Outline: Landscape
Relation between human beings and nature
Are the figures at ease in nature (e.g.
aristocrats lounging symbolize power and
grandeur)
Are they earth bound, beneath the horizon or
viewpoint is low
What does the landscape say about the
society?
Do the natural objects in the landscape
somehow reflect the emotions of the figures?
Contour lines
Strong and hard?
Irregular or indistinct?
Varied thickness or uniform suggesting
painstaking care?
Medium
Wet medium
1. What is degree of absorbency of the
paper contribute?
2. Are the lines of uniform width or do
they swell and diminish? -- quills and
steel pens
Dry medium (silverpoint, charcoal,
chalk, pencil)
What does smoothness or
roughness contribute? (e.g. crayon
rubbed over textured paper, suffusing
light and dark gives vibrancy)
Tempera
Usually has flat, dry appearance, with
sharp edges
Oil paint
Brush strokes fuse
Gives effect of muted and blurred
edge, heavily rich and juicy
appearance
Chinese, Korean and Japanese ink
painting
May leave broken line when silk is
used
Color
Imitative of appearances or
expressive?
Value (lightness or darkness of hue)
Saturation (strength of hue e.g. red is
redder than another)
Complementary colors (orange and
blue, yellow and violet, red and green)
Light
What is effect of light in the picture?
Does it produce sharp contrast?
Brightly illuminating some parts while
others in dark?
Symbolic highlights?
Space
Do objects or figures share space
evenly?
Composititon
Is composition symmetrical,
monumental, quiet or rigid and
oppressive?
Lines
Diagonals: suggests motion
Horizontal: tranquility or stability
Vertical: more vigorous stability
Circular lines: motion, fertility
Depth
Does artist convey depth?
Overlapping- nearer obj overlaps
farther obj
Foreshortening like I want you
poster; index finger of uncle sam is
pointed towards the viewer
Contour hatching- lines follow shape of
obj depicted
Shading or modeling shadows
 Relative position from the ground line
obj higher in picture conceived
further away
Perspective parallel line converge in
distance
Aerial or atmospheric perspective
more bluish in color (not birds eye
view)
Shape and size of work
Larger than life seems heroic