FAH101: 2.1 Description and analysis

What is a formal analysis?

At its root, it's an examination of the forms (visual elements and qualities) that are discernible in an artwork or object. What an artwork looks like – including the ways it's made to look like it does – matters! These forms not only define the work's visual character, they also give it its expression, message, and meaning.

A formal analysis assumes a work of art is a purposefully made object, which has been created with a stable meaning (even though it might not be clear to the viewer), and the meaning or character of the work can be ascertained by studying the relationships between the work's visual elements and qualities.

Thomas Struth – Art Institute of Chicago II, Chicago (1990)
Imagine describing a work of art to someone who has never seen it before (assume they can't see it or look up a picture of it). By reading your formal analysis, that person should have a complete mental picture of what the work looks like.

Yet, the formal analysis is more than just a description, it makes a claim about the work, it says something about how its visual elements and qualities are constructed and what effects they have. A formal analysis needs a thesis statement that reflects your conclusions about the work. This statement is like the key takeaway of your analysis and is crucial because it establishes the tone for the entire paper and sets it apart from being just a plain description.

Moreover, think about what effect these visual properties have on you as a viewer. How does the work direct your attention? How does it guide you through the work, or communicate something to you? Even the subtle things matter. To cite a non-art, non-human example, there's a viral trend I love of dogs watching Bluey, an animated kids shows about a family of dogs. Dogs are colourblind, but the animators included tones that dogs can perceive - so there's loads of videos of dogs watching it, absorbed, and even having a moment 🥹 Think about how one formal element - colour - totally changes how these viewers engage with the image, not because they understand what's going on, but are literally seeing it in a way that affects their attention and emotions.

A formal analysis is not concerned with explaining the symbolic interpretation or historical meaning of a work. It is first and foremost an exercise in close-looking, and you may have to resist the urge to jump to interpreting what the artwork means. A visual examination of the work is the starting point for unpacking how the work's effects, meaning, and expression are constructed by understanding how the work is visually constructed.

The video below, Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker outline the process of visually analyzing artworks.

Tip: to get closed captions on youtube embeds, click the CC button near the bottom right after pressing play.

Video: How to do visual (formal) analysis

Recap: What is the goal of a formal analysis?

In short: to explain how the formal elements (the visual forms and stylistic qualities and effects) of an artwork affect the representation of the subject matter and expressive content. Here, the emphasis is on analyzing the formal elements, not conducting research or doing interpretation of symbolism or historical background.
Writing a thesis for a formal analysis:

Here, a thesis statement should provides a framework for your analysis while suggesting your interpretation of the work. A thesis does not necessarily involve a statement of argument or original insight but should let the reader know how the artist's formal choices affect the viewer.

Exploring Formal Elements

Let's explore some of the main elements that you might discuss in a formal analysis.

Line
Shape
Space and Mass
Composition and Scale
Light and Colour
Style
Other Elements

click on the boxes above to learn about each category

Resource: Understanding Formal Analysis Quick Guides

The Getty Institute has created two quick guides on elements of art and principles of design. Download the two PDFs below for your reference.

Elements of Art
Principles of Design

Line

Joan Miró, Harlequin's Carnival, 1924-25

Line is a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; straight or curved; thick or thin.

Shape

Ellsworth Kelly, Meschers 1951

Shape is a closed line. Shapes can be geometric, like squares and circles; or organic, like free-form or natural shapes. Shapes are flat and can express length and width.

Forms

David Smith, Australia, 1951

Forms are three-dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are forms.

Space

Eva Hesse, Hang-up, 1966

Space is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth. Real space is three-dimensional; in visual art, when we create the feeling or illusion of depth, we call it space.

Colour

Howardena Pindell Untitled #4D, 2009

Scroll down to see full text

Colour is light reflected off of objects. Colour has three main characteristics: hue (the name of the colour, such as red, green, blue, etc.), value (how light or dark it is), and intensity (how bright or dull it is).

White is pure light; black is the absence of light.
Primary colours are the only true colours (red, blue, and yellow). All other
Secondary colours are two primary colours mixed together (green, orange,
Intermediate colours, sometimes called tertiary colours, are made by mixing a primary and secondary colour together. Some examples of intermediate colours are yellow green, blue green, and blue violet.
Complementary colours are located directly across from each other on the colour wheel (an arrangement of colours along a circular diagram to show how they are related to one another). Complementary pairs contrast because they share no common colours. For example, red and green are complements, because green is made of blue and yellow. When comple- mentary colours are mixed together, they neutralize each other to make brown.

Texture

Glenn Ligon, Stranger #90, 2018

Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for exam- ple, a drawing of a porcupine may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth.

Emphasis

John Baldessari, Gavel, 1987

Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The area couldbe different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.

Balance

Carmen Herrera, Amarillo “Dos”, 1971

Scroll down to see full text

Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design aresimilar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but still look balanced. In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a centralpoint and may be similar.

Movement

Carlo Carrà, Il Ciclista, 1913

Movement is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within thework of art.

Pattern

Mel Bochner, Blah, Blah, Blah, 2012

Pattern is the repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art.

Repetition

Lee Ufan, From Line, 1979

Repetition works with pattern to make the work of art seem active. The repetitionof elements of design creates unity within the work of art.

Proportion

Alberto Giacometti, Walking Man I, 1960

Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well with each other. When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.

Rhythm

Brice Marsden, The Propitious Garden of Plane Image, Third Version, 2000–2006

Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential.

Variety

Lari Pittman, Assembly, 2011

Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the viewer’s eye through and around the work of art.

Unity

Agnes Martin, Summer, 1964

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of completeness.

Click on the boxes above to learn more about the Getty's Elements of Art and Principles of Design, with examples provided by me, Edward

How do I start writing a formal analysis?

Formal analysis papers help you develop the ability to examine works in a sustained and analytical way.

Keep in mind that formal analysis does not mean producing a long, minute description of the artwork. Instead, you're trying to see how far you can interpret the image without consulting outside sources beyond the basic facts of identification.

Your formal analysis needs to be based on a process of sustained looking. This can be a challenge. Our education and culture don't train us to do this, so it helps to have a systematic procedure. When you're standing in front of a work it's easy to think that you'll remember all the details of it when you get back to your desk. Unfortunately, that too rarely proves to be true, so you need to incorporate thorough note-taking practice into the process of looking.

I'll share my working method here, but remember that you'll have to adapt it to work for you. The first thing I do is sit down in front of the piece and spend some time just looking at it, absorbing the different aspects of it without writing anything down. I try to pay attention to visual aspects of the piece that jump out at me immediately, as well as those that take time to engage my attention. If you're working with sculpture or an installation, move around it and look at it from different angles.

After you've looked for a while (at least 15 minutes), start taking notes about the piece. Write a detailed, systematic description of the work, noting its really striking features. When you've written down as much as you possibly can—this will easily take half an hour—go off and do something else. Get something to drink, look at some other works of art, browse the internet. Then, go back to the work and look at it again, another 15 minutes or so, without writing anything down. Be aware of features that emerge that you didn't see before. Then, take a whole new set of notes. At this point, a set of issues or themes, or a perspective should be taking shape. Go back over both sets of notes and see if you can clarify these ideas into a thesis statement, then be sure to have all the visual evidence you need to support that thesis.

Finally, draw the work. (Gasp, you've already done this for the previous assignment!) Even if you've downloaded the image, still draw it because it's a very effective way to engage your eye in careful looking. I do this when I'm researching: even if I take a dozen photographs of a piece I'm studying and write pages of formal analysis, I will draw it because that process enables me to see things I won't notice any other way. Don't get hung up on whether your drawing is "good" or not or whether you have any talent—this drawing is a working tool. The process may prompt other insights into the work, so be sure to write these down as well.

It's often helpful to go back on another day and repeat the looking process—especially with a rough draft of your paper in hand. If reality intervenes and you just don't have time, then it's even more important to make sure that you take detailed notes and visually engage with the work in a serious way the first time you see it.

Formal Analysis Examples

Below is a diagram of what a 600-word essay might look like, in terms of how the text is organized.

Download a PDF of the diagram here

diagram in lorem wording of what a 600-word formal analysis might look like

Outlining a Formal Analysis Paper

A good way to test the coherence of a final draft–to see if indeed it qualifies as an essay rather than as a draft—is to outline it, paragraph by paragraph, in two ways, indicating

what each paragraph says
what each paragraph does

An outline of this sort, in which you force yourself to consider not only the content but also the function of each paragraph, will help you to see if your essay...

1) says something
2) says it with the help of an effective structure.

If the structure is sound, your argument will flow nicely!

click on the buttons above to learn about each paragraph

Writing Your Formal Analysis Paper

Start by...

Reading over the assignment instructions in full
Downloading the template for assignment 1

Make sure you proofread your papers for adhering to the information listed above, as well as incorrect grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other errors. In addition, make sure your paper includes a thesis statement. Your grade will reflect your ability to follow these guidelines. Refer to the rubric on the assignment page for grading guidelines.

In the first paragraph – the introduction – you will include:

the name of the artist (if known), title (which is italicized every time you use the title in your paper), date, and medium (if known)
what you think is the subject
a very brief description of the work
thesis statement (usually the last line or so of your first paragraph)

From that point, the rest of the formal analysis should include not only a description of the piece but especially those details of the work that have led you to come to your thesis. Yet, your paper should not be a random flow of ideas about the work (i.e., stream-of-consciousness writing). Rather, your paper should have a sense of order, moving purposefully through your description with regard to specific elements (e.g., one paragraph may deal with composition, another with a description of the figures, another with the background, another about line, etc.). Finally, in your conclusion (the final paragraph), you should end your paper with a restatement of your thesis.

It is important to remember that your interest here is strictly formal. No research is to be used in this paper. In other words, you are strictly relying on your ability to visually "read" a work of art and make interpretations about it based on your analysis of it. Remember that your analysis should not be just a mechanical, physical description. Please use descriptive language and adjectives to describe your work. Begin with a general description of the work, and then move on to the more specific elements.

Below are things to consider when writing a formal analysis (in no particular order). Many of the questions were presented on the previous page. Keep in mind that you always need to back up your statements.

Record your first impression(s) of the artwork. What stands out? Is there a focal point (an area to which the artist wants your eye to be drawn)? If so, what formal elements led you to this conclusion? Your impressions can help you reach your thesis.
What is the subject of the artwork?
Size: How big is the artwork? Are the figures or objects in the work life-size, larger or smaller than life? How does the size affect the work?
Composition: How are the parts of the work arranged? Is there a stable or unstable composition? Is it dynamic? Full of movement? Or is it static?
Pose: If the work has figures, are the proportions believable? Realistic? Describe the pose(s). Is the figure active, calm, graceful, stiff, tense, or relaxed? Does the figure convey a mood? If there are several figures, how do they relate to each other (do they interact? not?)?
Proportions: Does the whole or even individual parts of the figure(s) or natural objects in the work look natural? Why did you come to this conclusion?
Line: Are the outlines (whether perceived or actual) smooth, fuzzy, or clear? Are the main lines vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curved, or a combination of any of these? Are the lines jagged and full of energy? Sketchy? Geometric? Curvilinear? Bold? Subtle?
Space: If the artist conveys space, what type of space is used? What is the relation of the main figure to the space around it? Are the main figures entirely within the space (if the artwork is a painting), or are parts of the bodies cut off by the edge of the artwork? Is the setting illusionistic, as if one could enter the space of the painting, or is it flat and two-dimensional, a space that one could not possibly enter?
Light and Shadow: Are shadows visible? Where? Are there dark shadows, light shadows, or both? How do the shadows affect the work?
Colour: What type of colours are used in the work? Bright? Dull? Complimentary? Does the artist use colours to draw your attention to specific areas of the work? How? If a sculpture, examine the colour(s) of the medium and how it affects the work.
Texture: If a sculpture, is the surface smooth and polished or rough? Are there several textures conveyed? Where and How? If a painting, is there any texture to the paint surface? Are the brushstrokes invisible? Brushy? Sketchy? Loose and flowing? Or tight and controlled?
Mood: Do you sense an overall mood in the artwork? Perhaps several different moods? If so, describe them. How does the mood interpret how you view the work?

Once you have spent some time analyzing your work, notice if your first impression of the work has changed now that you have taken a closer look. How? If you came up with a thesis statement before doing this in-depth analysis, you may want to change it if your impression of the work has changed. Your thesis statement should reflect your view of the object.

Reminder: No research, and use the quickguides for reference.

To do this week