Analysis

Analysing An Image/Object

- analysing an image using formalism and context based questions

my chosen image

Formalism

• Formal Elements
• curved lines to show 

                                    - contours => shapes of features

                                    - strands of hair 

                                    - feelings/expression => two of the lines seem to form a tear

• shading is used to create the shape of the face & features
• tones - highlights/shading - are used to create form
• there is actual texture from the bricks but there is also visual texture in the hair represented through lines and colour
• although most of the image is done in a grey scale colour is used to add highlights & shading - mainly primary colours => red, blue & yellow - but there are a couple of secondary colours used => orange & purple - but that could be from where the colours have been overlapped and mixed together

colour could be used to lighten the mood of the image because without it, it would feel quite cold and sad

• Name of Artist:- David Walker
• Genre:- Portrait Art
• 
  

Context

• subject matter is of a young girl's face

                             - seems to be upset 

                             - 'unknown subject' - even the artist doesn't know who he is painting

• image is for aesthetic reasons - but Walker says that because the fact that the 'subject' is unknown lets the audience make up their own narrative to the portraits

              - so it could be about letting people's minds 'run riot' - being free to think for themselves

• Walker's work would come under the Street Art movement
• it reflects a contemporary culture
• Walker says he is influenced by the sense of possibility & ''randomness' of cities
• his work is alternative/unconventional in the sense that he uses spray cans rather than conventional paints
• not sure how the public received the piece - many people are surprised at how well his work turns out in the end

To begin with the reason I chose this image is because it is the first actual painting that you see when you type 'art'' into Google

at first I thought that there must be a reason behind the use of the young girl's portrait but after finishing this analysis I know that there isn't and apart from that I don't think that it has changed how I think about it.