Visual Analysis

ART 111 online – Museum Paper Assignment

Description:
Write a visual analysis (description) for a work of Art at the North Carolina Museum of Art. I would like for you to select an object that you strongly DISLIKE for this assignment.

https://ncartmuseum.org/

Prompt:
One of the student learning outcomes for this course is for you to develop your own criteria for understanding visual culture.

Now that you have the vocabulary and concepts to articulate what you see, you can also begin to evaluate artworks on the basis of their visual qualities, and determine whether or not you enjoy those objects! I always tell my students, I’m fine with you hating works of art as long as you understand why you hate them. This paper gives you a challenge – to explore thoroughly a work of art that you do not care for.

The components for this Paper are:
• Identification of Art Work
• Introduction
• Visual Analysis
• Concluding Paragraph

The Paper should be approximately 3 – 4 pages in length.

1. Identification of object:
Begin by identifying the work using the following format*

EXAMPLES:
[artist] Vincent van Gogh
[italicized title, date] Starry Night, 1889
[medium] Oil on Canvas

Or

[culture] Egyptian
[basic description of the object, date] Jar, black-topped ware, ca. 4000 – 3500 BCE
[artist] Unknown artist
[medium] Nile silt clay

*Bracketed text is not to be included in the paper, it is only for your reference.

*Note that the identification is single-spaced. It should be placed above the text of your paper. The body of your paper (including introduction, visual analysis, and conclusion) should be double-spaced, 12 point font with 1 inch margins.

2. Introduction:
Introduce the reader to your object. The introduction should include a brief overview of what it is we are looking at, including the iconography (subject matter) and the main visual elements. This will help to orient the reader before you launch into the details about the piece. Also, it might be helpful to briefly tell the reader what it is that you dislike about the work, or why you chose it.

3. Visual Analysis:
The body of your paper is a visual analysis of the object you have chosen. A visual analysis is an in-depth description of all of the formal, or visual, aspects of a work of art. NOTE: The visual analysis is not concerned with the interpretation of the meaning or expression of the work. You are to focus on the visual elements exclusively in this portion of the paper.

I recommend dividing up the visual analysis into several paragraphs. You might, for example, spend one paragraph focusing on color in the image, another focusing on implied depth, another on balance, and so forth.

Remember to use appropriate transitions. Your reader should feel that she is clearly led from point to point. Keep your language simple and straight-forward. Don’t try to cram in big vocabulary words for the sake of sounding ‘scholarly.’ Clear and concise language is the best!

In your visual analysis, consider all of the relevant elements and principles that apply to this work of art. Some things to think about:

• How are the elements arranged within the composition?
• Are there implied lines used to guide the eye?
• Are the lines, shapes, or forms primarily organic or inorganic?
• Is there symmetry or asymmetry?
• Is the work balanced? Why or why not?
• Is the work representational or nonrepresentational? Are there human figures, identifiable objects, or landscape?
• What is the iconography? Is it a narrative? A particular human figure or figures? What is the meaning of the work?
• What elements are naturalistic and what elements are abstract? If abstraction is used, it is expressive in its purpose?
• How is color used in this work? Are there warm or cool colors, analogous or complementary color schemes?
• If this is a two-dimensional object, has the artist attempted to create an illusion of three-dimensional space? What techniques has the artist used to achieve that goal?
• If this is a three-dimensional object, what is its volume and mass? Is there open or closed volume?
• What is the real or implied texture in this object?
• Can you identify one or more areas of emphasis? One or more focal points? What creates those?
• What is the medium / material of this object? How does that material influence its visual qualities?
•
Of course, you will probably not cover all of these topics. If you are writing about a marble sculpture, for instance, there is little need to dwell on color. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to get your wheels turning.

*The goal of a good visual analysis is to thoroughly describe the work of art. A person who has not seen the work should be able to get a decent mental picture of the object based on your description! Therefore, it is imperative that you use specific details to support your statements.

Example: “The composition is asymmetrically balanced because there is a large, black square on the left hand side of the composition and a smaller red square on the right hand side of the composition. The size and dark value of the black square are countered by the bright, warm color of the red square and the fact that the red square is tilted at a diagonal angle.” YES

“You can see that the composition is asymmetrically balanced.” NO

*Please don’t assume I can ‘see’ what you are seeing. Describe it to me!

4. Conclusion:
At the end of your paper, please include a concluding paragraph that tells the reader why you dislike this object. Your dislike should be more than a passing impression or gut reaction. It should be based on specific reasons. You will want to refer to your visual observations as you explain why you do not like this piece. If the reason(s) you don’t like the work has to do with the meaning or content of the work, you can also explain that in this paragraph. However, I’m looking for more than “I just hate this piece because it is not something I want to look at.” Your opinion needs to be well-reasoned and clearly articulated.

*Note: This is not a research paper. You should be able to write all of the paper based on your own visual observations. However, if you do use any exterior sources, those must be properly documented with in-text citations, and a works cited page at the end of the paper. Lifting any words or ideas from another author (even the wall label at the museum!) is plagiarism, and will result in either a “0” grade for the paper, or in certain cases, a failing grade for the course.

Other:

• Papers should conform to MLA format
• Points will be deducted for major spelling, grammar, and sentence structure problems

Tips:
• It would be advisable to choose a work of art that you can view online, and is also currently on display at the museum.