A formal analysis is a detailed descriiption of the “formal” qualities of an artwork. This exercise requires a long and sustained observation and descriiption of the art piece’s individual formal elements, such as subject, composition, pose, proportions, lines, space, texture, light and shadow, size, color, mood. A formal analysis assumes that a work of art has a meaning intended by the artist, and that this meaning can be ascertained by studying the relationships between the elements of the work. To aid in writing a formal analysis, you should think as if you were describing the work of art to someone who has never seen it before, so as to have a complete mental picture of what the work looks like. Yet, the formal analysis is more than just a descriiption of the work. It should also include a thesis statement that reflects your conclusions about the work. The thesis statement may, in general, answer a question like these: What do I think is the meaning of this work? What is the message that this work or artist sends to the viewer? What is this work all about? The thesis statement is an important element. It sets the tone for the entire paper, and sets it apart from being a merely descriiptive paper.
