Please use proper Grammer and the attached PDF to help you write out this Essay. The PDF appears at the bottom of this page.The
Critique
REVIEWING AND WRITING
A B O U T WO R K S O F A RT
ASSIGNMENT | 3.25.20
The following will
provide you with
some insight on
how to break down
and write about this
work of art.
This is the image you will be writing about this week.
Alec Soth from:
“Sleeping By The Mississippi”
Photographer Alec Soth (American, b. 1969) is
best known for his large-scale projects depicting
the rural and hidden sections of the American
Midwest and South. His photographs have been
featured in The New York Times Magazine and
Newsweek, and he has received numerous
fellowships and awards, including the Santa Fe
Prize for Photography and the International
Center for Photography’s Infinity Award
Interpreting What You See
Images are broken
down into parts to
gather information…
And then ultimately the
image can be broken
down to see If “it
works” or if it is
effective as an artwork.
The first Idea is to Describe the Work of
Art:
The Process
starts with
INFORMATION
GATHERING!
It answers the question, “What do you
see?” What is it? What is the subject
matter? This is where you discuss the
physical facts of the image. Simply
Describe what you see in great detail!
Then we move into FORMAL ANALYSIS
In simple terms this is also Fact Gathering!
It is based on media…it bears the question
what is it made of or how is it made? What
are the photographic elements?
Formal analysis focuses on an artwork’s
“formal” qualities, or those visual elements
that give it form. These include shape, size,
texture, line, space, etc. …
Photographers make decisions both about
composition (arrangement of visual elements)
as well as content (meaning) when
taking photographs.
The various elements that constitute Formal Analysis include:
• Selection of most distinctive features or characteristics line, shape, color, and texture.
• Analysis of the principles of design or composition e.g., stable, repetitious, rhythmic, unified,
symmetrical, harmonious, geometric, varied, chaotic, horizontal or vertically oriented, etc.
• Discussion of how elements or structural system contribute to appearance of image or function of the
image
• Analysis of use of light and role of color in the work, e.g., contrast, shadowy, illogical, warm, cool,
symbolic, etc.
• Treatment of space and landscape, both real and illusionary (including use of perspective), e.g., compact,
deep depth of field, shallow depth of field, naturalistic, random
• Portrayal of movement and how it is achieved
• The Effect of a particular medium used: Lens? DOF? Camera Format? Camera?
INTERPRETATION
Asks the question, “Why do we
think the artist created it and what
does it mean?
The various elements that
constitute interpretation include:
The Main idea or story, the overall
meaning of the work.
Interpretive Statement: Can I
express what I think the artwork is
about in one sentence?
Evidence: What evidence inside or
outside the artwork supports my
interpretation?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Judgement:
Is it a good work of art?
Judgment: Based on the criteria
and evidence of fact collecting and
interpretation, what is my judgment
about the quality of the artwork?
How could this artwork be
improved?
Put it together:
1. Description
2. Formal Analysis
3. Interpretation
4. Judgment
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