How to Write a Visual Analysis of a Work of Art

Writing a visual analysis is a basic part of nearly every art history class. It sounds intimidating, but it's actually pretty simple. A visual analysis is a description of what you see when you look at a work of art. This means writing about its formal elements and how they work together to create a composition. If you're familiar with most of the terms used to describe art, writing a visual analysis will most likely be an easy process.

Instructions

1. Start by familiarizing yourself with the terminology of visual elements. See the Resources section for an online glossary of art-related terms. Even if you are already knowledgeable about them, reviewing can be helpful so the words and concepts are fresh in your mind. You want to be able to write freely without looking up words at every glance of a beautiful object.

2. Take notes while looking at the work of art. Start by writing down the obvious things you see, then take a closer look and note its subtleties. Write down everything that you notice--the subtle elements can be just as important as the straightforward ones.

3. Think about how the work of art makes you feel. Ask yourself what kind of emotions, opinions or perspectives it seems to be conveying based on the visual elements the artist used. While a visual analysis should primarily be a description of the work, it should also include your ideas about its meaning.

4. Choose what you think are the key observations from your notes and use them as the basis for your analysis. You don't have to write about every single visual aspect of the artwork, but make sure you cover as many elements as possible. Observe things like line, space, perspective, color, and texture. Describe the work as you would to someone who hasn't seen it.

5. Weave in your subjective observations--your impressions of the possible meanings of the work--with your strictly visual observations. For example, if you were writing about a painting with a strong contrast between light and dark, you could describe the scene as "dramatic" or the mood as "tense." Make sure to back up your opinions with examples of visual elements.

Tips & Warnings

• You don't need to research external information like historical context or place of origin to write a visual analysis. You only have to focus on what is visually evident.

• Don't assume anything. Find out about the level of formality expected from your teacher or professor so you know whether to use the first or third person when writing about your opinions.

Resources

• Guide to Writing a Visual Analysis
• Glossary of Visual Art Terms