Formal Analysis is describing visually and emphasizing the formal elements of an art piece and it’s important to note that every little detail has a reason as to why it’s there. Formal analysis affects what the art piece represents. The ‘how’ and the ‘why’ when it comes to art include interpretations on visual evidence which come from formal analysis. Formal analysis is a RE/presentation when it comes to analyzing the formal elements of the art piece.
The properties of formal analysis include:
- Line composition- lines can be horizontal, vertical, straight, curved, thick or thin. This leads our eyes around the composition and show character and direction.
- Texture- (ex. let’s say an art piece has a picture of a man wearing a shirt and you are able to tell the material of the shirt he is wearing)
- Color- neutral or bright colors which can show dullness
- Size/scale
- Modelling- chiaro/scuro (illisionism)
- Material- the tools used
- Contrast
- Position -> composition
- Mimesis, which means realistic
All of these elements bring out the meaning and evaluation of the art work. These components are the artist’s choices, everything is intentional & no detail is insignificant or not worth mentioning ! The bottom line is that the question that formal analysis answers is “What do you see in this piece of art?“
