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Formal Analysis Essay & Museum Visit Art Appreciation Instructor: Lauren Cotner Francis

What is a formal analysis?

A formal analysis is the fundamental form of writing about art. In a strict formal analysis, no other information is required besides that which you can see; and while some knowledge of the subject matter helps, your focus should be on the visual elements of a work.

A formal analysis focuses on aspects like line, color, composition, and style, and describes the effect of these artistic decisions on the viewer. While any formal analysis must employ a good deal of description, it is important to remember that even a pure formal analysis must always be thesis-driven and each point should tie back to the overall interpretation of the work.

For a more elaborate discussion of formal analysis, see pages: 119-123 of Sylvan Barnet’s A Short Guide to Writing About Art (8th ed.).

What i s the ass ignment?

Write a 1200 word (shorter papers will be penalized, but longer papers are welcomed), double-spaced, 12-point font essay exploring the formal elements and principles of design of ONE work from one of the following collections of art:

• The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

• The Menil Collection • Contemporary Arts Museum,

Houston • Lawndale Arts Center, Houston

Note: if you live outside of Houston or wish to visit another museum while traveling, please contact your instructor via e-mail FIRST to get permission to use that museum for your essay.

Helpful hint: Check museum hours online before venturing out. Often museums are closed on Mondays and/or Tuesdays. The MFAH is free on Thursdays and the Menil is always free. Some will offer reduced admission costs when you show your student ID.

Once you select ONE work (painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph) from the museum you visit, you will describe it using formal analysis.

Hint: selecting a painting or colorful drawing will generally provide more to write about than something monochromatic or very simple. Choose something that inspires you, intrigues you or delights you! The best essays are going to be about an artwork that you appreciate, not simply the first one you see when you come into the museum.

Revised: 12/15/16

Expectat ions for the Assignment :

• While at the museum:

o You must take a photo of yourself on the grounds or in the museum (if permitted, preferably next to the work of art that you are discussing) and paste that photo into the cover page of your essay. Some museums will not allow photography inside, so please ask a guard prior to taking a photograph.

o You must also take a photo of or scan in a ticket stub, receipt or brochure with a date imprinted on it for the cover page. This date (on the ticket/receipt) must fall within the time frame of the course. For museums that have free admission, you may ask the front desk to give you a note indicating that you attended and when.

• You must also include a reproduction of the image you choose with your paper (a scanned postcard, a digital photo or a reproduction found online are all options). Ensure you can provide a reproduction of your chosen image BEFORE you start writing. While at the museum, you may want to select three or four images as “back- ups” in the event that you cannot get a reproduction of the image or are not allowed to photograph in the museum. Not all images in all local museums will be available on the Internet, but many will be easily located by “google imaging” the artist and title of the work.