analysis textbooks too every bit from high school fine art teachers who have get-go-hand experience instruction these concepts to students.

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How to analyse a piece of art — International GCSE artist analysis example: The image to a higher place shows part of an A* IGSCE Art and Design sketchbook folio analysing the piece of work of Jim Dine, by Rhea Maheshwari, ACG Parnell College.

Why do nosotros report fine art?

Almost all high school art students acquit out critical analysis of creative person work, in conjunction with creating practical work. Looking critically at the work of others allows students to understand compositional devices and then explore these in their own fine art. This is 1 of the best ways for students to learn.

Instructors who assign formal analyses desire you to look—and look advisedly. Recall of the object equally a series of decisions that an creative person fabricated. Your task is to effigy out and draw, explain, and interpret those decisions and why the artist may have made them. – The Writing Center, University of Due north Carolina at Chapel Hill¹⁰

Art analysis tips

'I like this' or 'I don't like this' without any further explanation or justification is not assay. Personal opinions must exist supported with explanation, evidence or justification.
'Analysis of artwork' does not mean 'description of artwork'. To gain high marks, students must move beyond stating the obvious and add together perceptive, personal insight. Students should demonstrate higher social club thinking – the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize data and ideas. For example, if color has been used to create strong contrasts in certain areas of an artwork, students might follow this observation with a thoughtful assumption almost why this is the case – perhaps a deliberate attempt past the artist to draw attending to a focal betoken, helping to convey thematic ideas.

Although description is an important part of a formal analysis, description is non plenty on its own. Y'all must introduce and contextualize your descriptions of the formal elements of the piece of work so the reader understands how each chemical element influences the work'due south overall effect on the viewer. – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing Virtually Art²

Comprehend a range of different visual elements and blueprint principles. It is mutual for students to become experts at writing almost one or two elements of composition, while neglecting everything else – for example, only focusing upon the utilise of color in every artwork studied. This results in a narrow, repetitive and incomplete analysis of the artwork. Students should ensure that they encompass a wide range of art elements and design principles, as well every bit address context and meaning, where required. The questions below are designed to ensure that students cover a broad range of relevant topics within their assay.
Write aslope the artwork discussed. In almost all cases, written analysis should be presented alongside the work discussed, so that it is articulate which artwork comments refer to. This makes it easier for examiners to follow and evaluate the writing.
Support writing with visual assay. Information technology is nearly ever helpful for high school students to support written textile with sketches, drawings and diagrams that help the educatee understand and analyse the piece of art. This might include limerick sketches; diagrams showing the primary structure of an artwork; detailed enlargements of modest sections; experiments imitating use of media or technique; or illustrations overlaid with arrows showing leading lines and and so on. Visual investigation of this sort plays an important part in many creative person studies.

Making sketches or drawings from works of art is the traditional, centuries-onetime way that artists take learned from each other. In doing this, you will engage with a work and an artist's arroyo fifty-fifty if y'all previously knew zero almost it. If possible do this whenever you can, not from a postcard, the internet or a picture in a volume, merely from the actual piece of work itself. This is useful considering it forces you lot to await closely at the piece of work and to consider elements y'all might not have noticed before. – Susie Hodge, How to Expect at Fine art⁷

Finally, when writing about art, students should communicate with clarity; demonstrate field of study-specific cognition; utilize right terminology; generate personal responses; and reference all content and ideas sourced from others. This is explained in more than item in our article about high school sketchbooks.

What should students write about?

Although each aspect of composition is treated separately in the questions below, students should consider the human relationship betwixt visual elements (line, shape, form, value/tone, color/hue, texture/surface, space) and how these interact to grade design principles (such as unity, variety, emphasis, dominance, balance, symmetry, harmony, movement, contrast, rhythm, blueprint, scale, proportion) to communicate significant.

As complex as works of fine art typically are, in that location are really but three general categories of statements ane can brand about them. A statement addresses form, content or context (or their various interrelations). – Dr. Robert J. Belton, Art History: A Preliminary Handbook, The University of British Columbia^five

…a formal assay – the result of looking closely – is an assay of the form that the creative person produces; that is, an analysis of the work of art, which is fabricated upwards of such things as line, shape, color, texture, mass, composition. These things requite the stone or canvas its form, its expression, its content, its meaning. – Sylvan Barnet, A Brusk Guide to Writing Most Fine art²

This video by Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Naraelle Hohensee provides an excellent example of how to analyse a piece of art (it is important to annotation that this video is an case of 'formal analysis' and doesn't include contextual analysis, which is also required by many loftier school art examination boards, in addition to the formal analysis illustrated hither):

Composition assay: a listing of questions

The questions below are designed to facilitate direct appointment with an artwork and to encourage a breadth and depth of understanding of the artwork studied. They are intended to prompt college lodge thinking and to aid students make it at well-reasoned analysis.

It is not expected that students answer every question (doing so would result in responses that are excessively long, repetitious or formulaic); rather, students should focus upon areas that are about helpful and relevant for the artwork studied (for example, some questions are advisable for analyzing a painting, just not a sculpture). The words provided equally examples are intended to help students recall near advisable vocabulary to utilise when discussing a particular topic. Definitions of more complex words have been provided.

Students should not attempt to copy out questions and and then answer them; rather the questions should be considered a starting point for writing bullet pointed note or sentences in paragraph form.

How to write art analysis — A small sample of the books that informed this article. Some of these were written for art history students learning how to write an art analysis; others provide information about composition. For more than details, please refer to the bibliography below.

CONTENT, CONTEXT AND MEANING

Subject matter / themes / issues / narratives / stories / ideas

In that location can be different, competing, and contradictory interpretations of the same artwork.
An artwork is not necessarily almost what the artist wanted it to be about. – Terry Barrett, Criticizing Art: Understanding the Contemporary⁶

Our interest in the painting grows only when we forget its title and take an interest in the things that it does not mention…" – Françoise Barbe-Gall, How to Await at a Painting^viii

Does the artwork autumn within an established genre (i.e. historical; mythical; religious; portraiture; landscape; still life; fantasy; architectural)?
Are at that place whatsoever recognisable objects, places or scenes? How are these presented (i.e. idealized; realistic; indistinct; subconscious; distorted; exaggerated; stylized; reflected; reduced to simplified/minimalist form; archaic; abstracted; concealed; suggested; blurred or focused)?
Have people been included? What tin we tell about them (i.e. identity; historic period; attire; profession; cultural connections; wellness; family unit relationships; wealth; mood/expression)? What can we learn from their pose (i.eastward. frontal; profile; partly turned; body language)? Where are they looking (i.east. straight centre contact with viewer; downcast; interested in other subjects within the artwork)? Can we piece of work out relationships betwixt figures from the style they are posed?

What exercise the clothing, furnishings, accessories (horses, swords, dogs, clocks, business ledgers and so forth), background, angle of the head or posture of the head and body, direction of the gaze, and facial expression contribute to our sense of the figure's social identity (monarch, clergyman, trophy wife) and personality (intense, cool, inviting)? – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing About Art²

What props and important details are included (drapery; costumes; adornment; architectural elements; emblems; logos; motifs)? How do aspects of setting support the master subject? What is the consequence of including these items inside the arrangement (visual unity; connections between different parts of the artwork; directs attention; surprise; diverseness and visual interest; separates / divides / borders; transformation from 1 object to another; unexpected juxtaposition)?

If a waiter served y'all a whole fish and a scoop of chocolate ice cream on the same plate, your surprise might be caused past the juxtaposition, or the side-by-side contrast, of the ii foods. – Vocabulary.com

A motif is an element in a composition or blueprint that can be used repeatedly for decorative, structural, or iconographic purposes. A motif can be representational or abstract, and information technology can exist endowed with symbolic meaning. Motifs can exist repeated in multiple artworks and oft recur throughout the life'due south work of an private creative person. – John A. Parks, Universal Principles of Art¹¹

Does the artwork communicate an action, narrative or story (i.e. historical event or illustrate a scene from a story)? Has the arrangement been embellished, ready or contrived?
Does the artwork explore movement? Practice you gain a sense that parts of the artwork are about to change, topple or fall (i.e. tension; suspense)? Does the artwork capture objects in motility (i.due east. multiple or sequential images; blurred edges; scene frozen mid-action; alive performance fine art; video fine art; kinetic art)?
What kind of abstract elements are shown (i.due east. bars; shapes; splashes; lines)? Have these been derived from or inspired by realistic forms? Are they the result of spontaneous, adventitious cosmos or careful, deliberate arrangement?
Does the work include the cribbing of work by other artists, such as within a parody or popular fine art? What consequence does this have (i.east. copyright concerns)?

Parody: mimicking the appearance and/or manner of something or someone, but with a twist for comic effect or critical comment, as in Saturday Night Alive'southward political satires – Dr. Robert J. Belton, Art History: A Preliminary Handbook, The University of British Columbia⁵

Does the subject captivate an instinctual response, such as items that are informative, shocking or threatening for humans (i.e. dangerous places; abnormally positioned items; human faces; the gaze of people; motion; text)? Heap map tracking has demonstrated that these elements take hold of our attention, regardless of where they are positioned –James Gurney writes more than about this fascinating topic.
What kind of text has been used (i.east. font size; font weight; font family; stenciled; hand-fatigued; estimator-generated; printed)? What has influenced this choice of text?
Practice key objects or images take symbolic value or provide a cue to significant? How does the artwork convey deeper, conceptual themes (i.eastward. allegory; iconographic elements; signs; metaphor; irony)?

Apologue is a device whereby abstract ideas can be communicated using images of the concrete world. Elements, whether figures or objects, in a painting or sculpture are endowed with symbolic pregnant. Their relationships and interactions combine to create more complex meanings. – John A. Parks, Universal Principles of Fine art¹¹

An iconography is a particular range or system of types of paradigm used by an artist or artists to convey item meanings. For example in Christian religious painting there is an iconography of images such as the lamb which represents Christ, or the pigeon which represents the Holy Spirit. – Tate.org.u.k.

What tone of voice does the artwork take (i.e. deliberate; honest; autobiographical; obvious; direct; unflinching; against; subtle; ambiguous; uncertain; satirical; propagandistic)?
What is your emotional response to the artwork? What is the overall mood (i.e positive; energetic; excitement; serious; sedate; peaceful; calm; melancholic; tense; uneasy; uplifting; foreboding; at-home; turbulent)? Which field of study matter choices help to communicate this mood (i.east. weather condition and lighting atmospheric condition; color of objects and scenes)?
Does the title change the way you interpret the work?
Were there whatever design constraints relating to the subject affair or theme/south (i.e. a sculpture commissioned to stand for a specific subject field, place or idea)?
Are in that location thematic connections with your own project? What tin you lot learn from the way the artist has approached this discipline?

Wider contexts

All art is in part about the world in which it emerged. – Terry Barrett, Criticizing Art: Understanding the Contemporary⁶

Supported past research, can you identify when, where and why the work was created and its original intention or purpose (i.eastward. private auction; commissioned for a specific owner; commemorative; educational; promotional; illustrative; decorative; confrontational; useful or applied utility; advice; created in response to a design brief; private viewing; public viewing)? In what fashion has this background influenced the event (i.e. availability of tools, materials or time; expectations of the patron / audition)?
Where is the place of structure or design site and how does this influence the artwork (i.due east. reflects local traditions, adroitness, or customs; complements surrounding designs; designed to arrange weather conditions / climate; built on historic site)? Was the artwork originally located somewhere different?
Which events and surrounding environments take influenced this work (i.e. natural events; social movements such as feminism; political events, economic situations, historic events, religious settings, cultural events)? What issue did these have?
Is the piece of work characteristic of an creative style, move or fourth dimension menses? Has it been influenced by trends, fashions or ideologies? How can you lot tell?
Tin you lot make any relevant connections or comparisons with other artworks? Take other artists explored a like subject in a like way? Did this occur earlier or after this artwork was created?
Can you make any relevant connections to other fields of written report or expression (i.due east. geography, mathematics, literature, film, music, history or science)?
Which cardinal biographical details about the artist are relevant in understanding this artwork (upbringing and personal state of affairs; family and relationships; psychological land; health and fitness; socioeconomic status; employment; ethnicity; civilization; gender; education, religion; interests, attitudes, values and beliefs)?
Is this artwork part of a larger body of work? Is this typical of the work the artist is known for?
How might your own upbringing, beliefs and biases misconstrue your interpretation of the artwork? Does your ain response differ from the public response, that of the original audition and/orinterpretation by critics?
How do these wider contexts compare to the contexts surrounding your own work?

Limerick AND Course

Format

What is the overall size, shape and orientation of the artwork (i.due east. vertical, horizontal, portrait, landscape or square)? Has this format been influenced by practical considerations (i.due east. availability of materials; display constraints; design cursory restrictions; screen sizes; mutual aspect ratios in movie or photography such as 4:three or 2:3; or paper sizes such equally A4, A3, A2, A1)?
How practice images fit within the frame (cropped; truncated; shown in total)? Why is this format appropriate for the subject thing?
Are different parts of the artwork physically carve up, such as within a diptych or triptych?
Where are the boundaries of the artwork (i.e. is the artwork self-contained; compact; penetrating; sprawling)?
Is the artwork site-specific or designed to be displayed across multiple locations or environments?
Does the artwork have a fixed, permanent format, or was itmodified, moved or adapted over time? What causes such changes (i.east. weather and exposure to the elements – melting, erosion, discoloration, decaying, wind motion, surface abrasion; structural failure – cracking, breaking; harm caused past unpredictable events, such as fire or vandalism; intentional movement, such as rotation or sensor response; intentional impermanence, such as an installation assembled for an exhibition and removed afterwards; viewer interaction; additions, renovations and restoration past subsequent artists or users; a project and then expansive it takes years to construct)? How does this change bear upon the artwork? Are at that place stylistic variances between parts?
How does the scale and format of the artwork relate to the environment where it is positioned, used, installed or hung (i.e. harmonious with landscape typography; sensitive to side by side structures; imposing or dwarfed by surroundings; man scale)? Is the artwork designed to be viewed from one vantage bespeak (i.e. front facing; viewed from below; approached from a main entrance; set at human eye level) or many? Are images taken from the all-time angle?
Would a similar format benefit your own project? Why / why not?

Structure / layout

Has the artwork been organised using a formal system of arrangement or mathematical proportion (i.e. rule of thirds; gilded ratio or spiral; grid format; geometric; dominant triangle; or circular composition) or is the arrangement less predictable (i.e. chaotic, random, adventitious, fragmented, meandering, scattered; irregular or spontaneous)? How does this system of organisation assist with the advice of ideas? Can you draw a diagram to show the basic structure of the artwork?
Tin you encounter a clear intention with alignment and positioning of parts within the artwork (i.due east. edges aligned; items spaced as; simple or complex arrangement; overlapping, clustered or concentrated objects; dispersed, separate items; repetition of forms; items extending beyond the frame; frames inside frames; bordered perimeter or patterned edging; cleaved borders)? What effect practise these visual devices have (i.e. imply bureaucracy; help the viewer understand relationships between parts of artwork; create rhythm)?
Does the artwork take a primary axis of symmetry (vertical, diagonal, horizontal)? Tin you locate a center of balance? Is the artwork symmetrical, asymmetrical (i.e. stable), radial, or intentionally unbalanced (i.e. to create tension or unease)?
Can you draw a diagram to illustrate emphasis and dominance (i.eastward. 'blocking in' mass, where the 'heavier' dominant forms announced in the composition)? Where are dominant items located inside the frame?
How exercise your eyes movement through the composition?
Could your own artwork employ a similar organisational structure?

Line

What types of linear mark-making are shown (thick; thin; short; long; soft; assuming; delicate; feathery; indistinct; faint; irregular; intermittent; freehand; ruled; mechanical; expressive; loose; blurred; dashing; cross-hatching; meandering; gestural, fluid; flowing; jagged; spiky; abrupt)? What atmosphere, moods, emotions or ideas do these evoke?
Are there whatever interrupted, suggested or implied lines (i.due east. lines that tin can't literally be seen, but the viewer's brain connects the dots betwixt split elements)?
Where are the dominating lines in the composition and what is the outcome of these? Tin you overlay tracing newspaper upon an artwork to illustrate some of the important lines?
- Repeating lines: may simulate material qualities, texture, pattern or rhythm;
- Boundary lines: may segment, divide or separate dissimilar areas;
- Leading lines: may manipulate the viewer's gaze, directing vision or lead the centre to focal points (middle tracking studies betoken that our eyes jump from ane signal of interest to another, rather than motility smoothly or predictably along leading lines⁹. Lines may nonetheless assistance to establish emphasis by 'pointing' towards certain items);
- Parallel lines: may create a sense of depth or movement through space within a landscape;
- Horizontal lines: may create a sense of stability and permanence;
- Vertical lines: may suggest peak, reaching upwards or falling;
- Intersecting perpendicular lines: may suggest rigidity, strength;
- Abstract lines: may remainder the limerick, create contrast or emphasis;
- Angular / diagonal lines: may suggest tension or unease;
- Chaotic lines: may suggest a sense of agitation or panic;
- Underdrawing, construction lines or profile lines: describe class (learn more than about contour lines in our article about line drawing);
- Curving / organic lines: may suggest nature, peace, movement or energy.
What is the relationship between line and three-dimensional form? Areoutlines used to define course and edges?
Would information technology be appropriate to use line in a like way inside your own artwork?

Shape and grade

Tin can yous place a dominant visual language within the shapes and forms shown (i.eastward. geometric; angular; rectilinear; curvilinear; organic; natural; fragmented; distorted; complimentary-flowing; varied; irregular; complex; minimal)? Why is this visual linguistic communication appropriate?
How are the edges of forms treated (i.e. practice they fade away or blur at the edges, as if melting into the folio; ripped or torn; distinct and hard-edged; or, in the words of James Gurney⁹, practice they 'dissolve into sketchy lines, paint strokes or drips')?
Are there any three-dimensional forms or relief elements inside the artwork, such as carved pieces, protruding or sculptural elements? How does this impact the viewing of the work from different angles?
Is there a variety or repetition of shapes/forms? What outcome does this have (i.e. repetition may reinforce ideas, remainder composition and/or create harmony / visual unity; multifariousness may create visual interest or overwhelm the viewer with anarchy)?
How are shapes organised in relation to each other, or with the frame of the artwork (i.e. grouped; overlapping; repeated; echoed; fused edges; touching at tangents; contrasts in scale or size; distracting or awkward junctions)?
Are silhouettes (external edges of objects) considered?

All shapes accept silhouettes, and vision research has shown that one of the first tasks of perception is to be able to sort out the silhouette shapes of each of the elements in a scene. – James Gurney, Imaginative Realism⁹

Are forms designed with ergonomics and human being scale in listen?

Ergonomics: an engineering science concerned with designing and arranging things people use and so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely – Merriam-webster.com

Tin can you identify which forms are functional or structural, versus ornamental or decorative?
Have any forms been disassembled, 'cut abroad' or exposed, such as a exclusive drawing? What is the purpose of this (i.e. to explain construction methods; communicate information; dramatic result)?
Would it exist appropriate to use shape and course in a similar mode within your ain artwork?

Value / tone / calorie-free

Has a broad tonal range been used in the artwork (i.eastward. a broad range of darks, highlights and mid-tones) or is the tonal range limited (i.e. pale and faint; subdued; wearisome; brooding and dark overall; strong highlights and shadows, with fiddling mid-tone values)? What is the consequence of this?
Where are the low-cal sources within the artwork or scene? Is there a unmarried consistent calorie-free source or multiple sources of light (sunshine; lite bulbs; torches; lamps; luminous surfaces)? What is the effect of these choices (i.e. mimics natural lighting conditions at a certain time of day or night; figures lit from the side to analyze form; contrasting groundwork or spot-lighting used to accentuate a focal area; soft and diffused lighting used to mute contrasts and minimize harsh shadows; dappled lighting to signal sunshine broken by surrounding leaves; chiaroscuro used to exaggerate theatrical drama and impact; areas cloaked in darkness to minimize visual complexity; to raise our understanding of narrative, mood or pregnant)?

One of the near important ways in which artists tin use light to achieve detail effects is in making strong contrasts betwixt light and nighttime. This contrast is often described equally chiaroscuro. – Matthew Treherne, Analysing Paintings, Academy of Leeds³

Are representations of three-dimensional objects and figures flat or tonally modeled? How practice different tonal values alter from one to the side by side (i.e. gentle, smooth gradations; abrupt tonal bands)?
Are there any unusual, reflective or transparent surfaces, mediums or materials which reverberate or transmit light in a special style?
Has tone been used to assistance communicate atmospheric perspective (i.e. paler and bluer as objects become further away)?
Are gallery or ecology lite sources where the artwork is displayed fixed or fluctuating? Does the work appear different when viewed at different times of day? How does this affect your interpretation of the work?
Are shadows depicted within the artwork? What is the effect of these shadows (i.eastward. anchors objects to the page; creates the illusion of depth and infinite; creates dramatic contrasts)?
Do sculptural protrusions or relief elements grab the light and/or create cast shadows or pockets of shadow upon the artwork? How does this influence the viewer'due south experience?
How has tone been used to aid direct the viewer'south attention to focal areas?
Would it be appropriate to use value / tone in a like style within your ain artwork? Why / why not?

Color / hue

Can you view the truthful color of the artwork (i.east. are you viewing a low-quality reproduction or examining the artwork in poor lighting)?
Whichcolor schemes have been used within the artwork (i.east. harmonious; complementary; primary; monochrome; earthy; warm; cool/cold)? Has the artist used a broad or express color palette (i.e. variety or unity)? Which colors dominate?
How would you draw the intensity of the colors (vibrant; bright; vivid; glowing; pure; saturated; strong; dull; muted; pale; subdued; bleached; diluted)?
Are colors transparent or opaque? Tin can yous see reflected colour?
Has color dissimilarity been used within the artwork (i.e. extreme contrasts; juxtaposition of complementary colors; garish / clashing / jarring)? Are at that place whatever abrupt colour changes or unexpected uses of color?
What is the result of these color choices (i.east. expressing symbolic or thematic ideas; descriptive or realistic depiction of local color; emphasizing focal areas; creating the illusion of aerial perspective; relationships with colors in surrounding environment; creating balance; creating rhythm/pattern/repetition; unity and variety within the artwork; lack of color places emphasis upon shape, detail and course)? What kind of atmosphere do these colors create?

It is often said that warm colors (red, orange, yellow) come forward and produce a sense of excitement (yellow is said to advise warmth and happiness, equally in the smiley confront), whereas cool colors (blueish, dark-green) recede and have a calming result. Experiments, nonetheless, take proved inconclusive; the response to color – despite clichés nearly seeing red or feeling blue – is highly personal, highly cultural, highly varied. – Sylvan Barnet, A Brusk Guide to Writing Nigh Art²

Would it be appropriate to use color in a like way within your own artwork?

Texture / surface / pattern

Are in that location any interesting textural, tactile or surface qualities within the artwork (i.e. bumpy; grooved; indented; scratched; stressed; rough; shine; shiny; varnished; glassy; glossy; polished; matte; sandy; grainy; gritted; leathery; spiky; silky)? How are these created (i.e. inherent qualities of materials; impasto mediums; sculptural materials; illusions or implied texture, such as cross-hatching; finely detailed and intricate areas; organic patterns such as leafage or pocket-size stones; repeating patterns; decoration)?
How are textural or patterned elements positioned and what event does this have (i.east. used intermittently to provide variety; repeating blueprint creates rhythm; patterns broken create focal points; textured areas create visual links and unity between split up areas of the artwork; rest between detailed/textured areas and simpler areas; glossy surface creates a sense of luxury; imitation of texture conveys data about a discipline, i.e. softness of fur or strands of hair)?
Would it be appropriate to use texture / surface in a like way within your own artwork?

Space

Is the pictorial infinite shallow or deep? How does the artwork create the illusion of depth (i.eastward. layering of foreground, center-ground, background; overlapping of objects; use of shadows to anchor objects; positioning of items in relationship to the horizon line; linear perspective – larn more about one point perspective here; tonal modeling; relationships with next objects and those in close proximity – including the human class – to create a sense of calibration; spatial distortions or optical illusions; manipulating scale of objects to create 'surrealist' spaces where true calibration is unknown)?
Has an unusual viewpoint been used (i.e. worm'due south view; aerial view, looking out a window or through a doorway; a scene reflected in a mirror or shiny surface; looking through leaves; multiple viewpoints combined)? What is the consequence of this viewpoint (i.east. allows certain parts of the scene to be ascendant and overpowering or squashed, condensed and foreshortened; or suggests a narrative between two separate spaces; provides more data about a space than would normally be seen)?
Is the accent upon mass or void? How densely arranged are components within the artwork or pic aeroplane? What is the relationship between object and surrounding space (i.eastward. compact / crowded / busy / densely populated, with little surrounding infinite; spacious; conscientious interplay between positive and negative space; objects clustered to create areas of visual interest)? What is the effect of this (i.e. creates a sense of emptiness or isolation; business / visual clutter creates a feeling of anarchy or claustrophobia)?
How does the artwork engage with existent space – in and around the artwork (i.eastward. cocky-contained; closed off; middle contact with viewer; reaching outwards)? Is the viewer expected to move through the artwork? What is the relationship between interior and outside infinite? What connections or contrasts occur betwixt within and out? Is information technology comprised of a series of split up or linked spaces?
Would information technology be appropriate to use space in a like way within your ain artwork?

Use of media / materials

What materials and mediums has the artwork been constructed from? Accept materials been curtained or presented deceptively (i.e. is there an authenticity / honesty of materials; are materials celebrated; is the construction visible or exposed)? Why were these mediums selected (weight; color; texture; size; force; flexibility; pliability; fragility; ease of utilise; toll; cultural significance; durability; availability; accessibility)? Would other mediums have been appropriate?
Which skills, techniques, methods and processes were used (i.e. traditional; conventional; industrial; contemporary; innovative)? It is important to note that the examiners do not want the regurgitation of long, technical processes, only rather to see personal observations well-nigh how processes result and influence the artwork in question. Would replicating part of the artwork help y'all proceeds a ameliorate understanding of the processes used?
Has the artwork been built in layers or stages? For example:
- Painting: gesso ground > textured mediums > underdrawing > blocking in colors > defining form > final details;
- Compages: brief > concepts > evolution > working drawings > foundations > structure > cladding > finishes;
- Graphic pattern: brief > concepts > development > Photoshop > proofing > printing.
How does the employ of media help the creative person to communicate ideas?
Are these methods useful for your own project?

Finally, remember that these questions are a guide just and are intended to make you start to call up critically about the art y'all are studying and creating.