List the Tree Things You Do When You View a Work of Art?

Last Updated on May 27, 2021

This commodity has been written for high school art students who are working upon a critical study 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 textile of whatsoever kind, including drawing, painting, mixed media, graphic blueprint, sculpture, printmaking, architecture, photography, textiles, way and and so on (the discussion 'artwork' in this commodity is all-encompassing). The questions include a wide range of specialist art terms, prompting students to utilise subject-specific vocabulary in their responses. Information technology combines advice from art analysis textbooks as well as from loftier schoolhouse art teachers who have first-paw experience teaching these concepts to students.

COPYRIGHT Annotation: This material is bachelor every bit a printable art assay PDF handout. This may be used free of charge in a classroom situation. To share this material with others, delight use the social media buttons at the lesser of this folio. Copying, sharing, uploading or distributing this commodity (or the PDF) in whatsoever other way is not permitted.

How to analyse a piece of art — International GCSE creative person analysis example: The image above shows part of an A* IGSCE Fine art and Blueprint sketchbook page analysing the work of Jim Dine, by Rhea Maheshwari, ACG Parnell College.

Why do we study fine art?

Near all loftier schoolhouse art students comport out disquisitional 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 and then explore these in their own art. This is one of the all-time means for students to learn.

Instructors who assign formal analyses want you lot to wait—and look advisedly. Think of the object as a series of decisions that an artist made. Your job is to figure out and describe, explicate, and interpret those decisions and why the artist may accept made them. – The Writing Center, Academy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill^ten

Art analysis tips

'I like this' or 'I don't similar this' without any further caption or justification is non analysis. Personal opinions must be supported with explanation, evidence or justification.
'Analysis of artwork' does not hateful 'description of artwork'. To gain loftier marks, students must movement beyond stating the obvious and add perceptive, personal insight. Students should demonstrate higher guild thinking – the power to analyse, evaluate and synthesize information and ideas. For example, if color has been used to create strong contrasts in sure areas of an artwork, students might follow this observation with a thoughtful assumption near why this is the case – possibly a deliberate try by the artist to describe attention to a focal indicate, helping to convey thematic ideas.

Although description is an of import role of a formal analysis, clarification is not enough on its own. You lot must innovate and contextualize your descriptions of the formal elements of the piece of work and then the reader understands how each element influences the piece of work's overall effect on the viewer. – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing Nearly Fine art²

Comprehend a range of different visual elements and pattern principles. It is common for students to go experts at writing about one or two elements of limerick, while neglecting everything else – for example, merely focusing upon the use of color in every artwork studied. This results in a narrow, repetitive and incomplete analysis of the artwork. Students should ensure that they cover a wide range of art elements and design principles, as well as address context and meaning, where required. The questions beneath are designed to ensure that students cover a broad range of relevant topics inside their analysis.
Write alongside the artwork discussed. In most all cases, written assay should exist presented alongside the work discussed, and so that it is clear which artwork comments refer to. This makes it easier for examiners to follow and evaluate the writing.
Back up writing with visual analysis. Information technology is almost ever helpful for high school students to support written fabric with sketches, drawings and diagrams that aid the student empathise and analyse the slice of art. This might include composition sketches; diagrams showing the primary construction of an artwork; detailed enlargements of small sections; experiments imitating utilize of media or technique; or illustrations overlaid with arrows showing leading lines and and so on. Visual investigation of this sort plays an of import function in many artist studies.

Making sketches or drawings from works of art is the traditional, centuries-old way that artists have learned from each other. In doing this, you volition engage with a work and an artist'southward approach even if y'all previously knew nothing about it. If possible practice this whenever you can, not from a postcard, the internet or a picture show in a book, but from the bodily piece of work itself. This is useful because it forces yous to await closely at the work and to consider elements you might non have noticed before. – Susie Hodge, How to Look at Art⁷

Finally, when writing about fine art, students should communicate with clarity; demonstrate subject field-specific knowledge; use correct terminology; generate personal responses; and reference all content and ideas sourced from others. This is explained in more detail in our article about high schoolhouse sketchbooks.

What should students write most?

Although each aspect of composition is treated separately in the questions beneath, students should consider the relationship between visual elements (line, shape, form, value/tone, color/hue, texture/surface, space) and how these interact to form design principles (such as unity, diversity, emphasis, potency, balance, symmetry, harmony, movement, dissimilarity, rhythm, blueprint, scale, proportion) to communicate meaning.

Every bit complex as works of fine art typically are, there are really only 3 general categories of statements one can make well-nigh them. A argument addresses class, content or context (or their various interrelations). – Dr. Robert J. Belton, Art History: A Preliminary Handbook, The University of British Columbia⁵

…a formal analysis – the result of looking closely – is an assay of the form that the artist produces; that is, an analysis of the work of fine art, which is fabricated up of such things as line, shape, colour, texture, mass, composition. These things give the stone or canvas its form, its expression, its content, its meaning. – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing About Fine art^two

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

Composition analysis: a list of questions

The questions below are designed to facilitate direct engagement with an artwork and to encourage a breadth and depth of understanding of the artwork studied. They are intended to prompt higher guild thinking and to help students arrive at well-reasoned analysis.

Information technology 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 case, some questions are appropriate for analyzing a painting, but non a sculpture). The words provided as examples are intended to help students think about appropriate vocabulary to employ when discussing a particular topic. Definitions of more complex words have been provided.

Students should not attempt to re-create out questions and then reply them; rather the questions should exist considered a starting betoken for writing bullet pointed annotation or sentences in paragraph grade.

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 fine art assay; others provide data about limerick. For more details, please refer to the bibliography below.

CONTENT, CONTEXT AND MEANING

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

There can be different, competing, and contradictory interpretations of the same artwork.
An artwork is not necessarily well-nigh what the artist wanted it to be nearly. – Terry Barrett, Criticizing Fine art: Agreement the Contemporary^{half dozen}

Our interest in the painting grows just when we forget its title and take an involvement in the things that information technology does not mention…" – Françoise Barbe-Gall, How to Look at a Painting⁸

Does the artwork fall within an established genre (i.e. historical; mythical; religious; portraiture; mural; still life; fantasy; architectural)?
Are at that place any recognisable objects, places or scenes? How are these presented (i.east. idealized; realistic; indistinct; hidden; distorted; exaggerated; stylized; reflected; reduced to simplified/minimalist grade; primitive; bathetic; concealed; suggested; blurred or focused)?
Have people been included? What can nosotros tell about them (i.e. identity; age; attire; profession; cultural connections; health; family relationships; wealth; mood/expression)? What can we larn from their pose (i.e. frontal; profile; partly turned; body language)? Where are they looking (i.e. direct center contact with viewer; downcast; interested in other subjects within the artwork)? Can nosotros work out relationships between figures from the way they are posed?

What exercise the vesture, furnishings, accessories (horses, swords, dogs, clocks, business organization ledgers so forth), background, angle of the caput or posture of the caput and body, direction of the gaze, and facial expression contribute to our sense of the figure's social identity (monarch, chaplain, 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 practice aspects of setting support the primary subject? What is the result of including these items within the organization (visual unity; connections between different parts of the artwork; directs attention; surprise; variety and visual interest; separates / divides / borders; transformation from i object to some other; unexpected juxtaposition)?

If a waiter served yous a whole fish and a scoop of chocolate ice cream on the aforementioned plate, your surprise might be caused by the juxtaposition, or the side-by-side contrast, of the two foods. – Vocabulary.com

A motif is an chemical element in a composition or design that tin can exist used repeatedly for decorative, structural, or iconographic purposes. A motif can exist representational or abstract, and it tin can be endowed with symbolic significant. Motifs can be repeated in multiple artworks and oft recur throughout the life's piece of work of an individual artist. – John A. Parks, Universal Principles of Art^xi

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, gear up or contrived?
Does the artwork explore movement? Do 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 motion (i.e. multiple or sequential images; blurred edges; scene frozen mid-action; live performance art; video art; kinetic art)?
What kind of abstract elements are shown (i.e. bars; shapes; splashes; lines)? Have these been derived from or inspired by realistic forms? Are they the result of spontaneous, accidental cosmos or careful, deliberate arrangement?
Does the work include the appropriation of piece of work past other artists, such every bit inside a parody or pop art? What effect does this take (i.e. copyright concerns)?

Parody: mimicking the appearance and/or manner of something or someone, merely with a twist for comic effect or disquisitional comment, equally in Saturday Night Live'southward political satires – Dr. Robert J. Belton, Fine art History: A Preliminary Handbook, The Academy of British Columbia^v

Does the subject obsess an instinctual response, such every bit items that are informative, shocking or threatening for humans (i.east. unsafe places; abnormally positioned items; human faces; the gaze of people; motility; text)? Heap map tracking has demonstrated that these elements catch our attending, regardless of where they are positioned –James Gurney writes more about this fascinating topic.
What kind of text has been used (i.e. font size; font weight; font family; stenciled; paw-fatigued; figurer-generated; printed)? What has influenced this choice of text?
Do cardinal objects or images have symbolic value or provide a cue to meaning? How does the artwork convey deeper, conceptual themes (i.e. allegory; iconographic elements; signs; metaphor; irony)?

Allegory is a device whereby abstract ideas can exist communicated using images of the concrete world. Elements, whether figures or objects, in a painting or sculpture are endowed with symbolic meaning. Their relationships and interactions combine to create more complex meanings. – John A. Parks, Universal Principles of Art¹¹

An iconography is a particular range or system of types of prototype used by an artist or artists to convey particular meanings. For example in Christian religious painting there is an iconography of images such every bit the lamb which represents Christ, or the dove which represents the Holy Spirit. – Tate.org.uk

What tone of voice does the artwork have (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.due east positive; energetic; excitement; serious; sedate; peaceful; calm; melancholic; tense; uneasy; uplifting; foreboding; calm; turbulent)? Which subject affair choices help to communicate this mood (i.e. weather and lighting conditions; colour of objects and scenes)?
Does the title change the mode you interpret the work?
Were there any design constraints relating to the subject affair or theme/s (i.e. a sculpture commissioned to correspond a specific subject, place or thought)?
Are there thematic connections with your own project? What can yous larn from the way the artist has approached this bailiwick?

Wider contexts

All fine art is in part about the world in which it emerged. – Terry Barrett, Criticizing Art: Agreement the Gimmicky⁶

Supported by research, can you identify when, where and why the piece of work was created and its original intention or purpose (i.east. individual sale; commissioned for a specific owner; commemorative; educational; promotional; illustrative; decorative; confrontational; useful or practical utility; communication; created in response to a design brief; private viewing; public viewing)? In what way has this groundwork influenced the outcome (i.e. availability of tools, materials or time; expectations of the patron / audience)?
Where is the place of construction or design site and how does this influence the artwork (i.e. reflects local traditions, craftsmanship, or community; complements surrounding designs; designed to accommodate weather conditions / climate; built on historic site)? Was the artwork originally located somewhere different?
Which events and surrounding environments have influenced this work (i.e. natural events; social movements such as feminism; political events, economic situations, celebrated events, religious settings, cultural events)? What effect did these have?
Is the work feature of an artistic way, movement or time menstruum? Has it been influenced past trends, fashions or ideologies? How can you lot tell?
Can you brand any relevant connections or comparisons with other artworks? Have other artists explored a similar field of study in a similar way? Did this occur earlier or after this artwork was created?
Can you make whatever relevant connections to other fields of report or expression (i.e. geography, mathematics, literature, picture show, music, history or science)?
Which key biographical details about the artist are relevant in agreement this artwork (upbringing and personal state of affairs; family and relationships; psychological state; wellness and fitness; socioeconomic condition; employment; ethnicity; culture; gender; education, religion; interests, attitudes, values and behavior)?
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 distort your estimation of the artwork? Does your own response differ from the public response, that of the original audience and/orinterpretation by critics?
How do these wider contexts compare to the contexts surrounding your own piece of work?

COMPOSITION AND Grade

Format

What is the overall size, shape and orientation of the artwork (i.e. vertical, horizontal, portrait, landscape or square)? Has this format been influenced by practical considerations (i.due east. availability of materials; brandish constraints; pattern cursory restrictions; screen sizes; common attribute ratios in flick or photography such as four:iii or ii:3; or paper sizes such as A4, A3, A2, A1)?
How do images fit within the frame (cropped; truncated; shown in total)? Why is this format appropriate for the subject matter?
Are dissimilar parts of the artwork physically separate, such every bit within a diptych or triptych?
Where are the boundaries of the artwork (i.due east. 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 adjusted over fourth dimension? What causes such changes (i.eastward. weather condition and exposure to the elements – melting, erosion, discoloration, decaying, current of air movement, surface abrasion; structural failure – keen, breaking; harm acquired by unpredictable events, such equally 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 by subsequent artists or users; a project so expansive it takes years to construct)? How does this change bear on the artwork? Are in that location stylistic variances betwixt 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 adjacent structures; imposing or dwarfed by surround; homo scale)? Is the artwork designed to be viewed from one vantage point (i.east. front facing; viewed from beneath; approached from a main entrance; set at human middle level) or many? Are images taken from the best bending?
Would a like format do good your own projection? Why / why not?

Structure / layout

Has the artwork been organised using a formal system of arrangement or mathematical proportion (i.e. rule of thirds; golden ratio or spiral; filigree format; geometric; ascendant triangle; or circular limerick) or is the arrangement less predictable (i.east. cluttered, random, accidental, fragmented, meandering, scattered; irregular or spontaneous)? How does this organization of arrangement help with the advice of ideas? Can you describe a diagram to bear witness the basic structure of the artwork?
Can you see a articulate intention with alignment and positioning of parts inside the artwork (i.e. edges aligned; items spaced equally; simple or complex organisation; overlapping, amassed or concentrated objects; dispersed, divide items; repetition of forms; items extending beyond the frame; frames within frames; bordered perimeter or patterned edging; broken borders)? What effect exercise these visual devices have (i.eastward. imply hierarchy; help the viewer understand relationships betwixt parts of artwork; create rhythm)?
Does the artwork have a primary centrality of symmetry (vertical, diagonal, horizontal)? Can you locate a heart of residual? Is the artwork symmetrical, asymmetrical (i.due east. 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' ascendant forms appear in the limerick)? Where are ascendant items located within the frame?
How do your optics move through the composition?
Could your ain artwork utilize a similar organisational structure?

Line

What types of linear marker-making are shown (thick; thin; short; long; soft; assuming; delicate; feathery; indistinct; faint; irregular; intermittent; freehand; ruled; mechanical; expressive; loose; blurred; dashing; cantankerous-hatching; meandering; gestural, fluid; flowing; jagged; spiky; sharp)? What atmosphere, moods, emotions or ideas practise these evoke?
Are at that place whatsoever interrupted, suggested or implied lines (i.east. lines that can't literally be seen, but the viewer'southward brain connects the dots betwixt split up elements)?
Where are the dominating lines in the composition and what is the effect of these? Can you overlay tracing paper upon an artwork to illustrate some of the important lines?
- Repeating lines: may simulate material qualities, texture, pattern or rhythm;
- Boundary lines: may segment, split up or separate different areas;
- Leading lines: may dispense the viewer's gaze, directing vision or pb the eye to focal points (eye tracking studies indicate that our eyes leap from one point of interest to another, rather than move smoothly or predictably along leading lines⁹. Lines may all the same assist to found emphasis by 'pointing' towards sure items);
- Parallel lines: may create a sense of depth or motility through space within a landscape;
- Horizontal lines: may create a sense of stability and permanence;
- Vertical lines: may suggest height, reaching upwards or falling;
- Intersecting perpendicular lines: may propose rigidity, strength;
- Abstract lines: may balance the composition, create contrast or accent;
- Athwart / diagonal lines: may suggest tension or unease;
- Cluttered lines: may suggest a sense of agitation or panic;
- Underdrawing, construction lines or contour lines: describe course (learn more about contour lines in our article about line drawing);
- Curving / organic lines: may suggest nature, peace, move or energy.
What is the relationship between line and three-dimensional form? Areoutlines used to define form and edges?
Would information technology be advisable to utilize line in a similar way inside your own artwork?

Shape and form

Can you place a ascendant visual language within the shapes and forms shown (i.e. geometric; angular; rectilinear; curvilinear; organic; natural; fragmented; distorted; free-flowing; varied; irregular; circuitous; minimal)? Why is this visual language appropriate?
How are the edges of forms treated (i.e. do they fade away or blur at the edges, every bit if melting into the page; ripped or torn; singled-out and hard-edged; or, in the words of James Gurney⁹, do they 'dissolve into sketchy lines, paint strokes or drips')?
Are there any three-dimensional forms or relief elements inside the artwork, such every bit carved pieces, protruding or sculptural elements? How does this touch the viewing of the work from dissimilar angles?
Is there a variety or repetition of shapes/forms? What effect does this have (i.due east. repetition may reinforce ideas, balance composition and/or create harmony / visual unity; diverseness may create visual involvement 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 have silhouettes, and vision research has shown that 1 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 scale in listen?

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

Can you lot identify which forms are functional or structural, versus ornamental or decorative?
Have any forms been disassembled, 'cut away' or exposed, such equally a exclusive drawing? What is the purpose of this (i.due east. to explain construction methods; communicate information; dramatic effect)?
Would it be appropriate to utilise shape and class in a like manner within your ain artwork?

Value / tone / low-cal

Has a wide tonal range been used in the artwork (i.e. a broad range of darks, highlights and mid-tones) or is the tonal range express (i.e. stake and faint; subdued; tiresome; heart-searching and dark overall; strong highlights and shadows, with little mid-tone values)? What is the issue of this?
Where are the calorie-free sources inside the artwork or scene? Is there a unmarried consistent lite source or multiple sources of low-cal (sunshine; light bulbs; torches; lamps; luminous surfaces)? What is the effect of these choices (i.eastward. mimics natural lighting weather at a certain fourth dimension of day or night; figures lit from the side to clarify grade; contrasting background or spot-lighting used to accentuate a focal area; soft and diffused lighting used to mute contrasts and minimize harsh shadows; dappled lighting to point sunshine broken by surrounding leaves; chiaroscuro used to exaggerate theatrical drama and affect; areas cloaked in darkness to minimize visual complication; to enhance our understanding of narrative, mood or meaning)?

One of the almost important ways in which artists can utilize light to achieve particular effects is in making strong contrasts betwixt lite and dark. This contrast is often described as chiaroscuro. – Matthew Treherne, Analysing Paintings, Academy of Leeds³

Are representations of 3-dimensional objects and figures flat or tonally modeled? How do different tonal values change from 1 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 reflect or transmit light in a special fashion?
Has tone been used to assistance communicate atmospheric perspective (i.e. paler and bluer as objects get farther away)?
Are gallery or environmental light sources where the artwork is displayed fixed or fluctuating? Does the work appear different when viewed at different times of twenty-four hours? How does this touch on your estimation of the work?
Are shadows depicted inside the artwork? What is the effect of these shadows (i.e. anchors objects to the page; creates the illusion of depth and space; creates dramatic contrasts)?
Do sculptural protrusions or relief elements catch the light and/or create cast shadows or pockets of shadow upon the artwork? How does this influence the viewer's experience?
How has tone been used to help direct the viewer'due south attending to focal areas?
Would information technology be appropriate to utilize value / tone in a similar manner within your ain artwork? Why / why not?

Color / hue

Can you lot view the true colour of the artwork (i.e. are you viewing a low-quality reproduction or examining the artwork in poor lighting)?
Whichcolor schemes take been used within the artwork (i.eastward. harmonious; complementary; primary; monochrome; earthy; warm; absurd/cold)? Has the artist used a broad or limited colour palette (i.due east. variety or unity)? Which colors boss?
How would y'all depict the intensity of the colors (vibrant; vivid; vivid; glowing; pure; saturated; strong; ho-hum; muted; pale; subdued; bleached; diluted)?
Are colors transparent or opaque? Can you see reflected color?
Has color contrast been used within the artwork (i.due east. extreme contrasts; juxtaposition of complementary colors; garish / clashing / jarring)? Are there whatsoever precipitous color changes or unexpected uses of colour?
What is the issue of these colour choices (i.e. expressing symbolic or thematic ideas; descriptive or realistic depiction of local colour; emphasizing focal areas; creating the illusion of aerial perspective; relationships with colors in surrounding environment; creating residue; creating rhythm/pattern/repetition; unity and variety inside the artwork; lack of colour places emphasis upon shape, detail and form)? What kind of atmosphere do these colors create?

It is often said that warm colors (red, orangish, yellow) come up forward and produce a sense of excitement (yellow is said to propose warmth and happiness, every bit in the smiley face), whereas cool colors (blue, green) recede and have a calming issue. Experiments, even so, have proved inconclusive; the response to color – despite clichés nearly seeing ruby or feeling blue – is highly personal, highly cultural, highly varied. – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing About Art²

Would information technology exist appropriate to utilize color in a similar way within your own artwork?

Texture / surface / pattern

Are there any interesting textural, tactile or surface qualities within the artwork (i.e. bumpy; grooved; indented; scratched; stressed; crude; shine; shiny; varnished; glassy; glossy; polished; matte; sandy; grainy; gritted; leathery; spiky; silky)? How are these created (i.due east. inherent qualities of materials; impasto mediums; sculptural materials; illusions or implied texture, such as cross-hatching; finely detailed and intricate areas; organic patterns such equally leafage or small stones; repeating patterns; ornamentation)?
How are textural or patterned elements positioned and what upshot does this have (i.e. used intermittently to provide diversity; repeating pattern creates rhythm; patterns broken create focal points; textured areas create visual links and unity between separate areas of the artwork; remainder between detailed/textured areas and simpler areas; glossy surface creates a sense of luxury; imitation of texture conveys information virtually a subject, i.e. softness of fur or strands of hair)?
Would it be appropriate to employ texture / surface in a similar way within your own artwork?

Space

Is the pictorial space shallow or deep? How does the artwork create the illusion of depth (i.e. layering of foreground, middle-ground, background; overlapping of objects; utilise of shadows to ballast objects; positioning of items in human relationship to the horizon line; linear perspective – learn more than almost one betoken perspective here; tonal modeling; relationships with adjacent objects and those in shut proximity – including the homo class – to create a sense of calibration; spatial distortions or optical illusions; manipulating calibration of objects to create 'surrealist' spaces where true scale is unknown)?
Has an unusual viewpoint been used (i.e. worm's 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 issue of this viewpoint (i.e. allows certain parts of the scene to exist dominant and overpowering or squashed, condensed and foreshortened; or suggests a narrative between two separate spaces; provides more information about a infinite than would ordinarily be seen)?
Is the emphasis upon mass or void? How densely bundled are components within the artwork or moving picture plane? What is the relationship between object and surrounding infinite (i.e. compact / crowded / busy / densely populated, with piddling surrounding space; spacious; conscientious interplay between positive and negative space; objects clustered to create areas of visual interest)? What is the effect of this (i.east. creates a sense of emptiness or isolation; business / visual ataxia creates a feeling of chaos or claustrophobia)?
How does the artwork appoint with real space – in and around the artwork (i.e. cocky-contained; closed off; centre contact with viewer; reaching outwards)? Is the viewer expected to motion through the artwork? What is the relationship between interior and exterior space? What connections or contrasts occur between within and out? Is it comprised of a series of separate or linked spaces?
Would it exist appropriate to use space in a similar way inside your own artwork?

Use of media / materials

What materials and mediums has the artwork been constructed from? Have materials been concealed or presented deceptively (i.e. is in that location an authenticity / honesty of materials; are materials celebrated; is the structure visible or exposed)? Why were these mediums selected (weight; color; texture; size; force; flexibility; pliability; fragility; ease of utilize; price; cultural significance; durability; availability; accessibility)? Would other mediums take been appropriate?
Which skills, techniques, methods and processes were used (i.eastward. traditional; conventional; industrial; contemporary; innovative)? It is of import to annotation that the examiners do non want the regurgitation of long, technical processes, but rather to see personal observations nearly how processes effect and influence the artwork in question. Would replicating office of the artwork aid you lot gain a better understanding of the processes used?
Has the artwork been built in layers or stages? For example:
- Painting: gesso footing > textured mediums > underdrawing > blocking in colors > defining form > final details;
- Compages: brief > concepts > development > working drawings > foundations > structure > cladding > finishes;
- Graphic design: cursory > concepts > development > Photoshop > proofing > printing.
How does the use of media aid the artist to communicate ideas?
Are these methods useful for your own projection?

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