Writing about Paintings – Word bank



Writing about Paintings

When writing about paintings, you must remember to be PRECISE, DESCRIPTIVE and describe an EFFECT. How is the painting similar to or different from other paintings by the same artist, or of artists working at the same time? Discuss the following aspects of the painting, and describe how they convey the overall mood or meaning of the painting. You can bring in any historical or biographical information that is relevant.

Title, Date, Medium and Size

Subject – What precisely is the painting of? What does it represent?

Context – What led the artist to paint this picture? What was going on in his/ her life at the time? How does it compare with other works by the artist?

Colour/ Tone – How does the Artist’s use of colour or tone fit the mood, atmosphere or style of the painting?

Bold, subtle, muted, stark, delicate, naturalistic, imaginative, vibrant, dull, garish, monotone, earthy, hot, warm, cold, cool, pastel, primary, citrus, striking, contrasting, complimentary, vivid, loud, quiet, rich, natural, artificial, neon

Composition – How does the artist use composition to create the mood of the painting?

Flat, triangular, pyramidal, balanced, unbalanced, claustrophobic, open, horizontal, vertical, lopsided, linear, rectangular, symmetrical, layout, airy, lifeless, busy, complicated, fussy, dynamic, depth, foreground, middle-ground, background

Use of materials – How is the artist’s use of materials/ painting technique typical of, or different to other paintings by the same artist? How does it compare to other artists working at the same time or previously?

Free, tight, loose, painterly, thin, thick, impasto, texture, smooth, rough, blocky, scumbled, palette-knife, scraped, flicked, scratchy, delicate, Washes, drips, canvas, board, paper, acrylic, watercolour, gouache, oils, tempera, dry, rich, vigorous, collage, texture, raw, crude, brutal, expressionistic, controlled

Style –Does this painting conform to a particular painting style? How?

Abstract, semi-abstract, figurative, naturalistic, photographic, symbolic, imaginative, dream-like, illustrative, matter-of-fact, naive, child-like, bold, realistic, ambiguous, graphic, stark

Mood / Meaning - How does the artist’s use of the visual elements (line, tone, form, texture, colour, shape, pattern) contribute to the mood or meaning of the painting?

Lively, depressing, oppressive, violent, uplifting, light, light-hearted, heavy, joyful, exuberant, playful, serious, sombre, hopeful, evocative, confrontational, calm, quiet, serene, peaceful, dramatic, dark, sinister, gentle, manic, tragic, comic

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