• Title of the Painting: What is the title of the painting? What does it tell you about the painting and how does it guide your interpretation? Think about how you might have interpreted the painting if it had been called something else.
• Subject Matter: What is the painting of? Is it unusual, unexpected, controversial or intriguing? Does it lend itself to comparison to work by a famous painter? Do you understand the symbolism in the painting?
• Emotional Response: Does the painting generate an emotional reaction in you? What is the overall mood of the painting, and is this suitable for the subject?
• Composition: How have the elements of the painting been placed? Does your eye flow across the whole painting or does one element selfishly dominate? Is the main focus of the painting slap-bang in the center of the painting (both vertically and horizontally), or off to one side? Is there anything that draws your eye into or across the painting? Also consider whether it's been slavishly copied from reality or from a photograph rather than thought put into which elements were included?
• Subject Matter: What is the painting of? Is it unusual, unexpected, controversial or intriguing? Does it lend itself to comparison to work by a famous painter? Do you understand the symbolism in the painting?
• Emotional Response: Does the painting generate an emotional reaction in you? What is the overall mood of the painting, and is this suitable for the subject?
• Composition: How have the elements of the painting been placed? Does your eye flow across the whole painting or does one element selfishly dominate? Is the main focus of the painting slap-bang in the center of the painting (both vertically and horizontally), or off to one side? Is there anything that draws your eye into or across the painting? Also consider whether it's been slavishly copied from reality or from a photograph rather than thought put into which elements were included?
• Skill: What level of technical skill does the artist display, making allowance for someone who's just starting out and someone who's an experienced artist? A beginner may not have been technically skillful in every element of their painting, but there's usually some aspect that's worth highlighting for the way it was dealt with and the potential it demonstrates.
• Medium: What was used to create the painting? What has the artist done with the possibilities presented by their choice of medium?
• Color: Has color been used realistically or used to convey emotion? Are the colors warm or cooland do they suit the subject? Has a restricted or monochrome palette been used (see theMonochrome Painting Project)? Have complementary colors been used in the shadows and are there reflected colors (colors 'bouncing' from one object onto another)?
• Texture: It's extremely hard to see texture of a painting on a web page, but it's something that should be considered when looking at a painting in "real life".
• Medium: What was used to create the painting? What has the artist done with the possibilities presented by their choice of medium?
• Color: Has color been used realistically or used to convey emotion? Are the colors warm or cooland do they suit the subject? Has a restricted or monochrome palette been used (see theMonochrome Painting Project)? Have complementary colors been used in the shadows and are there reflected colors (colors 'bouncing' from one object onto another)?
• Texture: It's extremely hard to see texture of a painting on a web page, but it's something that should be considered when looking at a painting in "real life".
Art Words List
Find the right words to talk about art and critique painting
Subject Matter Words
Photo ©2011 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.
This aspect of a painting is one where it can really feel like you're stating the obvious. But if you think of how you'd describe an artwork to someone who's not seen of it or who isn't looking at a photo of it, you'd probably tell them the subject of the painting quite early on.
— Abstract.
— Cityscape, buildings, man-made, urban, industrial.
— Fantasy, imaginary, invented, mythological.
— Figurative (figures), portraits.
— Interiors, domestic.
— Landscape, seascape.
— Still life.
— Abstract.
— Cityscape, buildings, man-made, urban, industrial.
— Fantasy, imaginary, invented, mythological.
— Figurative (figures), portraits.
— Interiors, domestic.
— Landscape, seascape.
— Still life.
Still Life Words
"Blue Jug with Plum" © Debbie Walker
Before you get into what the individual objects in a still life painting are, whether they're themed, related, or dissimilar, look at them overall and describe this.
— Antique, battered, damaged, dusty, old, worn.
— New, clean, shiny.
— Functional, decorative, fancy.
— Domestic, humble. Commercial, industrial.
— Antique, battered, damaged, dusty, old, worn.
— New, clean, shiny.
— Functional, decorative, fancy.
— Domestic, humble. Commercial, industrial.
Composition Words
Photo ©Liane/Lil'bear. Used with Permission.
Look at how the elements in the painting are arranged, the underlying structure (shapes) and relationships between the different parts, how your eye moves around the composition.
— Arrangement, layout, structure, position.
— Landscape format, portrait format, square format, circular, triangular.
— Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, angled.
— Foreground, background, middle ground.
— Centered, asymmetrical, symmetrical. Balanced, unbalanced, lopsided.
— Overlapping, cluttered, chaotic. Separate, spacious, empty.
— Free, flowing, fragmented. Formal, rigid, upright, confined.
— Negative space, positive space.
— Arrangement, layout, structure, position.
— Landscape format, portrait format, square format, circular, triangular.
— Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, angled.
— Foreground, background, middle ground.
— Centered, asymmetrical, symmetrical. Balanced, unbalanced, lopsided.
— Overlapping, cluttered, chaotic. Separate, spacious, empty.
— Free, flowing, fragmented. Formal, rigid, upright, confined.
— Negative space, positive space.
Texture Words
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans
It's often hard or impossible to see texture in a photo of a painting as it doesn't show unless there's light shining in from the side that catches the ridges and casts small shadows. Don't guess; if you don't see any texture, don't try to talk about it in that particular painting.
— Flat, polished, smooth.
Raised, rough, coarse. Cut, incised, pitted, scratched, uneven,
— Hairy, sticky.
— Soft, hard.
— Shiny, glossy, reflective. Semi-gloss, satin, silk, frosted, matte.
— Marks made with a knife, brush.
— Flat, polished, smooth.
Raised, rough, coarse. Cut, incised, pitted, scratched, uneven,
— Hairy, sticky.
— Soft, hard.
— Shiny, glossy, reflective. Semi-gloss, satin, silk, frosted, matte.
— Marks made with a knife, brush.
Mark Making Words
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans
You may not be able to see any details of the brushwork or mark making if it's a small painting, but remember that in some styles of painting all brush marks are carefully eliminated by the artist.
— Visible, impasto. blended, smooth.
— Thick, thin. Bold, timid. Heavy, light.
— Glazes, washes, scumbling, dry brush, stippling, hatching, splattered.
— Layered, flat.
— Precise, refined, regular, straight, systematic. Quick, sketchy, uneven, irregular, vigorous.
— Visible, impasto. blended, smooth.
— Thick, thin. Bold, timid. Heavy, light.
— Glazes, washes, scumbling, dry brush, stippling, hatching, splattered.
— Layered, flat.
— Precise, refined, regular, straight, systematic. Quick, sketchy, uneven, irregular, vigorous.
Mood or Atmosphere Words
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans
What is the mood or atmosphere of the subject of the painting and the way it's painted? What emotion(s) do you experience looking at it?
— Calm, content, peaceful, relaxed, tranquil.
— Cheerful, happy, joyful, romantic.
— Depressed, gloomy, miserable, sad, sombre, tearful, unhappy.
— Aggressive, angry, chilling, dark, distressing, frightening, violent.
— Energetic, exciting, stimulating, thought-provoking.
— Boring, dull, lifeless, insipid.
— Calm, content, peaceful, relaxed, tranquil.
— Cheerful, happy, joyful, romantic.
— Depressed, gloomy, miserable, sad, sombre, tearful, unhappy.
— Aggressive, angry, chilling, dark, distressing, frightening, violent.
— Energetic, exciting, stimulating, thought-provoking.
— Boring, dull, lifeless, insipid.
Form and Shape Words
Photo ©2010 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.
Think about the overall shapes in the artwork and the way forms (things) are depicted. What sense of depth and volume is there?
— 2D, flat, abstracted, simplified, stylized.
— 3D, realistic, natural, sense of depth and space.
— Sharp, detailed.
— Blurred, obscured, overlapping, indistinct.
— Distorted, exaggerated, geometric.
— Linear, long, narrow.
— Hard-edged, soft-edged.
— 2D, flat, abstracted, simplified, stylized.
— 3D, realistic, natural, sense of depth and space.
— Sharp, detailed.
— Blurred, obscured, overlapping, indistinct.
— Distorted, exaggerated, geometric.
— Linear, long, narrow.
— Hard-edged, soft-edged.
Lighting Words
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans
Look at the lighting in the painting, not only in terms of the direction it is coming from and how it creates shadows but also its color, how intense it is, the mood it creates, whether it is natural (from the sun) or artificial (from a light, fire, or candle). Don't forget the option the artist has for not including a light source at all, particularly in modern styles.
— Back lit, front lit, side lit, top lit.
— Indirect light. Reflected light. No directional light source.
— Natural. Artificial.
— Cool, blue, grey. Warm, yellow, red.
— Dim, faint, gentle, gloomy, low, minimal, muted, soft.
— Clear, brilliant, bright, glowing, fiery, harsh, intense, sharp.
— Back lit, front lit, side lit, top lit.
— Indirect light. Reflected light. No directional light source.
— Natural. Artificial.
— Cool, blue, grey. Warm, yellow, red.
— Dim, faint, gentle, gloomy, low, minimal, muted, soft.
— Clear, brilliant, bright, glowing, fiery, harsh, intense, sharp.
color Words
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans
Think about your overall impression of the colors used in the painting, how they look and feel, how the colors work together (or not), how they fit with the subject of the painting, how the artist has mixed these (or not). Are there any specific colors you can identify?
— Natural, clear, compatible, distinctive, interesting, lively, stimulating, subtle, sympathetic.
— Artificial, clashing, depressing, discordant, garish, gaudy, jarring, unfriendly, violent.
— Bright, brilliant, deep, earthy, harmonious, intense, rich, saturated, strong, vibrant, vivid.
— Dull, flat, insipid, pale, mellow, muted, subdued, quiet, weak.
— Cool, cold. Warm, hot. Light, dark.
— Blended, broken, mixed, muddled, muddied, pure.
— Complementary, contrasting, harmonious.
— Natural, clear, compatible, distinctive, interesting, lively, stimulating, subtle, sympathetic.
— Artificial, clashing, depressing, discordant, garish, gaudy, jarring, unfriendly, violent.
— Bright, brilliant, deep, earthy, harmonious, intense, rich, saturated, strong, vibrant, vivid.
— Dull, flat, insipid, pale, mellow, muted, subdued, quiet, weak.
— Cool, cold. Warm, hot. Light, dark.
— Blended, broken, mixed, muddled, muddied, pure.
— Complementary, contrasting, harmonious.
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