Analysis of an Artwork Assignment (50 points)

Evaluation Process – 0-5 points

 Choose an artwork that you can relate to such as something in your house or
community that you can actually be present with while evaluating.
 Include an image or link to the work you are evaluating.
 You should use the vocabulary learned in Week 1 through 6 when preparing this
assignment.
 The review should be one to two pages in length.
 Type your review with at least a 12 point font, save it as a document and upload it to
this assignment (remember to include an image or link to the art you are evaluating).
Step One - Introduction: Identification or Description 0 - 15 points
 Describe the physical qualities of this work of art.
 What is the medium?
 What size is it?
 What is the function or purpose of this piece?
 Who made this piece?
 Describe the composition as if you were helping a blind person to visualize this piece.
 Go into detail about what you see in the art (e.g.; shapes, colors, recognizable forms,
etc.).
Step Two - Body: Analysis of Formal Elements 0 – 20 points
 Examine the descriptive elements from step one and describe how these visual
elements (line, shape, mass, space, time, motion, light, color, and texture) are used
along with the design principals (unity and variety, balance, emphasis and
subordination, directional forces, contrast, repetition and rhythm, scale and
proportion) to create this composition.
 Use the terms learned in Weeks 1 to 6 in order to accomplish this step and answer these
questions:
o How is this work balanced?
o What color scheme is being used?
o What is emphasized?
o What is unifying?
o Is there variety? Rhythm? Etc.
 Include at least 3 visual element terms and 3 design principal terms for full credit.
Step Three – Conclusion: Interpretation – 0 – 10 points
a. This is a subjective interpretation of the meaning or symbolism found in the
work of art. In your conclusion you should culminate the information from
steps 1 and 2 into a plausible and meaningful story of what the work of art
seems to be about. Consider answering the following questions within your
conclusion: what is your reaction to this work of art? How does it make you
feel? What caused that feeling to surface? Why did you choose this piece to
write about? Etc.