Requirements for Critical Analysis Paper1. A critical analysis paper must be written on an original work of art on exhibit at a local art gallery or art museum in your area. The chosen piece must be an original artwork viewed firsthand by the student. Images/illustrations from the textbook or on-line galleries are not acceptable. Colleges & universities often have art exhibitions on campus. Check the college and university websites for listings. You must tour a local art museum or art gallery to find an original artwork to discuss.
2. The paper must be typed, saved as a Word document, and emailed to your instructor by the prescribed time and due date on your Web CT course Calendar.
3. The paper must be a minimum of at least 500 words and a maximum of 700 words.
4. The paper is worth 20% of your course grade assessment.
5. The paper must have a title page that includes all the following information:
Title of original artwork Course/Section Number
Name of artist Your Name
Date of work Paper Due Date
Medium Number of words in paper
Name of art museum or gallery visited where original artwork is on display
6. You may also choose to write about more than one original work of art on display at a local art gallery or art museum. Don’t be afraid to compare and contrast different pieces.
7. A critical analysis paper written on non-original works of art will not be accepted. Refer to requirement #1.
8. Check the course Calendar for the critical analysis paper due date and time. Any late entries will result in a 10-point per day grade reduction. Do not procrastinate on this paper. Get started now and finish on time.
9. Present your ideas with clarity, correct spelling and grammatical coherency. The papers will be assessed on spelling, grammatical, and organizational skills.
10. The following guideline is only a sample. It does not have to be followed when writing your paper.
Critical Analysis Paper
Suggested Outline
1. Title page should include:
Title of original artwork Course/Section Number
Name of artist Your Name
Date of work Paper Due Date
Medium Number of words in paper
Name of art museum or gallery visited where original artwork is on display
2. What attracted you to the artwork? Relate it to something in your background of experience . What visual elements do you respond to in the piece?
3. What materials and techniques did the artist use?
Look up the medium in your textbook and discuss the characteristics of the specific medium used. If the work is a painting be sure to include a description of the binder, solvent and ground. If the work is a print or a sculpture describe the techniques used.
4. Subject
Describe the work of art in terms of its imagery. What are the recognizable or namable images represented? Has the artist included any personal iconography in the subjects? Describe the setting. Is the style representational, abstract, or non-representational?
5. Form
How does each of the following visual elements affect the expressive content? Is the work balanced? Does the artist achieve balance through repetition, placement, and rhythm? Does the work imply motion? Is the work kinetic?
Line: How do the lines function in the work? What kind of lines seem to dominate? Describe their direction and character. How do they affect the expressive content?
Shape: Are the shapes predominantly organic or geometric? How do they affect the expressive content?
Does the artist use chiaroscuro to give an illusion of three-dimensional reality or does the work seem flat and two-dimensional?
Color: Name and describe the content of hues. Are they light or dark? Are they bright or dull? How does the artist’s use of color affect the mood of that piece?
Texture: What are the textures: rough, smooth, shiny, or dull?
Describe them. Are the textures real or implied?
Do they seem appropriate to the subject and expressive content as you interpret them? If the work were not a painting, would you describe it as painterly?
Space: Describe the illusion of space and the use of perspective.
Does the work have a feeling of openness or does it seem closed in? If it is a three-dimensional work (sculpture), is it a solid or does it have openings or holes (negative spaces)?
6. Content or message:
What is your emotional response to what you see?
What message or concept do you think the artist was trying to convey?
(Remember to go beyond merely restating the subject here.)
