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AH 203: Survey of Asian Art (Spring 2008)
GUIDE TO WRITING A FORMAL ANALYSIS ABOUT AN ASIAN PAINTING
Basic principles of writing:
- Move from discussing larger and more important elements (like the
composition) to smaller details (like the type of brushstrokes, colors).
Each paragraph should be about something specific and not consist of a
random string of observations. Also, the first sentence of the paragraph--or
the topic sentence--should announce what you are going to discuss in the rest
of the paragraph.
- Try to use active rather than passive voice whenever possible. For
example, rather than, "Textured brushstrokes were used to create a sense of
volume in the hills," say, "The artist used textured brushstrokes to create a
sense of volume in the hills."
Opening sentence:
Provide basic information (if known) about the work of art, including the title or subject, artist, date and /or period, country. Also mention the material (or media): ink on paper or silk, ink and colors on paper or silk, etc., and the format: hanging scroll, handscroll, album leaf, folding fan, mural, screen, panel, etc.
First Paragraph:
This should serve as a basic "snapshot" of the image as a whole. Use specific terms like foreground, middle ground and background; left, right and center; upper and lower; corner and edge.
e.g. "A withered tree with gnarled branches stands in the lower right corner of the foreground." or “An elderly man clad in voluminous robes sits at a table laden with books and antiques, while a young servant prepares tea at a small stove in the background.”
Once you have established where the main elements are located, you can refer to them more simply, as in "the central peak," or "the main figure."
Second Paragraph:
This is where you should begin to analyze the composition as a whole. Discuss specific shapes: triangle, square, rectangle, etc.; and lines: diagonal, vertical, horizontal, curving, etc. Also use terms like monumental; intimate; close-up, etc.
Ask yourself: How does the composition as a whole work? Is it balanced, symmetrical, stable, asymmetrical and/or dynamic? Generally speaking, squares and isoceles triangles are stable, as are vertical and horizontal lines. Triangles with uneven sides, and diagonal lines, tend to be more dynamic.
How do certain parts of the composition relate to other parts? Do they dominate, are they subordinate, or do they balance each other? Use words like symmetrical and asymmetrical, solid and void or full and empty space.
Does the artist try to create perspective? If so, how ? Avoid the erroneous assumption that Western single-point perspective is “natural” or “correct” – Asian paintings typically follow different principles of organization, which are in no sense “primitive.”
Third Paragraph:
Discuss the brushswork and the use of color (if any). Use terms like: firm and loose; thick and thin; dark and light; saturated and dilute; even or modulated (i.e., a line that thickens and thins within the same stroke), outline / contour and, texture; mineral and vegetable pigments; opaque and translucent. Differentiate the use of distinct brushstrokes from broader areas of inkwash or color. Comment on the tonalities and textures created.
Note on word choices:
Although writing a formal analysis is not like writing a murder mystery, it is still possible to use vivid and evocative imagery. Mountains can soar or tower, streams can wind or meander or rage, cliffs can be craggy or eroded, the general atmosphere can be eerie or ghostly, calming or inviting, etc. Try to vary your language and avoid repetitious use of any single term.