fomal analysis
HUMN 100: THE FORMAL ANALYSIS
DUE DATES & DETAILS
Length & Format: 400 words for each description
Audience: Different for each piece
Initial draft due: week 5
Final draft (with evidence of revision) due: week 8
The purpose of the formal analysis is to discuss the various elements of the piece and how those
elements work together to communicate information. The formal analysis describes what the viewer
sees but does not analyze or interpret this beyond what is visible. In this way, the formal analysis moves
beyond mere description by connecting the elements of the work to the effects they have on the viewer.
The point is to understand how all the elements of a work come together to make meaning. Aspects to
include in the description are size, colour, material, texture, shape and form.
For this assignment, you will select two pieces of art that you see in your community and create a
formal analysis of each one. You may select a piece of public art in Vancouver (or from where you
currently reside), a work from a gallery or museum, or something you have seen at Emily Carr. After
you have made your selections, take some time to really study your pieces. Sit and make notes, thinking
about the various aspects of the art and how those pieces come together. Think about the vocabulary
you need to complete your text. Take a photo of both pieces for inclusion in your writing.
Now create a rich description of your pieces (in separate texts) focusing on what the careful viewer sees
in these pieces. For this assignment, you can select a different audience for each piece. For one piece, you
can imagine a reader who is interested in art, but not an expert. Imagine that your reader has not seen
this piece of art. For the second piece of art that you describe, you may select your own audience. For
example, think about how a description written for art history faculty at Emily Carr would differ from a
description written for an audience of tourists from Japan who wish to know something about art in
Vancouver.
This assignment asks the following of you:
• To understand the purpose of the formal analysis as a textual practice within art and art
history.
• To hone your abilities to describe an object.
• To consider the role of audience in your writing.
• To use the revision process to reexamine your first draft and revise substantially from draft
to draft.
• To develop awareness about the sentence level choices you are making and how they
contribute to the overall meaning of your text.
• To develop your editing skills.
• To carefully consider the use of image and text together in your writing.