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Visual & Performing Arts
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Formal Art Analysis: Catching the Sea Glass, Blue Chairticism paper ) (Other (Not Listed) Sample)


Formal Analysis Due December 5
Observation and Criticism paper
Write a 2 page formal analysis on 2 current contemporary artwork(s) that you physically experienced at a local contemporary art show, gallery or museum. The locations given above are perfect starting points. 
1. Visit a gallery or museum and pick 2 works to write a formal comparison of.
2. 2 pages, double spaced, Font: Times New Roman, Size 12
3. Attach flier or receipt and picture(s) of the work(s) you are discussing!
4. Use 10 vocabulary terms correctly in a fluid sentence and highlight them in BOLD (Not a list!!!! Write about what is in the work and how that adds to the composition)
5. Use several proofreaders and correct grammar!!
***You must include at least 10 of the following vocabulary words, most likely from the following:
Line, form, shape, form, color, value, texture, space, pattern, contrast, emphasis, balance, scale, harmony, rhythm, unity, variety. 
Choose words that successfully relate to the work you are discussing. If you use the word rhythm you must be direct about how rhythm is used by stating a clear example of what is repeated to create the rhythm, what type of rhythm and why is was used.
If you choose the word shape, you will discuss what type of shape. It could be geometric, organic, positive or negative and explain why or what the effect of using such a shape offering the viewer.
Get out of Bakersfield if possible, venture out into a new atmosphere, try to attend a show that is having an opening to experience what that is like. Find you are interested in, or curious about. Start with the sheet of questions that has been provided. Read it over before you go to the show. Bring it with you. This will act as a starting point on how and what to look at.
Consider the following questions when viewing a piece of art for the first time. After answering and considering the following questions you will be able to write an intelligent, thoughtful and informed formal analysis of the work(s).
What is the content of the work? What do I know about it iconography? Is there a recognizable subject and if so how is that subject treated? Are there symbols, and can I decode them?
Where does this work fit into the history of art? Does it remind me of any others I have seen, and it what way? Can I make any connection between the piece and others?
What do I know about the artist? Is there anything about his or her background that would influence my reaction to his work?
Does this work fall into any particular theme in the history of art? If so how does it echo or contradict other works done in the same theme?
When and where was this work made? What else was going on in the world? What are the characteristics of the culture from which it emerges and how does the work reflect those characteristics?
Physical and Visual characteristics 
What are the most prominent art elements in this work? Lines? Shapes? Values/ Colors?
Does this work seem unified, and is there enough variety to sustain interest? How did the artist use unity and/or variety?
How has artist balanced the composition? (asymmetry, symmetry, approximate symmetry)
What is the focal point or points and how did the artist create them? What roles do proportion and scale play, and how are they handled?
Do I sense a particular kind of rhythm? How is it created?
***Additional Information Provided By Professor (to help better understand assignment)
Museums are storehouses of our cultural treasures. Some focus on specific times and cultures. Galleries frequently change the artwork they display, and offer special exhibitions showcasing the work of contemporary and local artists. Artworks in a gallery are often for sale, but works owned by a museum are held in its care long term. Ask your professor what museums and galleries are located in your area. Artworks can also be seen all around you: for example, a sculpture in your local park, or art in government buildings or in the gallery on your school campus.
Often, museums were built by renowned architects, and are therefore works of art in themselves. As museum staff take pride in their collections, and are concerned for the valuable objects in their care, museums often have strict rules. The architecture itself can also be somewhat forbidding. Don't let such rules, or a building's imposing facade, make you feel unwelcome, however: the artwork is there for you to appreciate!
Let yourself wander through the museum, stopping to consider works that intrigue you. Everyone's taste is unique, and it is better for you to focus on a few works than to overwhelm yourself trying to understand the museum's entire collection in one day. When you come upon an artwork you would like to write about or sketch, stop and consider what it is that drew you to it. Do you love it? Hate it? Do you find it beautiful or ugly? Are you curious about the characters in the scene? Or are you confused by what the artist is trying to say? Use the textbook, class notes, and museum labels to help you understand the artwork. But do not forget to take ample time to look at it in detail.
You can make the most of your visit to a local art museum or gallery if you plan ahead. Based on what your teacher advises, choose a museum to visit. Research the items below online before you go so that you can make the most of your time with the exhibits.
What to take with you: First and foremost, read your assignment carefully before you go, and take it with you. Take a notebook and pencils, too, so you can make sketches of the works (including details that interest you). Some museums do not allow pens, so check first before taking one. Many museums do not allow you to take photographs, but if you have already printed out an image from the museum website, you can use this as a reference, or you may find a postcard of the work in the museum gift shop.
While you are there: Museum and gallery projects often require you to study one work in detail, or to compare and contrast two works. The experience of seeing works in a museum or gallery is the best way to enjoy and learn about art. Take a little time to look at other works, not just the ones you are studying for your assignment. Artworks displayed in the same room may well be by the same artist, or from the same era or culture. You may notice something in these pieces that will inspire extra ideas for your assignment.
Practical considerations: Check the museum website for information about opening hours, transportation, parking, entrance fees, and whether such items as backpacks and cameras are allowed inside the museum (and if not, where you can check them). Some museums do not charge for entry but may charge for a special exhibit: check the website for details. Many museums that charge have free or reduced-price admission on specific days.
Artwork labels: There are usually labels next to each artwork. These labels contain useful information about the work, which can help you write a really great assignment. Do not forget to make notes of the details given in the labels. The museum bookstore and website will help you find more material about the artwork you select.
Museum and gallery dos and don'ts: You may want to get close to a work to study a particular detail, but remember to be courteous to other visitors who may want to see the work at the same time. Never touch a work of art, because doing so can damage it. Do not take photos unless you are sure this is allowed. If in doubt, ask. Some museums permit visitors to take photos if flash is not used. Finally, although food and drink are not allowed in the exhibition spaces of museums and galleries, many have a café or restaurant.
A work of art is the product of the dynamic interrelationships between the various art elements and principles as they are utilized by the artist. As you engage with a work of art, ask yourself why the artist made such choices. By looking more closely at artworks and trying to identify the elements and principles of art that have been used to create them, we may further understand the artist's intended vision and will notice how the artwork often reflects the time and place from which it came.
Elements of Art
Color: Which colors are predominantly used in this depiction? If the object is black and white, or shades of gray, did the artist choose to do this because of the media he or she was working in, or do such shades create a certain mood or effect? Color can best be described by its hue, tone, and intensity (the hue is its basic shade, for example blue or red). Does the artist's choice of color create a certain mood? Does he or she make use of complementary colors—red/green, violet/yellow, blue/orange—or analogous ones (those next to each other on the color wheel)? Does the artist utilize colors that are "warm" or "cool"? In which parts of the work? Is atmospheric perspective—in which cool colors recede, creating a blurred background, and warm, clear colors fill the foreground—used? Do you notice any visual effects, such as optical color mixing?
Shape: What shapes do you see? If the work has a flat surface, are the shapes shown on it two-dimensional, or are they made to appear (illusionistically) three-dimensional or volumetric? If the work is a three-dimensional object, how volumetric is its shape? Is it nearly flat, or does it have substantial mass? Is the shape organic (seemingly from nature) or geometric (composed of regular lines and curves)? Can you see any implied shapes? In representations of people, how does shape lend character to a figure? Are these figures proud or timid, strong or weak, beautiful or grotesque?
Form: Did the artist choose geometric or organic form, or a combination of both? Why do you think the artist made these choices?
Volume and mass: Has the artist used volume or mass to express any feelings or communicate any ideas? Is the work a closed or open volume?
Time and motion: Does the artwork in some way communicate the passage of time? For example, it may tell a story or narrate a series of events. Consider whether the work involves motion (implied or actual) in any way. Remember that even a static artwork, such as a painting or a sculpture, can express motion.
Value: Are there any significant value changes (i.e. changes in the degrees of darkness or lightness) in the work? If so, why do you think the artist used value in this way?
Principles of Art
Artists utilize the elements of art to produce these design principles.
Emphasis: The emphasis of a work refers to a focal point in the image or object. What is your eye drawn to? Does the artist create tension or intrigue us by creating more than one area of interest? Or is the work of art afocal—that is, the viewer cannot find a particular place to rest the eye? Is there a psychological focus created through the elements of art?
Rhythm: Rhythm is created by repetition. What repeated elements do you see? Does the repetition create a subtle pattern, a decorative ornamentation? Or does it create an intensity, a tension? Identify the type of rhythm used: is it simple repetitive rhythm, progressive rhythm, or alternating rhythm? Does the rhythm unify the work, or does it, on the contrary, seem a group of disparate parts?
Unity and variety: Is the artwork unified and cohesive, or disordered and chaotic? How does the artist use the elements to achieve this? Consider the work in terms of both its composition and the concepts it explores, which can also unify an artwork. Is there diversity in the use of elements that creates variety? Consider value, texture, color, shape, and other elements of art. How does the artwork combine aspects of unity and variety?
Pattern: Can you identify any repetition of an element (such as shape, value, or color) in the artwork that creates a pattern? A design repeated as a unit is called a motif. Can you see any motifs in the work?
Media and Technique
Drawing: Consider the materials utilized: pencil, silverpoint, chalk, charcoal, crayon, pastel, ink, and wash. Was the artist able to make controlled strokes with this medium? Would the tool create a thick or thin line? One that was defined or blurred? Was the drawing intended to be a work of art in itself, or is it a study for another work, a peek into the artist's creative process?
Painting: How did the type of paint affect the strokes the artist could make? Was it fresco, oil, tempera, watercolor, encaustic, acrylic, or some other type of paint? Was it a fast-drying paint that allowed little time to make changes? What kind of textures and lines was the artist able to create with this medium? Does it create a shiny or flat look? How durable was the medium? How was the paint applied to the surface: with a brush, a palette knife, dripped, or sprayed?
Printmaking: What is the process the artist undertook to create this work? Did the artist need to engrave or etch? Did the medium require a steady hand? Strength, or patience?
Visual communication design: What format did the designer select (poster, book, advertisement, etc.)? Is the work color or black and white? How does the artwork combine text and images? 
Sculpture: Is the sculpture high or low relief, or can we see the object in the round? What challenges did the material present to the artist? Was the work created through a subtractive process (beginning with a large mass of the medium and taking away from it to create form), or an additive one (in which sculptors add material to make the final artwork)? What tools did the artist use to create the form? If the form is human, is the artwork life-size?
Architecture: Does the building represent the work of a community or the power of a leader? How was it constructed? What was the structure's intended use? How does it fit with its surroundings? Is it a domineering or welcoming structure?
Traditional craft media: Is the work made of ceramic, glass, metal, fiber, wood, or some other material? Why do you think the artist chose this material?
Photography: Was the photograph taken digitally, or using film? Is it in color or in black and white? What is the subject matter?
Film or video: Is the film in color or in black in white? Is it silent or is there sound? How is it displayed in the gallery?
Alternative media: Does the work emphasize ideas rather than the physical product? Is there a physical product? The work could be conceptual, or temporary—a performance by an artist, for example. Are you as the viewer involved in the work? Perhaps you are walking through an installation or environment created by the artist. 
Modes of Analysis
Consider whether any of the following ways of analysing an artwork can be applied to the subject of your assignment:
Formal and stylistic analysis: Does the work clearly depict objects or people as we would recognize them in the world around us (is it representational)? Alternatively, is its subject matter completely unrecognizable (is it non-objective)? To what degree has the artist simplified, emphasized, or distorted aspects of forms in the work (or abstracted it)? Does this artwork have a unique style? Or can you identify characteristics that it shares with other artworks by the same artist, from the same period or place, or belonging to the same artistic group or movement? 
Biographical and psychological analysis: Would information about the life of the artist help you to interpret the work? Do you think the artist's state of mind (happy, depressed, anxious) has affected the artwork? Again, labels are often a good source of biographical detail. In some museums volunteer docents are available to answer questions about an artist's life and works. 
Feminist and gender studies analysis: Is the role of women in the artwork important? Is the artist commenting on the experience of women in society? Is the artist a woman? How does the gender of the artist affect his or her work? How does your own gender affect your experience of viewing the artwork?


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Catching the Sea Glass
The art is about a young girl holding a sea glass and bend to make a drawing on the beach floor. Drawn in a clear artistic slightly white color, the art depicts a clear fine texture of the art, more appealing to look at with a clear balance. Additionally, the artistic work is a well-balanced work between the real art picture and its background. The picture presents a clear depiction of a well decorated art which can further be improved. In essence, the use light maroon color by the artist in the picture is a clear portrayal of skillful works which wrestles and a catches one's eye on the first spot.
Presented on a variety of colors both in the art and its background, the art is a reminder of a fundamental theme of ancient works by individuals who resided in coastal regions, one being the picking of seashells and glasses. This is the initial culture of sea dwellers since time immemorial which in a nutshell, was a show of solidarity and unity among societal members. The artist employed a positive shape, which makes

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