How to Analyse a Picture

1. Observe and react
What captures your attention? 
How does it make you feel at first glance?

2. Describe and analyse
What do I see? Landscape, people, animals, objects...
Action or actions? 
Time of day, season, weather, inside / outside, environment, historical period… 
Organization: composition (background, foreground, position of the different elements), contrasts, emphasis, movement… 
Colors and light 
The people: possible age, social position, relationship, body language and attitudes… 
How does the artist get the viewer's attention?
What do you think the artist wants you to think or feel?
How does the painting make you feel now that you have analyzed it?

3. Interpret and judge
If I could ask the artist one question, it would be ...
I like this painting because. ... / I dislike the painting because ... (you can also ask a partner)
I would / would not hang it in my home because ...

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Toolbox
The artwork is about ...
The artist wants to …
It reminds me of …
There are symbols such as...
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