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Visual Analysis Essay

Visual Analysis Essay - A Writing Guide with Format & Sample

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What is a Visual Analysis Essay

A visual analysis essay basically requires you to provide a detailed description of a specific visual work of art. It is a type of analytical essay that deals with imagery and visual art instead of texts.

The subject of a visual analysis essay could be an image, painting, photograph, or any visual medium.

In this type of essay, you need to describe the artwork and analyze its elements in detail. That is, how different elements and features fit together to make the whole work stand out. In this sense, you need to use a mixture of descriptive writing and analytical language.

To write a good visual analysis essay, you need to know the basic visual elements and principles of design. Let’s learn about these concepts first before diving into the writing steps.

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Visual Elements for a Visual Analysis Essay

Writing a visual analysis essay involves analyzing the visual elements of a piece of art. These elements form the basis of the features and characteristics of an image.

Below you can find the common visual elements of a visual analysis essay.


	The element composition describes how things relate to each other. When you are analyzing an image, focus on answering questions related to composition. These questions include what the primary figure is, how other figures are placed, and what is left out.
	It is the part of an image where the artist intends to draw the audience's attention. Understanding the focal point helps you grasp the overall meaning of the image.
	When writing a visual analysis essay, you must describe how colors affect the image. You should focus on the colors and how it affects the overall tone and mood of the image.
	This is about the actual lines presented in the image. You need to describe how lines help grab the audience’s attention toward the specific parts of the image.
	It is about how smooth or rough an object is. A texture can either be real on two-dimensional art or three-dimensional art.
	It is about how the artist uses various shapes in the image. It includes ovals, circles, squares, and rectangles. You should describe what shapes are used by the artist and what they represent.
	It refers to the aspect of light and shading. Through this element, the writer can make 2D objects appear like 3D objects. You should focus on where the writer has used light and shading to enhance aspects of their work.
	It refers to the degree to which the artist has used dark and light aspects in some specific parts of the work. You should discuss how the artist has used these elements in their work.
	It is about the overall size of the image with a relative size of figures provided in it. You should explain why the artist has selected a particular image size and why different objects have different sizes.
	It refers to the use of objects with a symbolic meaning in the image. You should identify whether the image has symbolic objects in it and what they represent.

Principles of Design in a Visual Analysis Essay

In addition to visual elements, you must also consider the principles of design for writing a great visual analysis essay. These principles help you identify and explain the characteristics of the image.


	It refers to the distribution of different visual elements in the image. You should describe images by addressing symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radical balance.
	It refers to the object that draws the audience’s attention when they look at the image. You should discuss how the artist uses various elements to enhance some parts of the image.
	It refers to the use of objects in the image or visual display repeatedly. You should identify objects or symbols used repeatedly in the image.
	When writing a visual analysis essay, you must describe how colors affect the image. You should focus on the colors and how it affects the overall tone and mood of the image.
	This principle is about whether the relationship between objects in the image or visual display is realistic or not. Explain what the artist tried to convey through their artwork.
	To what extent the artist has used elements in the image to influence the audience’s perception. You should explain how different elements are used in the image to create a certain mood or meaning.
	It refers to the use of opposing elements. You need to describe the contrasting elements and if they affected the overall quality of the image.
	It refers to the degree to which people viewing an image can process it. This principle indicates the importance of color, size, and other elements in an image.
	This principle is about the use of spaces between repetitive elements. There are different types of symmetrical designs, and you should describe how the artist used them in the image.
	It refers to the use of objects in the image. It is basically about the distribution and placement of objects and symbols in the image. You need to explain how the artist has used different objects and how they are placed in the image.

How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay - 7 Simple Steps

Now that you have an idea about visual elements and principles, you are now ready to proceed.

Here are the steps that you need to follow for writing a visual analysis essay. Let’s discuss them in detail.

Step 1 - Gather General Information About the Artwork

Once you have a specific artwork or image, here is how to start a visual analysis essay. You need to ask some basic questions about the work and jot down your ideas.

This pre-writing step is for brainstorming ideas. Ask these questions to begin:

Who and what does the artwork represent?
Who is the author of the piece?
Who did the artist create the work for? Who is the intended audience?
When and where was the work created? What is its historical context?
Where was this work displayed for the first time?
Identify which medium, materials, and techniques were used to create the image?

Step 2 - Note Down the Characteristics of the Artwork

The next thing that you need to do is identify what the image depicts. Moreover, you need to identify and describe the visual art elements and design principles used in the work.

Here’s what you need to note:

The subject matter and its representation.
Colors, shapes, and lines used in the composition.
The balance, proportion, and harmony within the artwork.
Any symbolism or metaphors present.

By pointing out such characteristics, you set the stage for a nuanced analysis in your essay.

Step 3 - Visual Analysis Essay Outline

Once you have gathered your main points by carefully studying the image, you should now organize them in an outline.

Here is how you make an outline for your visual analysis essay:

Step 4- Write the Introduction

This is the first paragraph of a visual analysis essay in which you need to provide some background information on the topic. After grabbing the readers’ attention with an interesting fact, briefly provide information on the following points.

Talk briefly about the painting and its artist or creator.
Provide a brief description of the painting and give historical context
Add an interesting fact about the artist or the painting.

The introduction should end with a thesis statement. The visual analysis essay thesis states the analysis points on the artwork that you aim to discuss in your essay.

Step 5 - Provide Detailed Description, Analysis, and Interpretation

In the body section, you need to explore the artwork in detail. In the first body paragraph, simply describe the features and characteristics of the work. For instance, talk about the technique being used, shape, color, and other aspects to support your thesis.

In the next paragraphs, you can go into the analysis and interpretation of these elements and the work as a whole. Present all the details logically and discuss the relationship between the objects. Talk about the meaning, significance, and impact of the work.

Step 6 - Writing a Conclusion

Once you have completed the body section, move to the conclusion paragraph. This is the last paragraph of the essay that should be strong and well-written to create a sense of closure.

Here’s how you can do it

Revisit the main insights gained through the analysis, summarizing the key visual elements and principles discussed.
Emphasize the significance of cultural or historical context in interpreting the visual narrative.
Tie together the threads of your analysis to reinforce your thesis or main argument.
End with a memorable statement and encourage readers to carry the lessons learned from the analysis into their own encounters with art.

Step 7 - Edit & Revise Your Essay

Here’s how to end your visual analysis essay: edit and revise your first draft until it becomes the perfect version. Consider these steps for an excellent revision:

Review for Clarity: Ensure your ideas flow logically. Clarify any ambiguous or unclear statements to enhance the overall readability of your essay.
Trim Unnecessary Details: Trim excess information that doesn't directly contribute to your main points. Keep your analysis focused and concise.
Check Consistency: Verify that your writing style remains consistent throughout the essay. Maintain a balance between formal language and engaging expression.
Fine-Tune Transitions: Ensure smooth transitions between different sections of your essay. Transitions help guide your reader through the analysis, making the journey more enjoyable and comprehensible.
Proofread for Errors: Carefully proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. A polished essay enhances your credibility and the overall professionalism of your work.

With these basic steps, you can craft an amazing visual analysis essay. Read on for some useful tips for analyzing different kinds of visual subjects.

Tips on How to Analyze a Photograph

Painting and photograph analysis are very similar. There are three ways in which photo visual analysis is conducted: description, reflection, and formal analysis.

Although the historical study may be used, it is not necessary.

Description - It implies examining the picture carefully and considering all of the details. The description should be neutral, focusing on simple facts without expressing a personal viewpoint.
Reflection - For the next stage, consider the emotions that the picture stirs in you. Every viewer will have a distinct viewpoint and feelings about the piece. Knowing some historical background might be useful when formulating an educated response.
Formal analysis - Consider the visual components and concepts. How are they shown in the photo?
Historical analysis - For a contextual analysis, keep an eye on the photo's surroundings. Make sure you comprehend the surrounding environment in which the photograph was taken. What era was this image shot during?

Tips on How to Analyze a Sculpture

A sculpture, unlike a painting or photograph, requires a different approach to visual analysis. It still depends on visible components and principles, however it does so in a slightly different way.

When you're writing about sculptures, keep the following in mind:

Medium, size, and technique - What kind of material is it? Is it carved in a negative or positive method?
Color and lightning - Describe the hue of the sculpture, whether it is painted. Was the sculptor concerned with the illumination when creating the work?
Human body and scale - Consider how a human body is portrayed in the piece. Also, assess the sculpture's size compared to that of the viewer.
Function - What was the sculpture's main aim? You could speak about whether it represented a religious conviction or honored someone, for example.
Composition - Examine the placement of the piece and determine whether there is a focal point.

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Visual Analysis Essay on Advertisement

In advertisements, visuals are used to pique interest or persuade the public that what is being advertised is needed. The goal of a visual argument is to generate attention and intrigue. Images are utilized in advertisements to transmit information and interact with the audience.

When conducting a visual analysis of an ad, keep the following in mind:

Textual Elements
Illustrations
Composition

This all has an impact on how people perceive information and how they react to it.

When you analyze the visuals of an ad, you're performing a rhetorical analysis. The study of images and extracting information from them is known as visual rhetoric. It aids in the comprehension of typography, imagery, and the structure of elements on the page.

How to Write a Visual Analysis Paper on an Advertisement

Visual components in advertising are important. It aids in the persuasion of the audience.

Always keep the rhetorical situation in mind while analyzing visual arguments. The following are some key elements to consider:

Audience - Who is the advertisement meant to attract?
Purpose - What message does the photo try to get across to the audience?
Design - What kind of visualizations are included? Are the visuals clear and easy to follow? Are there any patterns or repetitions in the design?
Strategies - Is there any humor, celebrities, or cultural allusions in the graphic's message?
Medium - Is the photograph surrounded by text? Is there any text within the picture? How does it interact with the picture to produce an intended effect if there is any?
Context - What are the characters in an ad? Where are they positioned?
Subtext - Consider the meaning of the picture's words. What are they trying to say?

Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples

Here are some visual analysis essay samples that you can read to understand this type of essay better.

Art history Visual Analysis Essay Example

Political Cartoon Visual Analysis Essay

Rhetorical and Visual Analysis Essay Sample

Mona Lisa Visual Analysis Essay

Visual Analysis Essay Topics

Here are some top visual analysis essay topics that you can choose from and begin the writing process.

Make a review of your favorite Hollywood production and discuss the visual arts involved.
Write about the use of color and action in TV commercials.
Discuss how the brand name is displayed in digital media campaigns.
Discuss different types of visual appeals used in web ads.
What is the special about Cleo Award-winning ads?
The Use of Light and Shadow in Caravaggio's "The Calling of Saint Matthew"
The Symbolism of Colors in Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night"
What is the importance of art and culture in our life?
How has art changed over the last 50 years?
The use of colors in marketing and advertising.

To conclude,

From gathering information about the artwork to crafting a compelling analysis, we've navigated the essential steps you need for a visual analysis essay. Moreover, with the specific tips and examples, you have everything you need to get started.

So dive into the writing process with confidence and return to this blog whenever you need help on any step!

However, if you have gone through the whole article and are still unsure how to start your essay, we can help you.

Our professional essay writers at MyPerfectWords.com can help you with your visual analysis essay assignment. Contact us with your order details, and we will get it done for you.

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What is a Visual Analysis Essay?

A visual analysis essay is a type of analytical writing that asks the reader to examine a work of art. This style of writing analyzes different aspects of art through the use of images.

A common misconception about this type of essay is that it is just a text with pictures and captions. However, its unique form requires you to present your point with visual images. So, a reader can fully understand what you're trying to explain.

These essays are creative and engaging, which allows you to analyze the visual elements of literature. It gives you an in-depth look at various aspects of art pieces such as paintings and sculptures.

It is important to use descriptive words if you want your essay to be interesting and engaging.

How to Conduct Visual Analysis?

By closely examining the elements, techniques, and context of an artwork, we can uncover its hidden messages and appreciate its artistic qualities.

Here are some steps to help you conduct a visual analysis effectively:

Observe and Describe

Start by carefully observing the artwork. Take your time to look at every detail, from the overall composition to the smallest elements.

Pay attention to the colors, lines, shapes, textures, and any other visual elements that stand out.

Analyze the Elements

Next, analyze the visual elements of the artwork and how they interact with each other. Consider the use of color and its emotional impact.

Examine the lines and shapes and how they contribute to the overall composition.

Interpret the Meaning

Consider the subject matter and any symbolism or metaphors used. Look for clues in the context of the artwork, such as historical, cultural, or social references.

Think about the artist's intention and what they might be trying to convey through their work.

Research and Contextualize

Conduct research to learn more about the artist, the art movement or period it belongs to, and the historical or cultural context in which it was created.

Formulate Your Analysis

Finally, synthesize your observations, analysis, and research into a coherent analysis of the artwork. Develop a thesis statement that encapsulates your interpretation of the artwork and support it with evidence and examples from your analysis.

Elements of a Visual Analysis Essay

The most important concepts to know when writing a visual analysis essay are the essay's visual elements. These elements offer a good visual display of its visual characteristics.

A student cannot analyze an image or visual display without mentioning how these elements relate to the subject's characteristics.

A list of common visual elements used in writing visual analysis essays is given below.

Visual composition explains how objects are related to one another. When studying an image, concentrate on answering composition-related questions. Such questions involve what the main figure is, how the other figures are arranged, and what is missed.

A focal point is the part of the image where the artist attracts the audience's attention. Grasping the focal point helps you to understand the imageâs overall purpose.

Symbolic elements are the usage of objects that have symbolic meaning in the picture. You must determine whether or not the image contains symbolic objects and what those objects portray.

In most cases, artists combine several elements to make a picture. It's necessary to become acquainted with these elements before writing a visual analysis essay. Size, lines, color, shape are examples of these elements.

It refers to the softness or harshness of an object. A texture has to be genuine in both 2D and 3D art.

It is the whole size of the picture, as well as the size of the figures in the image. In this part, you must describe why the artist chose a specific picture size and why the sizes of figures differ.

This pertains to the actual lines depicted in the image. You must explain how lines help draw the audienceâs attention to particular parts of the picture.

It involves an examination of shading and light. The writer can use this element to create 2D objects into 3D. Pay attention to understand how the writer has used shading and light to improve or enhance certain aspects of work.

It is about how the artist has displayed different shapes in the picture. Ovals, circles, squares, and rectangles are all included. You must explain how the artist used the shapes and what they portrayed.

You must describe how colors affect the picture while writing a visual analysis essay. Concentrate on the colors to know how they affect the whole mood and tone of the picture.

Value reflects how the artistâs used dark and light elements in various parts of the work. You must talk about how the artist presents these elements in their work.

Design Principles of a Visual Analysis Essay

For a great visual analysis essay, you must recognize design principles in addition to visual elements.

These principles assist you in highlighting and describing the visual characteristics.

A pattern describes how colors affect the image when composing a visual analysis essay. Concentrate on the colors and how they affect the mood and tone of the whole picture.

Contrast relates to the use of opposite elements. You must have contrasting elements in your essay to tell if they affected the quality of the whole picture or not.

The layout is primarily concerned with the distribution and placement of objects and symbols within the picture. You must describe how the artist presents various objects and symbols and how they are arranged in the picture.

Balance relates to how different visual elements are distributed in the picture. You must define pictures in terms of radical, symmetrical, and asymmetrical balance.

Proportion determines whether or not the relationship between objects in visual display or picture is authentic. Describe what the artist wanted to say through their artwork.

Hierarchy emphasizes the significance of size, color, and other elements of the picture. It relates to the way in which people view a picture and interpret it.

Movement relates to the repeated use of objects in a visual display or picture. Identify the symbols or objects that repeatedly appear how in the picture.

How incorporated elements in the picture influence the audience's perception? You must describe how various elements are used in a picture to create a specific mood or meaning.

Emphasis refers to the object that catches the viewer's eye when they see it. You must talk about how the artist used different elements to make different parts of the picture look better.

The use of spaces between repetitive elements is the subject of this principle. There are various types of rhythms, and you should explain how the writer presented them in the picture.

How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay?

Here are six steps you must take to write a visual analysis essay.

Provide Basic Information

To start the creative writing process, you must first collect information on the following elements.

Who wrote the piece?
A piece created for whom?
What medium was chosen?
Why was that medium significant?
Where was this art originally shown for the first time?
Who or what does the artwork reflect?
What elements were used?
When and where was the work created?
Describe the Painting

The following step is to determine what the image portrays. This part is similar to an abstract in which you must summarize all the observable elements. The following are the essential characteristics to search for.

Identify the story on which the artwork is based if you are examining a classical painting.
Discuss the primary setting.
Highlight the characters and what they stand for?
Describe the painting's overall vibe that the artist intends to communicate.
Examine Thoroughly

Every piece of art is unique; consider what art elements and design principles you will apply in your writing.

This section takes the most time. Because here, you have to examine the artwork elements as well as its design concepts thoroughly.

Make an Outline

For your visual analysis essay, the five-paragraph style is recommended. Find out significant elements of the artwork and create your thesis statement around it.

Visual analysis papers must follow standard citation guidelines. Include a source citation page with a list of all your references used.

Edit & Revise Your Essay

After you've finished writing your essay, revise and proofread it to ensure it's free of grammatical mistakes.

For a detailed guide, you can also check out this video:

Visual Analysis Essay Outline

Below outlines the fundamental structure for a visual analysis essay.

Visual Analysis Essay Introduction

This is the opening paragraph of a visual analysis essay, and this is where you should make your reader interested. It should provide some basic information about the subject. After the introductory part, offer brief information on the following points.

Give an overview of the painting and the artist.
Explain the painting's main elements.
Include intriguing information about the artistâs intent on the picture.
Remember to add the first sentence that grabs attention.
Add thesis statement

The thesis statement should be included at the ending of the essay introduction . The thesis statement for a visual analysis essay provides the points you intend to cover in your essay.

Visual Analysis Essay Body Paragraphs

You must analyze the artwork in-depth in the body part of your essay. Provide three or more suggestions to support your thesis. Write and examine the entire piece, including the method used, form, colors, and everything else that backs up your thesis.

Only discuss the parts of the artwork that support your argument. Present all of the facts rationally and describe the elements and their relationship with each other. You should evaluate your ideas about the artwork under examination in response to a visual argument created by the artist.

Visual Analysis Essay Conclusion

This is the essay's final paragraph, so it should be powerful and well-written. Here, you must reinforce your thesis statement once again and make it effective.

Top Visual Analysis Essay Examples

Below are samples of different types of visual analysis essays for you to improve your understanding of this type of essay.

Visual Analysis Essay of a Painting

Conducting a visual analysis essay of a painting involves four key steps:

Carefully observe the artwork, noting its composition, brushwork, color palette, and symbolic elements.
Analyze the artist's techniques and choices, such as brushstrokes, use of light and shadow, and perspective.
Interpret the artwork, considering its emotional impact, themes, and potential messages.
Evaluate the painting's overall effectiveness, considering its artistic value, innovation, and ability to engage the viewer.


	Mystic Dreams" is a captivating contemporary oil painting that merges reality and imagination. With its ethereal dreamscape, vibrant colors, and symbolic elements, this enigmatic artwork explores the depths of the human psyche, inviting viewers to embark on a personal journey of contemplation.
	Mystic Dreams" presents a mysterious nocturnal scene with swirling, luminescent hues and celestial blue backdrop. The interplay of warm and cool tones creates a harmonious yet tension-filled atmosphere, captivating the viewer's attention.
	The artist employs bold brushstrokes and an impasto technique, adding dimensionality and texture to the composition. Skillful blending of colors and interplay of light and shadow enhance the sense of depth and movement. The composition guides the viewer's gaze through horizontal and vertical elements, suggesting different realms and creating a dialogue between the tangible and intangible.
	Mystic Dreams" delves into the liminal spaces between reality and fantasy, inviting contemplation of the human experience. The vibrant bursts of color convey emotional intensity, while the dreamlike quality transports viewers to a realm beyond time and space, encouraging introspection.
	Mystic Dreams" is an exceptional work that transcends traditional representation. The artist's bold brushwork and understanding of color create a visual language that resonates on an intellectual and emotional level, making it a profound piece of contemporary art.
	Mystic Dreams" exemplifies the enduring power of art to evoke the imagination. With its expressive style, vibrant colors, and mysterious symbolism, this painting leaves a lasting impression, showcasing the artist's unique vision and contributing to the realm of contemporary art.

Visual Analysis Essay of a Photograph

For conducting a visual analysis essay of a photograph, follow these three key steps.

First, closely examine the composition, lighting, and subject matter of the image.
Second, interpret the emotions, themes, and narratives conveyed by the photograph.
Finally, evaluate the overall effectiveness of the photograph in engaging the viewer and conveying its intended message.


	"Lost in Time" is a captivating black and white photograph that captures a solitary figure on a weathered dock, evoking a sense of contemplation and nostalgia.
	The photograph showcases soft, diffused lighting, casting shadows on the dock and creating depth. The composition follows a diagonal line, guiding the viewer's gaze and adding dynamism.
	"Lost in Time" invites reflection on solitude, the passage of time, and the longing for connection. The black and white treatment intensifies the emotional impact and timeless quality of the image.
	This remarkable photograph skillfully combines composition, lighting, and subject matter, creating a visually stunning image that elicits emotions and prompts personal introspection.
	"Lost in Time" captures a poignant moment frozen in eternity, leaving a lasting impression with its evocative narrative and skillful execution.

Visual Analysis Essay of a Sculpture

Conducting a visual analysis essay of a sculpture involves three essential steps.

First, carefully observe the sculpture's form, materials, and spatial arrangement.
Second, interpret the sculpture's symbolism, themes, and artistic intent.
Finally, evaluate the sculpture's aesthetic value, technical craftsmanship, and its ability to evoke emotional responses.


	"Eternal Dance" is a captivating bronze sculpture that depicts two figures in a graceful, intertwined pose, symbolizing unity and the cyclical nature of life.
	The sculpture's fluid lines and polished bronze material create a sense of movement and depth. The figures' outstretched arms convey a yearning for transcendence, inviting contemplation on the transient beauty of existence.
	Eternal Dance" is an exceptional sculpture that showcases the sculptor's technical skill and conceptual depth. Its symbolism and aesthetic appeal make it a thought-provoking and visually engaging artwork.
	Through its form, material, and symbolic elements, "Eternal Dance" captivates viewers, inspiring reflection on interconnectedness and the eternal cycle of life.

Visual Analysis of an Advertisement

Conducting a visual analysis of an advertisement involves several key steps.

First, carefully observe the advertisement, noting its visual elements such as imagery, colors, typography, and layout.
Second, analyze how these elements work together to convey the message and appeal to the target audience.
Third, interpret the intended meaning and the emotions evoked by the advertisement.
Finally, evaluate the effectiveness of the advertisement in terms of engagement, communication, and marketing objectives.


	The advertisement titled "Infinite Possibilities" captivates viewers through a vibrant composition featuring diverse individuals engaged in dynamic activities, conveying a sense of boundless potential.
	Bold colors, modern typography, and energetic poses create an aspirational atmosphere. The advertisement emphasizes inclusivity and aims to evoke a positive emotional response.
	The visually striking composition and persuasive elements effectively engage the target audience, encouraging them to explore the product or service being advertised.
	"Infinite Possibilities" successfully communicates its message of limitless potential, utilizing visual elements to create an aspirational and engaging advertisement.

Here are some more samples of visual analysis essays:

Rhetorical and Visual Analysis Essay Sample

Art History Visual Analysis Essay Sample

Political Cartoon Visual Analysis Sample

Visual Analysis Essay Advertisement

Visual Analysis Essay Format

Visual Analysis Essay Template

Mona Lisa Visual Analysis Essay Example

Visual Analysis Essay Thesis Example

Visual Analysis Essay Topics

Following are some excellent visual analysis essay ideas from which you can start your own writing.

What impact does advertising have on our lives?
Discuss the forms of emotional appeals shown in web advertisements.
Review your favorite movie and analyze the visual arts in it.
What is the importance of historical context?
Discuss the action involved in television ads.
Colors are used in marketing and advertising.
What makes Oscar awards unique from other awards?
How has art evolved in the past 50 years?
Explain how digital media campaigns display brand names?
What role do art and culture have in our lives?

Tips For Writing the Visual Analysis Essay

Here are some tips on how to write a great essay, so take a look at them and make your writing process easy.

Your visual analysis essay should be written in a clear and organized way. The audience will not stick around if the ideas are not presented in an organized way.
If the essay is written in an appropriate format, the data will be easy for the audience to understand.
You need to rely on your thesis statement when writing your essay. You also need to do research before making any arguments.
The emotions we feel when looking at artwork often counter the artist's argument. The writer should be aware of how the audience perceives the artwork.
When you write the visual analysis essay, proofread it carefully to make sure there are no mistakes. Any errors in grammar or context will count against you in the final grade.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is visual analysis.

Visual analysis is a method of understanding the visual elements of an artwork. Elements such as color, line, texture, and scale are frequently used in historical art writing.

What is a visual rhetorical analysis?

The visually rhetorical analysis mainly interacts via images or the engagement of image and text. The author of such visual documents thinks in the same way as writers do. They select the elements of the images and organize them and their thoughts based on rhetorical considerations.

What is the purpose of visual literacy?

Visual literacy aims to allow a person to effectively interpret, evaluate, find, use, and create images and visual media.

How do you write a visual analysis conclusion?

The conclusion should be the strongest part of your paper because it's where you can leave a lasting impression. Don't just restate what you said in the thesis statement but strengthen and form those thoughts by adding an interesting fact that will make it more convincing and credible to readers.

What is a visual text example?

Visual texts are those in which pictures and shapes communicate rather than words. Photographs, illustrations, pictures in books, DVDs, web pages, billboards, advertisements, cartoons, artworks, book covers are examples of visual texts.

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

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How to Write a Response Paper

Writing Essays
Writing Research Papers
English Grammar
M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Most of the time when you are tasked with an essay about a book or article you've read for a class, you will be expected to write in a professional and impersonal voice. But the regular rules change a bit when you write a response paper.

A response (or reaction) paper differs from the formal review primarily in that it is written in the first person . Unlike in more formal writing, the use of phrases like "I thought" and "I believe" is encouraged in a response paper.

You'll still have a thesis and will need to back up your opinion with evidence from the work, but this type of paper spotlights your individual reaction as a reader or viewer.

Read and Respond

Grace Fleming

For a response paper, you still need to write a formal assessment of the work you're observing (this could be anything created, such as a film, a work of art, a piece of music, a speech, a marketing campaign, or a written work), but you will also add your own personal reaction and impressions to the report.

The steps for completing a reaction or response paper are:

Observe or read the piece for an initial understanding.
Mark interesting pages with a sticky flag or take notes on the piece to capture your first impressions.
Reread the marked pieces and your notes and stop to reflect often.
Record your thoughts.
Develop a thesis.
Write an outline.
Construct your essay.

It may be helpful to imagine yourself watching a movie review as you're preparing your outline. You will use the same framework for your response paper: a summary of the work with several of your own thoughts and assessments mixed in.

The First Paragraph

After you have established an outline for your paper, you need to craft the first draft of the essay using all the basic elements found in any strong paper, including a strong introductory sentence .

In the case of a reaction essay, the first sentence should contain both the title of the work to which you are responding and the name of the author.

The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should contain a thesis statement . That statement will make your overall opinion very clear.

Stating Your Opinion

There's no need to feel shy about expressing your own opinion in a position paper, even though it may seem strange to write "I feel" or "I believe" in an essay.

In the sample here, the writer analyzes and compares the plays but also manages to express personal reactions. There's a balance struck between discussing and critiquing the work (and its successful or unsuccessful execution) and expressing a reaction to it.

Sample Statements

When writing a response essay, you can include statements like the following:

I felt that
In my opinion
The reader can conclude that
The author seems to
I did not like
This aspect didn't work for me because
The images seemed to
The author was [was not] successful in making me feel
I was especially moved by
I didn't understand the connection between
It was clear that the artist was trying to
The soundtrack seemed too
My favorite part was...because

Tip : A common mistake in personal essays it to resort to insulting comments with no clear explanation or analysis. It's OK to critique the work you are responding to, but you still need to back up your feelings, thoughts, opinions, and reactions with concrete evidence and examples from the work. What prompted the reaction in you, how, and why? What didn't reach you and why?

Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
50 Argumentative Essay Topics
How To Write an Essay
How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
Writing an Opinion Essay
What Is a Critique in Composition?
6 Steps to Writing the Perfect Personal Essay
5 Steps to Writing a Position Paper
How to Write a Persuasive Essay
How to Write a Great Process Essay
How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
10 Steps to Writing a Successful Book Report
Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
How to Write a News Article That's Effective
How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
What an Essay Is and How to Write One

Visual Analysis Essay: Guidelines for Observing Artworks

Icon Calendar 28 June 2024
Icon Page 6986 words
Icon Clock 32 min read

Writing a visual analysis essay is an exciting and challenging academic exercise for art students. As a priority, before writing such a document, learners need to familiarize themselves with design elements and principles. In essence, standard design elements are color, shape, size, and line, while common principles of design are proportion, balance, texture, and contrast. Basically, understanding these concepts would help any writer to provide an in-depth description of any illustration. In turn, such descriptions must make it possible for a target audience to develop a mental picture of an image or other graphical display. Hence, students need to learn how to write a visual analysis essay correctly to shape their knowledge of art and provide high-quality papers.

What Is a Visual Analysis Essay and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a visual analysis essay is a form of academic writing that critically evaluates various graphical elements of artworks, such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, advertisements, or films. The main purpose of writing a visual analysis essay is to examine, understand, and explain how various graphical components, such as color, line, texture, shape, and composition, work together to convey a specific meaning or evoke a particular response from a viewer (Sachant et al., 2023). Basically, such a composition goes beyond mere description of objects and subjects and requires writers to expand an entire context, purpose, and effectiveness of visual elements in conveying a specific message or eliciting an emotional response. The goal is to develop writers’ critical thinking and observational skills and enhance their ability to engage with and appreciate graphical subjects on a deeper level, including artists’ or creators’ intentions and their cultural or historical significance (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In terms of pages and words, the length of a visual analysis essay is based on specific institutions, course academic levels, and a depth of examination required, while general guidelines are:

High School:

Length: 2-4 pages
Word Count: 500-1,000 words

College (Undergraduate):

Length: 4-6 pages
Word Count: 1,000-1,500 words

University (Upper-Level Undergraduate):

Length: 6-8 pages
Word Count: 1,500-2,000 words

Master’s:

Length: 8-10 pages
Word Count: 2,000-3,000 words
Length: 16-20 pages
Word Count: 4,000-5,000 words

Academic Importance

One of the paper types that students write is a visual analysis essay. Basically, this academic writing exercise requires learners to provide a detailed description of a specific image or painting. For example, the main four steps of visual analysis are describing observed elements, analyzing an arrangement and interaction of these components, interpreting their meaning and significance, and evaluating an overall impact and effectiveness of an overall artwork (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In doing so, people analyze a specific illustration display by describing a particular graphic in detail and explaining how different concepts fit together to make a picture in a way as it appears. Moreover, these concepts include graphical elements and principles of design. Therefore, students must understand these basic concepts and relate them to a painting or photograph in question before providing a detailed description (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, the most common subjects that writers address are drawings, paintings, sculptures, and architectural objects. Besides, the time when scholars need to write a visual analysis essay is when instructions require them to describe a given or any picture, taking into account graphical concepts named before.

Section	Element	Content Description
Title Page	Essay’s Title	Develop a Unique Title
	Your Name and Surname	Include Your Initials
	Course Title	Present Your Subject’s Title
	Instructor’s Name and Surname	Mention Your Professor’s Initials
	Date of submission	Provide a date when you completed your paper.
Introduction	Hook	Engage readers with an interesting fact, question, or quote
	Context	Provide background information about your graphical work.
	Thesis Statement	State a main argument or focus of your analysis.
Description of a Visual Work	Overview	Write a brief description of a specific illustrative work, including its medium.
Description of a Visual Work	Detailed Description	Discuss key aspects, such as color, line, texture, shape, composition, and perspective.
Analysis of Visual Elements	Color	Analyze the use of color and its impact on viewers.
	Line and Shape	Discuss how lines and shapes guide a viewer’s eye and contribute to an overall composition.
	Texture	Examine a texture element and its effect on a piece under analysis.
	Composition	Analyze a particular arrangement of elements and how it directs attention.
	Perspective	Discuss an overall use of perspective and its impact on a viewer’s perception.
Contextual Analysis	Historical Context	Explain a particular historical period and its influence on a piece.
	Cultural Context	Interpret an overall message and themes of an illustrative artwork.
	Artist’s Intent	Consider an artist’s possible intention and central message.
Interpretation and Evaluation	Message and Themes	Interpret an overall message and themes of an allustrative artwork.
	Emotional Impact	Discuss an emotional response that such a piece evokes.
	Effectiveness	Evaluate how effectively graphical elements and composition convey an intended message.
Conclusion	Summary	Summarize key points of your analysis.
	Restate Thesis	Reinforce your thesis statement.
	Final Thoughts	Offer final reflections or insights about a visual work.
References/Bibliography	List of Sources	Cite all sources used in your analysis and follow an appropriate academic citation style (APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago/Turabian, etc.)
Appendices (if applicable)	Visual Elements	Include additional materials, such as images, charts, or diagrams that support your analysis.

Note: Some sections can be added, deleted, or combined with each other. To write a visual analysis essay, people start by introducing a specific artwork and its context, then analyze its elements, such as color, composition, and symbolism, interpret their meanings, and conclude by summarizing key insights and reinforcing a central thesis.

Visual Elements

Based on the preceding section, one of the concepts that students must consider when writing an illustration analysis essay is graphical components. For example, to analyze visual elements, people examine components, such as color, line, texture, shape, and composition, and discuss how these aspects contribute to an overall meaning and impact of an observed work (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). In essence, observational aspects give an image of its graphical characteristics. Moreover, common visual elements are composition, elements of design, focal point, color, line, texture, shape, form, value, size, and symbolic elements. In turn, it is practically impossible for a student to analyze a graphical illustration without describing how some of these elements exemplify subject’s visual characteristics.

Composition

When analyzing a painting, people must address how a subject is put together. Basically, it is what is termed as a composition. When talking about composition by describing a visual display, a writer must cover a unique placement of things in an image (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Moreover, this aspect means describing how things relate one to another within a canvas. When analyzing an illustration, a student must focus on answering several questions related to its composition. In turn, these aspects include what entails a primary figure, how artists place other figures relative to a primary figure, and what they left out.

Elements of Design

When creating an image, artists use different approaches to bring their artworks to life. Basically, these approaches are what entail elements of design. Therefore, when writing a visual analysis paper, authors must familiarize themselves with these elements by answering specific questions (Sachant et al., 2023). In turn, these aspects include understanding design elements – color, shape, size, form, and line – that exemplify a graphical display the most.

Focal Point

By definition, a focal point is a part of an image or visual display that an artist draws an audience’s attention. In essence, writers must address an observed element by understanding its focal point (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Besides, they need to cover design elements, such as line, form, color, and shape, that an artist has used to exemplify this part of an object or subject.

When creating an image, artists use an element of color to exemplify a visual aspect of their artworks. For example, the term “monochromatic” means artists have used one color to create an image, while the term “complementary” means they have used colors opposite each other on a color wheel (Sachant et al., 2023). Finally, people must describe how an element of color affects a visual illustration, focusing on colors that artists use and how they affect a specific tone, mood, and meaning of an image.

An element of line entails actual lines presented in an image. Typically, these lines result from an artist’s effort to place different objects in an illustration in question (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Hence, people must describe how lines help to grab a viewer’s attention toward or away from specific parts of an image.

An element of texture refers to how smooth or rough an object is or a pattern thereof. In particular, when writing a visual analysis document, authors must understand that a texture can either be real in three-dimensional art or represented in two-dimensional art (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Besides, when analyzing an image, authors must focus on a place where an artist exemplifies an element of texture and how it influences a target audience to expect a particular touch sensation.

An element of shape refers to how an artist uses various shapes, including circles, ovals, rectangles, and squares, to bring their artworks to life. Basically, when writing their compositions, authors should describe specific shapes that artists use to exemplify their works and where those shapes direct viewers’ eyes (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). In other words, they should describe how artists use specific shapes to exemplify a focal point.

An element of form refers to an aspect of light and shading and how artists use them to bring their creations to life. Through this element of form, artists can make a two-dimensional object appear like a three-dimensional object (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, when writing papers, people should focus on where artists have applied light or shading to exemplify their work’s specific aspects.

A value element refers to a degree to which an artist has exemplified light and dark aspects in specific parts of their artworks. Basically, when writing a visual analysis essay, authors should describe how artists have applied these aspects in their works (Estrada-Gonzalez et al., 2020). In turn, they need to mention if there is an indication of these concepts’ symbolic use.

An element of size refers to an overall size of an image or visual display with a relative size of figures provided in an illustration. Basically, when writing their documents, people should explain why they believe an artist chose a picture’s particular size and why different objects in a picture have different sizes (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Notably, when an artist applies different sizes concerning lines and shapes, it means an image is of relative significance.

Symbolic Elements

An element of symbolic elements refers to using objects with symbolic or historical meaning in a painting. In particular, an example of these objects is the cross, which exemplifies the Christian faith (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). As such, when writing a visual analysis essay, authors should explain whether an assigned image has any symbolic objects and, if there are, whether an artist intends to use such directly or by inverting it.

Visual Principles of Design

Besides visual elements described in the preceding section, artists also apply design principles when creating images or other works. In essence, a primary function of visual analysis is to interpret and understand a specific meaning, significance, and impact of graphical elements in a work of art or media, enhancing appreciation and critical engagement with a particular culture (Sachant et al., 2023). Moreover, such principles help to exemplify unique graphical characteristics of an image or observed display. In turn, some of the common design principles include balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, variety, contrast, hierarchy, and rhythm.

A principle of balance refers to a distribution of different graphical elements in an image or observed display to enhance stability or instability. Basically, when writing a visual analysis essay, students should describe pictures by addressing a symmetrical and asymmetrical balance (Ledin & Machin, 2018). As such, the former indicates that both sides of an image are even, and the latter means a picture is weighted on one side. Moreover, radical balance means an artist has organized objects in an illustration around a central point. Therefore, people should address these aspects of balance to give a target audience a perfect understanding of an image.

An emphasis principle refers to an object that catches a viewer’s attention when someone looks at paintings. For example, when writing a visual analysis essay, students should describe how an artist in question has used elements of size, color, texture, shape, and others to exemplify one part of an illustration and make it a focal point (Sachant et al., 2023). Moreover, when looking at an image, a viewer can identify an extent to which an artist has applied an emphasis principle by studying a focal point.

A principle of movement refers to an extent to which an image fosters a movement of viewers’ eyes in a path as they view paintings. In particular, a movement aspect explains why a viewer may focus on specific parts more than others (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Besides, authors should describe how an image influences a direction in which viewers’ eyes move. In turn, they should also explain visual elements, such as line, color, shape, or size, which influence this eye movement.

A principle of pattern entails a unique use of objects in an image repeatedly. Basically, when writing a visual analysis essay, students should identify specific objects or symbols that artists use repeatedly in their artworks (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Typically, repetition indicates that an object bears a significant meaning, and a student must explain this meaning to a target audience.

A principle of proportion refers to how sizes relate one to another in an image or visual display. Moreover, writers should explain this principle by addressing whether a particular relationship among objects in a graphical illustration is realistic or distorted (Sachant et al., 2023). In either case, they should explain a unique meaning that an artist intended to communicate when creating an image.

A principle of variety refers to an extent to which an artist uses different visual elements to influence an audience’s perception of an image as dynamic. Basically, this principle of variety enhances an active rhythm in an image or observed display (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, when organizing a visual analysis essay, students should explain to their audiences how different elements of design, such as color, size, shape, and size, are combined to create a mood or meaning.

A principle of contrast refers to a juxtaposition of opposing elements. In principle, an example of contrast in an image is a particular use of colors opposite each other on a color wheel, like red versus green or blue versus orange (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Then, another example of contrast is a tone or value in a painting, such as light versus dark, and direction, such as horizontal versus vertical. Hence, people should explain to a target audience about a significant contrast in an illustration, which tends to be exemplified in a focal point. In turn, an image that has too much contrast undermines an overall quality of unity and is likely to disgust viewers.

A principle of hierarchy refers to a degree to which people viewing an image can process it. As such, this aspect indicates a particular significance of color, size, line, shape, and other elements of design in graphics (Sachant et al., 2023). Moreover, observed elements that appear prominently in a picture are the most significant. In turn, when writing a visual analysis essay, students should analyze a specific use of titles and headings in an illustration. For example, the term “title” denotes a significant aspect of an artwork (Sachant et al., 2023). Hence, artists should make it a prominent element in their creations. In turn, when describing an image in an analysis essay, a student should explain this aspect with an entire meaning it bears.

A principle of rhythm refers to an extent to which an artist has used spaces between repetitive elements. For example, this aspect is similar to how a musician uses spaces between notes when composing a piece of music to create rhythm (Sachant et al., 2023). Typically, artists create five types of rhythms in an image: random, regular, alternating, flowing, and progressive. In their papers, authors should describe how an artist has used these rhythm types. Moreover, what they should understand is that these rhythms differ in patterns. For instance, while random rhythms lack a discernable pattern, regular rhythms have a particular pattern, where an artist adopts the same spacing between elements with no variation (Sachant et al., 2023). Consequently, alternating rhythms have a pattern where an artist adopts a set of repetitive elements but with no variation between them. About flowing rhythms, an artist uses bends and curves, like sand dunes or ocean waves.

A principle of layout refers to how an artist has used objects in an image. In other words, it entails a unique placement or distribution of objects, such as symbols, in a graphical illustration (Sachant et al., 2023). Hence, when writing compositions on graphics, students should explain specific objects that an artist has used in an image under analysis and how they are placed in a specific artwork. Besides, a particular layout is related to other principles of design, such as pattern and proportion.

How to Analyze an Intended Meaning of an Image

Based on the preceding sections, when writing a visual analysis essay, students should consider how an artist has applied different graphical elements and design principles. In turn, these elements and principles exemplify a photograph, bringing to life specific parts, particularly a focal point. For example, to write a visual argument essay, people analyze observed aspects and rhetorical strategies used in an assigned artwork to convey a specific claim or message, and support their analysis with evidence and reasoning that explains how these components effectively persuade a target audience (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Therefore, when analyzing an intended meaning of an image or other illustrative display for their essays, people should pay attention to elements and principles of design and explain to a target audience their effect on a specific graphic.

Visual Composition

Visual composition entails how an artist has arranged or composed an image. Basically, when analyzing such an image in a visual analysis essay, students should explain various composition’s aspects that enhance a claim (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, they can describe a layout, which means specific objects in paintings that an artist has used to grab a viewer’s attention. Moreover, they can explain how graphical lines draw a viewer’s attention to a focal point. Further on, writers can describe balance by talking about a particular size of artworks and how they compare one to another. Finally, they should talk about a focal point by describing its placement – centered or offset.

When describing an image in papers, students should explain actual picture’s claims to a target audience. Typically, there are five claim types: fact, definition, cause, value, and policy (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). Firstly, when talking about a fact claim, writers should explain whether an illustration is real, and, when talking about a definition claim, they should explain its meaning. Then, when talking about a cause claim, people should explain potential causes, effects, and relationships between these aspects. In turn, when talking about a value claim, authors should explain a possible importance of an image, and it should be evaluated. Finally, when talking about a policy claim, writers should explain a solution and how it can be achieved.

When analyzing an image in a visual analysis essay, students should interpret its meaning by explaining its genre – whether it is a movie, fine art, poster, graphic art, photograph, or pamphlet. Consequently, they should explain to an intended audience whether it aligns with that genre’s rules or whether an artist has disregarded them (Sachant et al., 2023). More importantly, writers should explain to a target audience how a genre affects an overall image’s meaning.

When analyzing an image for writing a composition, students should address an appealing aspect. Basically, such a feature means how a picture appeals to a specific audience and influences them to believe intended claims (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Here, writers should explain to a particular audience whether an image or specific parts of it appeal to logic, emotion, authority, or character. More importantly, they should explain whether any of the appeals are deceptive.

Context and History

When writing a visual analysis essay, students can analyze a painting by addressing its historical context. Basically, a good approach is to explain an image’s rhetorical situation to a specific audience (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). In essence, writers must familiarize themselves with an artist’s intended message and how the audience reacts when looking at this illustration. Moreover, to write a contextual analysis of art, authors examine an artwork’s historical, cultural, and social background, explore a particular artist’s intentions and influences, and analyze how these contexts shape an overall meaning and interpretation of an observed piece (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). In turn, a writer’s response to an image can differ from that of the initial audience. As a result, learners should use such a difference as a main idea (a thesis statement) of discussion in their papers.

Step-by-Step Writing of a Visual Analysis Essay

Like any paper, writing a visual analysis essay requires students to observe specific strategies of persuasive writing. Basically, these strategies include preparation, stage set-up, actual writing, and wrap up (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Moreover, these strategies enable students to create artworks that satisfy academic writing conventions, such as having a thesis statement, citations, and appropriate formatting, and free from errors and mistakes.

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation refers to an aspect of planning how to go about executing a task. In academic writing, preparation is the main first step to persuasive writing, and it entails reading a story or reviewing an object or subject, finding a specific painting, defining a topic, preparing ideas, and considering unique needs of a specific audience (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Therefore, one can argue that preparation is the stage where students develop a frame of mind necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of an image or visual display.

Reading a Story or Reviewing an Object or Subject

In many instances, an image that students analyze in a visual analysis essay is found in texts, such as books, journal articles, reports, novels, or galleries. Therefore, reading more information about an assigned artwork is the first activity any writer should undertake when analyzing a specific piece (Lewandowska et al., 2023). On the other hand, people may go to museums to observe many unique artworks. Finally, if it is a text, learners should read an article at least twice to grasp essential details that are pertinent to their documents.

Finding a Visual

As students read a text, they should focus on identifying an image or graphical display that they should analyze in a visual analysis essay. While it is standard practice for instructors to guide authors on where to find an image, sometimes, they may have to choose paintings for themselves (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In the latter context, identifying a specific picture that writers find understandable to them in terms of its observed elements is the best approach to writing a visual analysis essay. In turn, to include pictures in a research paper, writers insert images of artworks within an entire text near a relevant discussion, label them with appropriate figure numbers and captions, and provide proper citations if required.

Defining a Topic

Although a primary objective of an observational analysis essay is to describe an image’s visual characteristics, students should come up with a topic that best describes this endeavor. By considering an essence of elements and principles of design that apply to an in-depth analysis of an image, writers have a broad scope when it comes to defining a topic for their papers (Ong, 2020). As such, a secret to finding right essay topics is to decide on what aspect of analysis – elements or principles – they intend to focus on.

Preparing Ideas

It is common practice for students to come up with ideas when writing any type of academic text. Basically, this phase of preparation helps learners to develop a mindset about a task at hand (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In essence, ideas that people generate should align with a topic they have already defined. Besides, writers cannot think about aspects of writing that would not further their agenda. Finally, they cannot develop ideas about a particular significance of design elements when their topic is about values that principles of design provide in a visual display.

Considering Readers

When writing a visual analysis essay, students should not only think about an image from a perspective of elements and principles of design. Basically, writers should think about how their compositions would help their audiences to understand a specific graphical illustration better (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). In turn, they should understand their readers and what might be of interest to them. For example, students of history might want to know how a particular picture influenced a unique perception of those who saw it first (Sachant et al., 2023). To address this need, a writer may have to address an image’s rhetorical situation more than its graphical characteristics.

Step 2: Stage Set-Up

After preparation, the second step in writing a visual analysis essay is setting up the stage for the actual writing. Here, students spend time finding credible sources, making notes, creating an essay outline, and writing an annotated bibliography (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Moreover, it is the stage where writers get down and start doing some work to bring their goals to fruition.

Finding Credible Sources

Unlike other academic texts, visual analysis essays that require students to analyze an issue, phenomenon, or object require some degree of research. In particular, learners may have to find reliable sources that help them to conduct an in-depth analysis of an image at hand. For example, writers may have to find out what critics have said about a famous painting with an alternative meaning of applicable concepts, such as balance, movement, shape, size, and proportion (Reynolds & Niedt, 2021). As such, finding academic sources that can provide some insight into these essential details is a crucial step when writing a graphical analysis essay.

Making Notes

As students read through study sources they identify for writing a visual analysis essay, they should make notes relevant to a task. In this case, learners should read through their sources while making notes about important concepts they find relevant to their analysis, such as proportion, context, and balance (Ledin & Machin, 2018). As such, these notes are essential in supporting points writers generate, influencing new ideas.

Writing an Outline and Annotated Bibliography

Like any other essay, a visual analysis essay should have an outline that follows a typical essay structure. For example, a standard outline for essays entails three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, students should follow such an outline. Then, an annotated bibliography is a text that summarizes each of the sources people have identified and used to find critical information. Generally, learners do not need to write this summary in writing their papers. However, to simplify their work for finding information, students may write an annotated bibliography before writing an observational analysis essay.

Step 3: Actual Writing

The third step in writing a visual analysis essay involves the actual process of writing a paper. To start a visual analysis essay, writers begin with an engaging introduction with a specific context for a particular artwork under review, including its title, artist, and medium, and end with a clear thesis statement outlining an entire focus of their examination (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Here, students should begin with organizing their first drafts. Moreover, a great advantage of this draft is that it is not a final document that students submit or publish, meaning they have an allowance for making mistakes and correcting them. In short, a first draft enables writers to organize their thoughts and arguments in a paper and develop a working thesis. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a visual analysis essay include:

A particular [Artwork/Painting/Sculpture/Photograph/Film], such as “Title,” by [Artist/Creator/Author/Director] captures an essence of … .
In a piece titled “Title,” [Artist/Creator/Author/Director] employs a striking use of color and composition to convey … .
Engaging visual elements in “Title” by [Artist/Creator/Author/Director] effectively illustrate a theme of … .
Created in [Year], “Title” by [Artist/Creator/Author/Director] offers a profound exploration of … .
A famous [Artwork/Painting/Sculpture/Photograph/Film], such as “Title,” stands out due to its remarkable depiction of … .
Through a careful arrangement of shapes and lines, “Title” by Artist/Creator/Author/Director reveals … .
An effective use of light and shadow in “Title” by Artist/Creator/Author/Director underlines … .
In “Title,” [Artist/Creator/Author/Director]’s choice of a particular medium plays a crucial role in expressing … .
A vivid emotional impact of “Title” by Artist/Creator/Author/Director is enhanced by an effective use of … .
A close examination of “Title” by Artist/Creator/Author/Director reveals an innovative approach to … .

Step 4: Wrap Up

The last step in writing a visual analysis essay is where students get to wrap up their work. In this case, people identify weak points in their papers and address them to come up with high-quality essays (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Moreover, such a paper must have no spelling or grammatical errors, such as missing or wrong punctuation. In turn, it must not have notable inconsistencies, such as flawed arguments and illogical conclusions. Besides, students must use this step to revise and edit their papers and ensure their documents satisfy all academic writing rules.

Revisions and Editing

Since it is natural for students to make errors and mistakes when writing academic texts, the final step of writing a visual analysis essay allows authors to identify them and make corrections. Firstly, revision entails identifying and eliminating all inconsistencies that undermine a natural flow of arguments and ideas (Ledin & Machin, 2018). In turn, editing helps to correct spelling and grammatical mistakes, such as missing punctuation marks.

Topic and Concluding Sentences

When writing any paper, students should ensure their first drafts have body paragraphs in their main texts. Basically, these paragraphs should start with a topic sentence and end with a concluding sentence (Ledin & Machin, 2018). As such, the former introduces a single idea that writers intend to focus on in one paragraph, and the latter’s function is to link this idea in a topic sentence to a paper’s thesis.

Transitions and Formatting

One of the aspects that determine an essay’s quality is the natural flow of arguments and ideas. For example, some elements that foster a logical flow are transitions, which entail words and phrases like – “consequently,” “thus,” “hence,” “ more importantly,” and “meanwhile” (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Then, another aspect students should consider in the last phase of writing a visual analysis is a specific paper’s formatting. In turn, writers must ensure they have formatted their papers according to appropriate formats – APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian. Finally, some of the formatting rules that must be satisfied are citation and use of headings and subheadings.

Peer Review and Final Draft

After completing the first draft and making the necessary changes, students should subject their visual analysis documents to a peer review. Basically, this aspect involves giving their works to a friend, tutor, or mentor to identify any errors and mistakes (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Then, if such errors and mistakes are noted, writers should revise their papers. However, if a visual analysis essay is found perfect, learners should proceed to write a final draft, which they must read and reread to make sure no mistakes have been made in the course of typing.

Unique Structure

To write a formal visual analysis, authors systematically describe various elements, interpret their significance, contextualize a specific artwork within its historical and cultural background, and support their examination with evidence from an observed piece. For example, in art, the term “analyze” means to systematically examine some visual elements of a specific piece and their principles, such as color, form, composition, and technique, to understand how they contribute to its intended meaning and impact (Sachant et al., 2023). As a result, a typical structure of a visual analysis includes a standard introduction with a thesis statement covering an assigned artwork, body paragraphs outlining different aspects, and a conclusion closing a composition with a logical ending.

Defining Features

As indicated previously, a specific structure of a visual analysis essay entails three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Basically, this structure’s defining features are a thesis statement that must appear in the introduction, main points in body paragraphs, and a restatement of a thesis with a summary of the main points in a conclusion.

How to Know

An observational analysis essay analyzes an image or visual display by giving an in-depth description of how an artist has applied elements and principles of design. In this case, if students want to know that their texts are visual analysis essays, they need to evaluate how they address a unique use of these elements and principles in their papers concerning a given picture.

A central point of difference between a visual analysis and other types of essays is its content. For example, while a particular content of an argumentative essay is the writer’s arguments in favor of a particular stand, a unique content in an observation paper is a person’s description and analysis of an image or observed display (Ledin & Machin, 2018). Moreover, in an informative essay, a typical content is an entire information that authors find insightful and necessary in educating a target audience about a specific topic or an issue.

Outline Template

When writing a visual analysis essay, students should adopt a strategy that makes their work high-quality, meaning it satisfies academic writing rules. These strategies are as follows:

I. Introduction

Introduce an image, art, object, or subject under analysis.
Provide a brief background of this artwork and its author.
Develop a thesis.
Create several paragraphs as appropriate.
Begin each paragraph by making a claim. It is a topic sentence.
End each paragraph with a concluding sentence.
Use transitions sufficiently and appropriately.
Observe a sandwich rule to introduce a claim in a topic sentence, provide supporting facts (evidence), and explain a specific connection between a claim and a thesis.

III. Conclusion

Restate an initial thesis.
Summarize main points.
Ensure no new information is presented.
Provide a writer’s objective opinion about a topic, such as new insight or criticism.

Example of a Visual Analysis Essay

Topic: Analysis of Reclining Woman on a Leopard Skin by Otto Dix

Otto Dix’s (German, 1891–1969) Liegenede auf Leopardenfell (Reclining Woman on a Leopard Skin) , 1927. Oil on panel (70 x 99 cm), 55.031.

Introduction Sample

Analyzing an image or visual display is an exciting and challenging academic undertaking for many students. Unlike other academic texts that focus on what other scholars have said, written, and documented through research studies, a visual analysis focuses on an image. As such, a student’s work is to provide an in-depth description of how a specific artist has appropriated elements and principles of design in their artwork. Looking at Otto Dix’s “Reclining Woman on a Leopard Skin” image above, it is evident a famous artist has appropriated contrast, color, size, and texture, among other elements and principles of design, to make a picture come to life.

Example of Body Paragraphs

Reclining Position of a Woman

Dix’s image above reflects a woman in a dress and stockings in a reclining position. Besides two different types of textile around her, there is a leopard fur beneath her body’s upper side. Behind a woman is a snarling animal resembling a dog, and on the far right of the painting is wood flooring. Looking at a woman’s face, one can notice this focal point. Basically, it is where an artist has concentrated sharp detail, thus making her face confront the audience instantly. Concerning principles of contrast and emphasis, a red lipstick contrasts sharply with a woman’s light skin, while using her hand as a frame beneath her face emphasizes a focal point.

When it comes to design elements, an artist has used green, red, white, and brown colors to exemplify a painting. In this case, a closer look indicates that Dix has contrasted red and green, a warm and cold color, respectively, particularly on a woman’s skin and face. Moreover, he has contrasted dark and light, whereby her face and body exemplify a light theme, while other objects provided in a picture exemplify a dark theme.

Regarding a line element, Dix has used smooth curves around a woman’s lower body, particularly around her hip and thighs. In essence, doing so has helped to bring out the aspect of “femininity.” Interestingly, a unique use of angular lines around the face, jaw, fingers, and shoulders emphasizes the “masculine” aspect. Besides strong lines that make the cheeks and jaw prominent, an artist has also used a line element to exaggerate woman’s eyes, which take a great shape of cat eyes or curved almonds.

About an element of texture, it is evident that an artist has gone into great lengths to create an illusion of texture. Notably, a painting has no literal texture because it is a two-dimensional painting. Moreover, Dix’s effort in creating texture is evident in many objects he includes in his painting. In turn, these objects include the leopard fur; the woman’s dress, stockings, and hair; the materials that look like velvet; and the fur of the dog-like animal. Besides, all these objects create a temptation to touch. In this case, a unique texture of a woman’s evening wear and the curtain in the background with a velvet-look suggest a sense of costume and luxury. Collectively, they enhance a visual and material richness of an image.

Conclusion Sample

There is no doubt that analyzing a graphical illustration is an exciting and challenging academic endeavor for students of art. In particular, Dix’s “Reclining Woman on a Leopard Skin” image shows a master with which an artist has appropriated contrast, color, size, and texture, among other elements and principles of design to make his work come to life. About a painting, an artist has used these concepts to exemplify a woman’s face, which is a painting’s focal point.

Examples of Famous Artworks

Artwork	Artist	Content Description
Mona Lisa	Leonardo da Vinci	A famous portrait of a woman with an enigmatic expression, noted for its use of a sfumato technique and balanced composition.
Starry Night	Vincent van Gogh	A swirling night sky over a quiet town, showcasing expressive brushstrokes and vibrant colors.
The Persistence of Memory	Salvador Dalí	A surreal landscape featuring melting clocks, symbolizing a particular fluidity and unreliability of time.
The Scream	Edvard Munch	An iconic image of a figure in agony against a tumultuous sky, representing an existential angst.
Guernica	Pablo Picasso	A large mural depicting the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, characterized by its monochromatic palette and distorted forms
The Birth of Venus	Sandro Botticelli	A Renaissance painting depicting a goddess, such as Venus, emerging from a sea, celebrated for its grace and beauty.
American Gothic	Grant Wood	A depiction of a stern-looking farmer and his daughter, symbolizing rural American values.
The Night Watch	Rembrandt van Rijn	A large Baroque painting of a militia company, noted for its dramatic use of light and shadow.
Girl With a Pearl Earring	Johannes Vermeer	A well-known portrait of a young girl wearing an exotic dress and a large pearl earring, famous for its realism and subtle light.
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon	Pablo Picasso	A groundbreaking Cubist painting of five nude women, challenging traditional representations of a female form.

Common Mistakes

Overly Descriptive: Focusing too much on describing a visual work without providing analysis or interpretation.
Lack of a Thesis: Failing to present a clear thesis statement that guides an entire analysis.
Ignoring Context: Neglecting to consider historical, cultural, or social contexts of an observed artwork.
Surface-Level Analysis: Providing vague observations without covering meanings or implications.
Insufficient Evidence: Making claims without supporting them with specific examples from a graphical artwork.
Disorganized Structure: Writing in a disorganized manner without a clear, logical progression of ideas.
Neglecting Visual Elements: Overlooking key observational elements, such as color, line, texture, and composition, in an entire analysis.
Personal Bias: Letting personal opinions overshadow objective analysis and interpretation.
Ignoring an Artist’s Intent: Failing to consider authors’ possible intentions and messages behind their works.
Weak Conclusion: Ending an essay without summarizing the main points or reinforcing a central thesis.

Writing a visual analysis essay is an essential academic exercise for students. Since such a composition aims to analyze an image or painting, learners must familiarize themselves with elements of design, such as color, size, and texture, and principles of design, such as emphasis and contrast. In essence, students use these concepts to provide an in-depth description of a picture. Hence, when writing a visual analysis essay, people must learn the following tips:

Provide a vivid description of an artwork so that a target audience can have a mental picture of it.
Give a rhetorical situation of an image – its historical context.
Explain an artist’s intended message.
Cover details about any controversy or misunderstanding regarding a visual object or subject.

Estrada-Gonzalez, V., East, S., Garbutt, M., & Spehar, B. (2020). Viewing art in different contexts. Frontiers in Psychology , 11 , 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00569

Ledin, P., & Machin, D. (2018). Doing visual analysis: From theory to practice . SAGE Publications.

Lewandowska, K., Ochsner, M., & Kulczycki, E. (2023). Research quality criteria in the creative arts. Studies in Higher Education , 49 (4), 639–653. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2248174

Ong, P. A. (2020). Visual research methods: Qualifying and quantifying the visual. Beijing International Review of Education , 2 (1), 35–53. https://doi.org/10.1163/25902539-00201004

Reynolds, R. R., & Niedt, G. (2021). Essentials of visual interpretation . Routledge.

Sachant, P. J., Blood, P., LeMieux, J., & Tekippe, R. (2023). Introduction to art: Design, context, and meaning: Exploring artistic expression and cultural interpretations . Good Press.

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How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay: Examples & Template

A visual analysis essay is an academic paper type that history and art students often deal with. It consists of a detailed description of an image or object. It can also include an interpretation or an argument that is supported by visual evidence.

In this article, our custom writing experts will:

explain what a visual analysis is;
share useful tips on how to write a good visual analysis essay;
provide an essay sample.
🎨 Visual Analysis Definition
🏺 Artwork Analysis Tips
✅ Visual Analysis Writing Guide
📑 Example & Citation Tips

🎨 What Is a Visual Analysis?

The primary objective of visual analysis is to understand an artwork better by examining the visual elements. There are two types of visual analysis: formal and contextual.

A formal analysis focuses on artwork elements such as texture, color, size, and line. It aims to organize visual information and translate it into words. A formal analysis doesn’t interpret the piece.
Unlike formal analysis, contextual analysis’ primary goal is to connect artwork to its purpose or meaning within a culture. A contextual analysis includes formal analysis. Additionally, it discusses an artwork’s social purpose and significance.

Usually, students deal with formal visual analysis. Before starting to work on your essay, make sure to ask your professor whether to include contextual analysis or not.

The Purpose of Analyzing Images

Why is visual analysis important? What does it help to learn? There are several things that visual analysis helps with:

It allows students to enhance their appreciation of art.
It enables students to develop the ability to synthesize information.
It encourages students to seek out answers instead of simply receiving them.
It prompts higher-order critical thinking and helps to create a well-reasoned analysis.
By conducting visual analysis, students learn how to support and explain their ideas by studying visual information.

What Is Formal Analysis: Art History

When we look at an artwork, we want to know why it was created, who made it, and what its function was. That’s why art historians and researchers pay special attention to the role of artworks within historical contexts.

Visual analysis is a helpful tool in exploring art. It focuses on the following aspects:

Interpretation of subject matter ( iconography). An iconographic analysis is an explanation of the work’s meaning. Art historians try to understand what is shown and why it is depicted in a certain way.
The analysis of function. Many works of art were designed to serve a purpose that goes beyond aesthetics. Understanding that purpose by studying their historical use helps learn more about artworks. It also establishes a connection between function and appearance.

Formal Analysis: Art Glossary

Now, let’s look at some visual elements and principles and learn how to define them.

Visual Elements :

Element	Definition
Line	Lines can be obvious, or they can be formed by the placement of objects. They can vary in length, width, and direction.
Shape	Shapes are two-dimensional. They can be geometric or organic. Familiar shapes help us focus on particular parts of an artwork.
Form	Forms are three-dimensional. Such figures as cylinders, pyramids, and spheres are forms.
Color	Color is light that reflects off of objects. Its main characteristics are hue, value, and intensity. Colors can also be warm or cool.
Texture	A texture is a feel, appearance, or quality of a surface of an object. It can be used in two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks.
Space	Space is a feeling of depth. It also refers to the artist’s use of the area within the painting. Space can be positive or negative.

Visual Principles :

Principle	Definition
Balance	Balance is the distribution of visual elements and weights of objects, colors, textures, and space. Balance can be symmetrical and asymmetrical.
Emphasis	Emphasis defines the center of interest in a painting and catches the viewer’s attention. It’s usually different from the rest of the work.
Subordination	Subordination supports the center of interest. It is a part of an artwork that is played down to let the emphasis stand out.
Rhythm	Rhythm is the relationship between elements. It creates a visual tempo and establishes a sense of harmony by repeating certain features.
Movement	Movement is the path the viewer’s eyes follow, coming to the focal points of a work. The movement is usually directed by the lines, shapes, and colors of an art piece.

🏺 How to Analyze Artworks: Different Types

Writing a formal analysis is a skill that requires practice. Being careful and attentive during the pre-writing stage is essential if you want to create a good and well-structured visual analysis. 

Visual analysis essay mainly consists of two components:

Description of the selected image or object,
Interpretation built on the visual evidence.

During the pre-writing stage:

Collect general information about an artwork. Describe it briefly. Pay special attention to visual elements and principles:

✔️		What do you notice first? Why?
✔️		What colors are used? How are they arranged?
✔️		Are the figures abstract or realistic?

Develop an interpretation. Think critically. What does the information in your notes imply? How can it be interpreted?
Support your ideas. To do it, refer to the visual elements directly. Avoid generalizing art and double-check your prompts.

How to Analyze a Painting Using the Elements of Art

To write an excellent formal visual analysis, you need to consider as many visual principles and elements as you can apply. In the formal analysis part:

Target your description;
Address only those elements relevant to your essay;
Pay attention to visual elements and principles;
Introduce the subject of the painting and describe it;
Explain why you have decided to discuss specific elements;
Discuss the relationship between visual elements of the artwork;
Use the vocabulary terms.

If you are asked to do a contextual analysis , you may want to:

Focus on the historical importance of an artwork;
Explore the style or movement associated with an artwork;
Learn about the historical context and the public’s reaction to the artwork;
Learn about the author and how they’ve created the piece of art.

Painting Analysis Essay Example & Tips

Here is a template you can use for your essay.

	Give a brief description of the painting. What do you see? What areas of the artwork grab your attention?
	In the analysis part, pay attention to visual elements and principles. Describe them and say how they all come together.
	Look at the artwork from a cultural perspective. What does the author express? What does it mean to the viewer?
	Finally, state your personal opinion. What do you feel when you look at the art piece?

Now, let’s take a look at an essay example.

	(1889) is a Vincent van Gogh oil painting of a night landscape brimmed with whirling clouds, luminous stars, and a bright crescent moon. The artist uses a mix of warm, cold, and neutral colors. Yellows on top of blues create a clear contrast, making the stars and crescent moon stand out.
	In , van Gogh uses his unique thick brush strokes. The technique adds depth and rich texture to the painting. The use of whites and yellows draws more attention to the sky. Vertical lines in the form of a cypress tree and a church tower break up the composition.
	Through his painting, van Gogh contrasts life and death, brightly shining stars, and a gloomy yet peaceful village.
	is a painting that reflects Vincent van Goh’s inner world. It embodies his unique style and personality. The piece has a major influence on modern art.

How to Analyze a Photograph

Analyzing photos has a lot in common with paintings. There are three methods on which photo visual analysis relies: description, reflection, and formal analysis. Historical analysis can be included as well, though it is optional.

Description . It implies looking closely at the photo and considering all the details. The description needs to be objective and consists of basic statements that don’t express an opinion.

Good description	Bad description
The girl in the middle is the tallest one. She wears a white linen dress.	The girl in the middle is the most beautiful among the three.

Reflection. For the next step, focus on the emotions that the photograph evokes. Here, every viewer will have a different opinion and feelings about the artwork. Knowing some historical context may be helpful to construct a thoughtful response.
Formal analysis . Think of the visual elements and principles. How are they represented in the photograph?
Historical analysis. For a contextual analysis, you need to pay attention to the external elements of the photograph. Make sure that you understand the environmental context in which the photo was taken. Under what historical circumstances was the picture made?

Photo Analysis Essay Tips

Now that we’ve talked about analyzing a photograph let’s look at some helpful tips that will help you write an essay.

✔️ Dos	❌ Don’ts

Visual Analysis Essay on a Sculpture: Writing Tips

A sculpture analysis consists of the following parts:

Description . Include specific details, such as what the sculpture may represent. For instance, the human figure may be an athlete, an ancient God, a poet, etc. Consider their pose, body build, and attire.
Formal analysis . Here, visual elements and principles become the focus. Discuss the color, shape, technique, and medium.
Contextual analysis . If you decide to include a contextual analysis, you can talk about the sculpture’s function and how it conveys   ideas and sentiments of that period. Mention its historical and cultural importance.

When it comes to sculpture analysis, you may also want to collect technical data such as:

The size of the sculpture
Medium (the material)
The current condition (is it damaged, preserved as a fragment, or as a whole piece)
Display (Was a sculpture a part of an architectural setting, or was it an independent piece of work?)

For instance, if you were to do a visual analysis of Laocoön and His Sons , you could first look up such details:

Location: Discovered in a Roman vineyard in 1506
Current location: Vatican
Date: Hellenistic Period (323 BCE – 31 CE)
Size: Height 208 cm; Width 163 cm; Depth 112 cm
Material: Marble
Current condition: Missing several parts.

Visual Analysis Essay: Advertisement Analysis

Visuals are used in advertisements to attract attention or convince the public that they need what is being advertised. The purpose of a visual argument is to create interest. Advertisements use images to convey information and communicate with the audience.

When writing a visual analysis of an advertisement, pay attention to the following:

text elements,
illustrations,
composition.

All of this influences how the viewer perceives the information and reacts to it.

When you write about an advertisement, you conduct a rhetorical analysis of its visual elements. Visual rhetoric is mainly directed at analyzing images and extracting information from them. It helps to understand the use of typography, imagery, and the arrangement of elements on the page.

Think of the famous visual rhetoric examples such as the We can do it! poster or a Chanel №5 commercial. Both examples demonstrate how persuasive imagery has been used throughout history.

How to Write a Visual Analysis Paper on an Advertisement

The presentation of visual elements in advertising is essential. It helps to convince the audience. When you analyze visual arguments, always keep the rhetorical situation in mind. Here are some crucial elements to focus on:

	Who is the advertisement targeted at?
	What does the image try to convey to the audience?
	How is the information presented? What colors are used? Are there any highlights or repetitions?
	Does the image use any humor, celebrities, or cultural references to make the point?
	Is there any text within the picture? If so, how does it work together with the image to create an intended effect?
	Who are the characters of an advertisement? Where are they?
	What are the implications behind the words used in the picture?

✅ How to Write a Visual Analysis Paper: Step by Step

Now, we’ll focus on the paper itself and how to structure it. But first, check out the list of topics and choose what suits you best.

Visual Analysis Essay Topics

There are a lot of artworks and advertisements that can be analyzed and viewed from different perspectives. Here are some essay topics on visual analysis that you may find helpful:

Analyze Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (1907-1908.)
The theme of humanity and The Son of Man (1964) by René Magritte.
The use of visual elements in Almond Blossom by Vincent van Gogh (1888-1890.)
Identity and Seated Harlequin (1901) by Picasso .
Explore the themes of Paul Klee ’s The Tree of Houses , 1918.
Objectives, activities, and instructions of Pietro Perugino’s fresco The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter .
Reflection on social issues of the time in Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo and Untitled by Ramses Younan.
Analyze the importance of Mural (1943) by Jackson Pollock.
The political message in John Gast’s painting American Progress (1872).
Describe the visual techniques used in Toy Pieta by Scott Avett .
The interpretation of the painting Indian Fire God by Frederic Remington.
Explore the historical significance and aesthetic meaning of Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto di Bondone .
Analyze different interpretations of The Three Dancers by Pablo Picasso .

Photography:

The idea behind Lindsay Key (1985) by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Explore the mythical appeal of Robert Capa’s photograph The Falling Soldier (Spain,1936) from Death in Making photobook.
Describe Two Boys with Fish (2018) from Faith series by Mario Macilau.
Kevin Carter’s Starving Child and Vulture (1993) as the representation of photojournalism.
The story behind Philippe Halsman’s Dali Atomicus , 1948.
Describe The Starving Boy in Uganda photograph by Mike Wells
Analyse the view of a historic disaster in San Francisco photograph by George R. Lawrence.
The statement behind Eddie Adams’s photo Shooting a Viet Cong Prisoner .
How is Steve McCurry’s perception of the world reflected in his photo Afghanistan Girl .
Analyze the reflection of Ansel Adams’s environmental philosophy in his photo Moon and Half Dome (1960).
Describe Girl on the Garda Lake (2016) by Giuseppe Milo.
Combination of internal geometry and true-to-life moments in Behind the Gare Saint Lazare by Henri Cartier-Bresson .
Modern art and Couple on Seat by Lynn Chadwick (1984.)
Analyze the biblical context of Pieta (1498-1499) by Michelangelo.
The use of shapes in Louise Bourgeois’ Spider (1996.)
Analysis of the symbolism behind The Thinker (1880) by Rodin.
The historical meaning of Fountain (1917) by Duchamp .
Analyze the Miniature Statue of Liberty by Willard Wigan
The combination of Egyptian culture and classical Greek ideology in statue of Osiris-Antinous.
Reflection of the civilization values in emperor Qin’s Terracotta Army .
The aesthetic and philosophical significance of Michelangelo’s David .
Explore the controversial meaning of Damien Hirst’s sculpture For the Love of God (2007).
Analyze the elements of art and design used in The Thinker by August Rodin .
Symbolic elements in the Ancient Greek statues of Zeus .
Depiction of the fundamental aspects of Buddhism in The Parinirvana of Siddhartha/Shakyamuni.

How Volkswagen : Think Small (1960) ad changed advertising.
Analyze the use of figures in California Milk Processor Board: Got Milk? (1993) ad campaign .
Analyze the use of colors in Coca-Cola — The Pause that Refreshes (1931.)
Explore the historical context of We Can Do It! (1942) campaign.
The importance of a slogan in 1947: A Diamond Is Forever by De Beers.
Examine the specifics of visual advert: dogs and their humans.
Describe the use of visual techniques in Kentucky Fried Chicken company’s advertisement.
Analyze the multiple messages behind the print ad of JBL .
Discuss the methods used in Toyota Highlander advertisement .
Elucidation of people’s dependency on social networks in the advertising campaign Followers by Miller Lite.
The use of the visual arguments in Schlitz Brewing Company advertisement .
The role of colors and fonts in Viva la Juicy perfume advertisement .

Visual Analysis Essay Outline

You can use this art analysis template to structure your essay:

The picture shows the main steps in writing a visual analysis essay: introduction, main body, conclusion.

How to Start an Art Essay

Every analysis starts with an introduction. In the first paragraph, make sure that:

the reader knows that this essay is a visual analysis;
you have provided all the necessary background information about an artwork.

It’s also important to know how to introduce an artwork. If you’re dealing with a panting or a photograph, it’s better to integrate them into the first page of your analysis. This way, the reader can see the piece and use it as a reference while reading your paper.

Art Thesis Statement Examples & Tips

Formulating a thesis is an essential step in every essay. Depending on the purpose of your paper, you can either focus your visual analysis thesis statement on formal elements or connect it with the contextual meaning. 

To create a strong thesis, you should relate it to an artwork’s meaning, significance, or effect. Your interpretation should put out an argument that someone could potentially disagree with. 

For instance, you can consider how formal elements or principles impact the meaning of an artwork. Here are some options you can consider:

Focus on interpreting how formal elements and principles give meaning to the artwork.	In , the village is painted with dark colors, but the brightly lit windows create a sense of comfort.
Comment on the overall organization of an art piece.	Van Gogh’s swirling sky directs the viewer’s eye around the painting.
Another option is to relate the painting to the other artworks you have studied or seen before.	If we compare Munch’s to van Gogh’s  , we can see that a similar swirling technique was used to paint the sky.

If your focus is the contextual analysis, you can find the connection between the artwork and the artist’s personal life or a historical event.

How to Write Visual Analysis Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs of formal analysis consist of two parts—the description and the analysis itself. Let’s take Klimt’s The Kiss as an example:

	The painting shows an embracing couple concealed behind a large golden cloak. Two distinct parts constitute the image. First, the part of the cloak covering the man has a repeating geometric black and white motif. Meanwhile, the second part of the cloak, covering the woman, has flowers and circles on it.
	The author uses predominantly warm shades such as gold and bronze brown. Spatial flatness using two-dimensional patterns was deliberately employed except at the couple’s exposed skin. Klimt was heavily influenced by the art of Japan, ancient Egypt, and Byzantine Ravenna, which preferred two-dimensional perspective styles to emphasize human subject matter.

The contextual analysis includes interpretation and evaluation.

	Gustav Klimt’s  is the reflection of tenderness and passion Klimt was working on   during his Golden Phase. Within the paintings of that period, Klimt treats the human figures as two-dimensional. They are also all surrounded by flat, brightly composed, and highly ornamental decorations.
	is a very significant piece for several reasons. It represents the apex of Klimt’s Golden Period and shows his distinctive style. The piece is also a fantastic example of the Art Nouveau movement.

Visual Analysis Essay Conclusion

When you work on the conclusion, try to conclude your paper without restating the thesis. At the end of your essay, you can present an interesting fact. You can also try to:

Compare an artwork to similar ones;
Contrast your own ideas on the piece with the reaction people had when it was first revealed.
Talk about an artwork’s significance to the culture and art in general.

📑 Visual Analysis Essay Example & Citation Tips

In this section of the article, we will share some tips on how to reference an artwork in a paper. We will also provide an essay example.

How to Reference a Painting in an Essay

When you work on visual analysis, it is important to know how to write the title of an artwork properly. Citing a painting, a photograph, or any other visual source, will require a little more information than citing a book or an article. Here is what you will need:

Size dimensions
Current location
Name of the piece
Artist’s name
Date when artwork was created

If you want to cite a painting or an artwork you saw online, you will also need:

The name of the website
Website URL
Page’s publication date
Date of your access

How to Properly Credit an Artwork in APA

Works you see in person	Works you see online
[Description of material].  Example: Picasso, P. (1905). [Oil canvas]. Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York City, NY.	[Description of material]. Example: Picasso, P. (1905). [Oil canvas]. Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York City, NY. The Met (n.d.). Retrieved from:

How to Properly Credit an Artwork in MLA

Works you see in person	Works you see online
or description. Example: Monet, Claud. 1882, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago	or description. , URL. Example: Monet, Claud. 1882, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

How to Properly Credit an Artwork in Chicago Format

Works you see in person	Works you see online
Example: Bacon, Francis. . 1953. Oil on canvas. 153cm x 118cm. Des Moines Art Center, Iowa.	Example: Bacon, Francis. . 1953. Oil on canvas. 153cm x 118cm. Des Moines Art Center, Iowa. Accessed July 24, 2020.

Finally, here’s a sample visual analysis of Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker in APA format. Feel free to download it below.

Many people believe that works of art are bound to be immortal. Indeed, some remarkable masterpieces have outlived their artists by many years, gaining more and more popularity with time. Among them is The Thinker, a brilliant sculpture made by Auguste Rodin, depicting a young, athletic man, immersed deep into his thoughts.

You can also look at the following essay samples to get even more ideas.

The Protestors Cartoon by Clay Bennett: Visual Analysis
Visual Analysis – Editorial Cartoon
Visual Analysis: “Dust Storm” Photo by Steve McCurry
Visual, Aural, Read & Write, Kinesthetic Analysis
Schlitz Brewing Company Advertisement: Visual Arguments Analysis

Thanks for reading through our article! We hope you found it helpful. Don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.

❓ Visual Analysis FAQs

To write a visual argument essay, you need to use rhetorical analysis. Visual rhetoric is directed at analyzing images and extracting the information they contain. It helps to analyze the visuals and the arrangement of elements on the page.

A well-though contextual analysis will include:

1. formal analysis, 2. some information about the artist, 3. details on when and where the piece was created, 4. the social purpose of the work, 5. its cultural meaning.

It is better to include pictures in the introduction part of your paper. Make sure to cite them correctly according to the format you’re using. Don’t forget to add the website name, the URL, and the access date.

To analyze means not only to describe but also to evaluate and synthesize visual information. To do that, you need to learn about visual elements and principles and see how and why they are used within artworks.

🔍 References

Art History: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Visual Analysis: Duke University
Writing a Formal Analysis in Art History: Hamilton College
Contextual Analysis: Pine-Richland School District
How to Analyze an Artwork: Student Art Guide
Introduction to Art Historical Analysis: Khan Academy
Guidelines for Analysis of Art: University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Elements of Art: Getty.edu
Formal or Critical Analysis: LibreTexts
Analyzing a Photograph: University of Oregon
Picture Composition Analysis and Photo Essay: University of Northern Iowa
Visual Analysis Guidelines: Skidmore College
How to Analyze Sculpture: NLA Design and Visual Arts: WordPress
Visual Rhetoric: Purdue University
Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements & Principles of Composition
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do you review and edit visual arts extended essay

How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay - Expert Advice

You are probably wondering , what is a visual analysis essay? To begin with, a visual analysis essay is not a normal essay. Instead, it is a common essay written for art history, English, or History courses. Its main aim is to describe an image or a piece of art and discuss its composition and analyze its meaning to the artist and audience. Visual analysis essays also decipher the historical relevance and meaning and evaluate the effectiveness of the image/art in the current times.

It is paramount that a student understands how to write a visual analysis essay. The skill helps in handling essays requiring students to analyze advertisements, artworks, paintings, sculptures, and architectural buildings. Sometimes, it is just about a detailed analysis of a photograph or a picture.

Even though it sounds intimidating, composing a good visual analysis research paper is not difficult. In this article, we explore some of the tips and tricks for you to ace your visual analysis essays.

Important Steps when Writing Visual Analysis Essays

Begin by choosing a controversial and argumentative topic. Succeeding in this step determines your success in the preceding sections. If you have been given artwork or painting, come up with an eye-catching title for your essay.
When writing the introduction to the visual essay, begin from broad to narrow. You can always use elements of descriptive essays when describing the artwork of choice. Focus on the shape, objects, colors, people, features, and people within the artwork.
Respond to the visual by exploring your thoughts and feelings when you interact with the chosen artwork.
Consider the key elements of the artwork and what meaning they might have to the overall makeup. This makes your body paragraphs. If you are working on a shorter essay, stick to the five-paragraph format . This means choosing three core elements and discussing each in its own paragraph.
Give an interpretation of the artwork in the body paragraphs. When interpreting, you should consider the meanings in the past and now. If there are modern art movements, relate the art to their philosophies.
Connect the analysis to theory as you cleverly give your opinion.
Write an eye-catching conclusion to your visual analysis essay. You should restate the thesis and highlight some interesting facts on the artwork. If possible, compare the artwork to other artworks done by the same author or one with the same school of thought.
Edit and proofread the essay. Whenever you are writing an essay about paintings, sculptures, photography, architecture, and other visuals, your presentation of facts should be devoid of any grammar mistakes. You can always seek the help of professional editors .

Outline of a Visual Analysis Paper

Introduction

Like any other academic essay, visual analysis essays have an introduction, body, and conclusion.

When writing an introduction to the visual analysis essay:

Begin by stating clear facts about the artwork
Bring an understanding of the history of the artwork
Describe the artist and their purpose
Explore any novel facts about the piece and the artist
Highlight any controversy surrounding the piece of artwork
Include a thesis statement that tells the meaning of the image or artwork.

The body of the visual analysis essay should support and develop the thesis. Therefore, begin by observing the artwork and then describe it both superficially and critically. Consider the texture, color, shape, space, composition, visual stability, and any other visual attributes.

The conclusion should reflect your thesis statement. You can compare the reception of the painting by the antagonists and protagonists. Besides, you can also make a brief comparison to other artworks of the same genre. Finally, you can close the essay by exploring how the artwork and the artist contributed to society through art.

Related Reading: Restating a thesis in the conclusion.

Elements of Focus during Visual Analysis

	It would help if you explored various aspects that constitute the artwork or image. Look at the spatial placement of features in the artwork or image. Your focus should be on the main figure and how it is placed in relation to other accompanying figures. Remember, composition creates meaning and elicits emotional reactions on the audience.
	Color is a very important aspect when writing a visual argument paper or a visual arts response paper. Different colors and their reactions create a different emotional response. When analyzing the color of an image, a building, or an artwork, be sure to explain what it would mean or portend critically. Some images can be monochromatic. However, there are still some that use complementary colors for good contrast. Colors also create meaning by affecting mood, symbolism, and reception.
	Value refers to the degree of dark and light in different parts of an image, painting, or a picture. Now, it brings to life the idea of balance, which is how different visual elements are distributed for stability or instability. It also defines the emphasis or what part of the image catches your attention.
	When analyzing paintings or sculpture, texture refers to the roughness of the artwork. Mostly, it also creates the meaning of the artwork by linking its aspects to create a perceived reality. It focuses mostly on the major qualities of the surface. It could be transparent, translucent, rough, smooth, or reflective. Overall, it contributes to the composition.
	The form reflects the existence of a 3-D space, which entails interaction of light, and three-dimensional space (length, width, and height). IT narrows down to how the artists have used black and white to create meaning, be it 2D or 3D. Form influences the close to the realness of the painting or sculpture.
	When creating artwork, artists use different shapes that also have and develop the meaning of the artwork. Effective use of shape brings into the equation attention to details.
	When writing a visual analysis paper, your attention should be drawn to the symbolic elements included deliberately by the artists. Surprisingly, some of these symbols are mistakes incorporated as part of the artwork but which have meaning.
	When drawing, artists use different lines to bring a particular idea to life. Mostly, lines are basic design elements used to respond to the perception of the audience. Look at the bold, short, long, dotted, or thick lines.
	This is common when analyzing a painting. It is the part that attracts the attention of the audience on first sight. It also conveys the core message of the artist. When discussing the themes, it is inevitable to discuss the focal point.

Checklist when Writing Visual Arts Response Papers

As we indicated before, writing an art paper requires critical thinking, creativity, and reasoning skills. Although visual analysis essays stress more on describing the image, they also need to extend to cover the meaning of the images/artwork. Here are some of the few aspects to consider:

Look at the types of claims that the image or artwork makes. This is more like the statement of the art. It could be a fact, definition, cause and effect, policy, or value claim.
Focus more on the visual composition of the image. Here, look at the composing elements and how they relate to the claims above. Look at the balance, color, key figures, symbols, layout, themes, exclusions, and other aspects.
What is the genre of the image? Is it fine art, filmography, advertisement, pamphlet, poster, graphic image, vector image, illustration, or caricature?
Consider the text written or the caption of the artist.
Look at the logos, pathos, and ethos. This means incorporating an analysis essay aspect of appeals.
Explore the points that the artwork puts through. Is it educative, cultural, controversial, or symbolic?
Finally, check at what story it puts forth. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then artistic works are worth a lot more.

What to Cover in a Sculpture Analysis Essay

When learning how to write a visual analysis essay, you will realize that sometimes it is a sculpture. If so, here are the tips and tricks.

Begin by mentioning the name of the sculpture, its artist, time and place of creation, location, historical relevance, and the date of creation.
Explore the direction or style the artist used.
What type of sculpture is it? Is it a sculptural portrait, kinetic art, statue, figurine, modern sculpture, found an object, equestrian statue, rocket relied upon, or cameo? Check this for types of sculptures. There are many types of sculpture . Different resources have different definitions and explanations . Be sure to check out this resource as well.
What is the model in the sculpture is it a human figure, a fantasy figure, an allegorical figure, or an animal figure?
What are sculpture modeling techniques evident?
How does the sculpture interact with the environment? Look at the color and shape and the historical knowledge of the surroundings.
Is the sculpture part of an architectural creation such as a building? Also, focus on the color, lighting effects, and spatial relations with other structures.
Look at the type of materials used to make the sculpture and its significance. Some materials include gold, aluminum, bronze, wood, clay, graphite, granite, or marble.
Is it a national or international symbol? What national figures does the sculpture portray?
The themes the sculpture carries.

Parts to consider when writing a Painting Analysis Paper

There comes a time when it is a painting that is the epicenter of your visual analysis term paper. Here are a few areas that you can pull strings on:

The author, the name of the painting, the period it was created, its history, and the model of choice.
The type of painting it is. Is it landscape, ion on canvas, water paint, historical, panorama, marina, still life, or portrait? Consider the genre of the artist.
What school of arts does the painting align to?
What media have been used in the painting? Some media include canvas, oil, gouache, tempera, watercolors, oil paints, pastels, and cloth.
The plot of the painting and any symbol the artist intended to lay bare.
Characteristics or features of the paint. Your main focus should be the color, tone, volume, value, composition, size, line, and a focal point.
Evaluate the fine details in the painting. Start by superficial then go analytical on the painting.
Conclude by giving some personal remarks and recommendations for improvement.

What areas are of importance when analyzing an architectural work?

Studying arts, English or History becomes interesting when you are tasked with architectural work analysis essays. Even though the technicality surrounding the name seems hard, this is a type of essay you will enjoy right from the start through the end. However, here are some ideas to incorporate in building analysis essays:

The era in which the building was built and what influenced its building.
The author, authority figures involved, the location, date of creation, how long it took to build, history of design, and actual construction.
The spatial design of the building.
The shape of the building.
Materials used to build the building and their environmental relationship to the location.
Throw in some architectural jargon: proportions, contrast, texture, symmetry, rhythm, volume, silhouette, and color.
Check whether there is a national and international significance of the building.
Wind the essay by exploring the themes the building embodies and your perceptions and impressions.

How do you Cite Images and Artwork in Visual Analysis Essays

Professors assessing visual analysis essays are always a keen lot. Now, to avoid plagiarism and its consequences, it is best that you cite the images or artwork.

When you include the image or artwork in your paper, be sure to follow the standard MLA or APA guidelines. Ensure the name of the artist, date of creation, place of creation, and the medium used is well stated in the italicized title.

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How to Write a HSC Visual Arts Essay Using a Scaffold

Artist surrounded by portraits - Visual Arts Essay Scaffold Featured Image

When it comes to HSC Visual Arts there’s lots of ways to practice and prepare for your exams, but writing an essay for it can be difficult — if only there was a scaffold you could use to make things easier…

Even if you know you want to memorise an essay, or just go in with key points, knowing how to actually write your response is the most important factor.

Fortunately we’ve come up with this awesome article that lets you know exactly how to use a Visual Arts essay scaffold to write a strong essay!

So follow along, figure it out and then give it a go and you’ll be on your way to a Band 6 in no time!

What Is Scaffolding? Introduction Body Paragraph 1a Body Paragraph 2a Body Paragraph 1b Body Paragraph 2b Conclusion

What Is Scaffolding in the HSC Visual Arts Essay?

Scaffolding basically involves laying out the individual elements of an essay one by one so that you can see exactly what you need to include .

Throughout high school you probably filled out a scaffold or two for different class tasks and assignments.

Essentially they work by making you aware of exactly what you need to be including in any given response and how to make sure you create the best essay possible.

For the purpose of our scaffold, we’ll be going through and breaking down each paragraph of a Visual Arts extended response/essay. We’ll identify the individual points or ideas you need to include, as well as the best ways to work them into your response.

That way you’ll be bale to go into any art essay knowing exactly what you need to write.

We’ve included example sentences for our introduction and conclusion , as well as one body paragraph to show you exactly what kind of things you should and could be writing.

Download your very own Visual Arts Essay Scaffold

Introduction of the HSC Visual Art Essay

Step 1: thesis sentence responding to the question.

This should be concise and to the point, as you want your thesis to be super clear to whoever is reading your essay. Make sure that whatever you’re saying is answering/responding to the question being asked and try to avoid overly long or complex theses.

Example Question: Art is about reflecting reality. Thesis sentence: “While art may reflect reality, it also acts as an expression of imagination.”

Step 2: Context about artists and artworks

First of all you’ll have to introduce each of your artists and at least two of their artworks, as you’ll be analysing these in your essay. You may then want to add some brief context – even if it’s just one or two descriptors, such as mentioning that one artist is Australian, or that both are women. Whatever context you do mention should be relevant to or play a role in your thesis or main ideas.

Example “Del Kathryn Barton is one such artist, who uses symbolism and decorative patterns to convey concepts of femininity and imagination in her works That’s when I was another tree 2 and She appeared as a lover might. On the other hand artists such as Barbara Kruger, who uses boldly coloured text in her works Untitled (Pro-life for the unborn/Pro-death for the born) and Untitled (Your body is a battleground) , show how reflecting reality can be pivotal to an artwork.”

Step 3: Signpost the main ideas of the essay

Signposting is the art of telling the reader what you’re going to talk about without actually starting to talk about it. This means you’ll want to briefly name or mention the key ideas or arguments you’ll focus on in your essay, but don’t go into any detail yet! That’s for your body paragraphs.

Example “These two artists despite their differences in style and subject matter both show a respect for that which is real and imagined in their artworks and practice. Hence they reveal through their works that art may reflect reality, but it expresses imagination as well.”

Body Paragraph 1a

Step 1: introduce the first idea you signposted.

It’s time to start detailing your main ideas or arguments from your introduction. You want to use your strongest idea first, so pick the one you know the best or can argue the best and explain it here in a little more detail. Make sure your sentence also makes it clear how this idea links to your thesis and/or the question.

Example “ That’s when I was another tree 2 is one of Barton’s works that uses visual language to express the abstract concept of femininity, using line and symbolism to express an imaginative interpretation of the idea.”

Step 2: Introduce Artist 1 and the artwork you’re analysing

Bring in your first artist by giving some more context on them as is relevant to the idea you’re writing about. This may include their nationality, when they lived, their social background, etc. You’ve already named the artwork you plan to analyse for this paragraph so briefly describe it for the audience. You don’t need to get too in-depth in your descriptions, but make sure the reader knows enough for the rest of your paragraph to make sense.

Example “Barton’s own role in society as a woman clearly influenced both her experiences of reality and her choice to create imaginative, expressive works about it. The image shows a nude girl holding a cat and looking upward, with ribbon wrapped around her arms and hair.”

Step 3: Analyse the artwork using the principles and elements of design, the frames and the conceptual framework

This is the trickier part – actually analysing. You need to make sure you know and understand the artwork and how it relates to or proves the ideas you’re trying to argue.

Analysing how the work interacts with the elements and principles of design, the frames and the conceptual framework is usually the best way to do this. Brush up on analysing the principles of design, the frames, and conceptual framework of art !

Example “The use of thin, jagged line work in the outlines and details of the image create a sense of sharpness and fragility, reminiscent of the edges of broken glass. Meanwhile the inclusion of the ribbons tied to and around the naked figure acts as a symbol for being trapped; trapped by society, trapped by reality and trapped by the expectations of young women in modern times. The cat also acts as a symbol, often tied to the idea of female manipulation, however the dark pink of it paws contrasted with its white claws highlight the way it cuts into the girl’s hand, yet another symbol of physical entrapment.”

Step 4: Explain how Artist A reflects the idea

Usually most of these connections will be made in your analysis, but you need to really drive home the point you’re making about why this idea is relevant to your artist and vice versa. Do this with a simple sentence stating exactly how the two are linked.

Example “In this work Barton uses imaginative imagery to create an image that expresses an idea without being rooted in reality, thus she is able to accurately and interpretively reveal the abstract idea of femininity.”

Step 5: Sum up the idea and link back to your thesis

You need to end your paragraph solidly, so make sure your concluding sentence brings your idea, analysis and thesis all together. Make sure to use high modality words like “proves”, “exemplifies”, etc.

Example “Therefore Barton and her work That’s when I was another tree 2 act as evidence that while art may reflect reality, it is also an expression of imagination.”

Body Paragraph 2a

Step 1: reiterate the first idea you signposted.

Restate the idea from your last paragraph but this time focus on how it links to your second artist. You may want to throw in some simple comparative language as well to begin the contrasting between your two artists, such as “on the other hand”, “in contrast to”, etc.

Step 2: Introduce Artist 2 and the artwork you’re analysing

Do this in the same way as you did in paragraph 1a, making sure to point out any relevant context that may be relevant for your analysis. Also make sure to comment on any important similarities or differences between this artist/artwork and the first artist/artwork.

Just as you did in paragraph 1a you now need to analyse the artwork. Remember you’re analysing comparatively, so comment on whether this artwork is similar or different to the first artwork you looked at, or if it has both different and similar elements.

Step 4: Compare and contrast Artist 1 with how Artist 2 reflects the idea

Really drive home your comparison here by stating how your idea is relevant to this new artist, then comparing and contrasting with how it was relevant to your first artist. This just makes sure you’re covering all bases and making sure your comparative analysis is on point.

Do the same as what you did for paragraph 1a, just make sure to add in a little mention of your comparison. Sentence starters such as “Similar to Artist 1, Artist 2 has proven…” are a great way to do this.

Body Paragraph 1b

Step 1: introduce the second idea you signposted.

Even though your first idea was the stronger one, you want to make sure your second idea is argued and analysed just as well. Introduce the idea in more detail just like you did before, making sure to mention how it connects to your thesis of your HSC Visual Arts Essay.

Step 2: Reintroduce Artist 1 and the artwork you’re analysing

Add any extra context we may need for this artist and then get into naming and describing the new artwork you’re analysing. You have less to write here this time around so don’t worry if you feel you’ve written a little less.

Do this just as you did for paragraph 1a, focusing on the elements and principles of design, the frames and the conceptual framework. Try to avoid analysing all the artworks in the same way, so if you focused on colour symbolism last time, try analysing the use of line or the materials used this time round.

Step 4: Explain how Artist 1 reflects the idea

Again, this is just as you did it in paragraph 1a. One thing you can add would be a comment on how the different or similar ways in which the artist reflects each of the ideas you’ve presented. For example maybe their exploration of your first idea was very obvious, whereas the second was more subtle.

This is the same as you did the first time – make it punchy and powerful and you’re good to go.

Body Paragraph 2b

Step 1: reiterate the second idea you signposted.

Take the idea from paragraph 2a and restate it focusing on your second artist/artwork, including some comparative language for extra punch.

Step 2: Reintroduce Artist 2 and the artwork you’re analysing

Do this just like you did in paragraph 1b – you’ll totally have the hang of this by now.

At this point you’ll be an analysis whiz, so keep it up like you did in paragraph 1b by analysing and comparing at the same time for the best effect.

Step 4: Compare and contrast Artist 2 with how Artist 1 reflects the idea

Smash that comparative analysis out of the park with some final summary on how the two artists/artworks relate in regards to the idea you’re looking at.

This is your last body paragraph so sum it up superbly and you’re almost at the finish line. Make sure to really drive home your idea and how it links to your thesis as well, just to make sure your essay is super cohesive and clear.

hsc visual arts essay example of painting with sky

Conclusion for the HSC Visual Arts Essay

Step 1: summarise and restate your thesis responding to the question.

Your conclusion is just reminding readers of what they’ve read, so create a punchy sentence that reminds them what your thesis was and how it was responding to the question posed.

Example “While art may reflect reality, the fact of the matter is that it also acts as an expression of imagination, as proven in the works of Barton and Kruger.”

Step 2: Sum up the ideas you originally signposted

Grab those ideas you signposted in the beginning and sum them up succinctly in 1-2 sentences, making sure it’s super clear how and why you argued/proved them. Make mention of your artists and artworks here as well just to sum everything up at the end of your HSC Visual Arts Essay!

Example “While Barton and Kruger are two contrasting artists with vastly different art styles and practices, looking at both demonstrates that reality and imagination may both be explored by any artist. Though each may appear more skewed towards either reality or imagination, their works prove that both ideas play an important role in their artmaking.”

Step 3: Conclude the essay with a strong, snappy sentence

Go out with a bang by creating an awesome finishing line that totally sums up what you’ve said in your essay. This may be a reiteration of your thesis with an “I proved it” twist, or you can use a suitable quote from one of your artists if you’re feeling fancy!

Example “Thus there can be no argument that both reality and imagination are pivotal aspects of both the art world and the worlds and lives of artists themselves.”

And there you have it! By following the steps we’ve laid out in our scaffold it’s totally simple to create your own awesome HSC Visual Arts Essay.

Make sure to focus on the key elements we identified and you’ll be heading straight for those top marks!

Looking for some inspiration for your Visual Arts Major Work ? We’ve created an article to get the ideas flowing!

On the hunt for other HSC Visual Arts resources?

Check out some of our other articles/guides below!

The Master List of HSC Visual Arts Practice Papers

How to Write Effective HSC Visual Arts Study Notes
How to Nail HSC Visual Arts Section 1 by Using a Scaffold

Looking for some extra help with using this scaffold for your Visual Arts essay?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational hsc visual arts coaches and mentors.

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at one of our state of the art campuses in Hornsby or the Hills!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on TikTok !

Maddison Leach completed her HSC in 2014, achieving an ATAR of 98.00 and Band 6 in all her subjects. Having tutored privately for two years before joining Art of Smart, she enjoys helping students through the academic and other aspects of school life, even though it sometimes makes her feel old. Maddison has had a passion for writing since her early teens, having had several short stories published before joining the world of blogging. She’s currently deferring her studies until she starts her Bachelor of Communication at UTS in the spring.

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COMMENTS

Visual Analysis Essay: Outline, Topics, & Examples
Here are some top visual analysis essay topics that you can choose from and begin the writing process. Make a review of your favorite Hollywood production and discuss the visual arts involved. Write about the use of color and action in TV commercials. Discuss how the brand name is displayed in digital media campaigns.
PDF VISUAL ESSAY GUIDELINES
WHAT IS A VISUAL ESSAY? A visual essay can be an entirely visual piece or it can combine image and writing. The length of these essays varies (usually between 6 and 12 pages). A visual essay can focus on any social or political aspect of visual communication, it can be a response to the visual work of others, a commentary on visual processes ...
How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay: Tips and an Example
Example of a Visual Analysis Essay: "The Solitude of Autumn" by Elena Vásquez. Introduction. The captivating allure of Elena Vásquez's "The Solitude of Autumn" invites viewers into a reflective exploration of solitude and the passage of time. Created in 2020, this oil on canvas painting masterfully captures the essence of autumn ...
Organizing Your Analysis
There may be a temptation to think that merely announcing the text as a rhetorical analysis is purpose enough. However, especially depending on your essay's length, your reader may need a more direct and clear statement of your intentions. Below are a few examples. 1. Clearly narrow the focus of what your essay will cover.
Visual Analysis Essay
Suggested Organization of Visual Analysis Essay. I. Introduction (1 paragraph) - should contain a hook (attention-grabber), ... (1 paragraph) - should contain both a recap of your response, as well as a closing statement in regards to your overall response to the chosen essay. Include a conclusion that reviews the messages the images make and ...
How to Make a Visual Essay
Step-by-Step Instructions. Step One: You need to brainstorm, plan, and research for your essay. Follow my steps below to plan your essay. I also give you links on where to find images to put in your essay and quotes to use. Step Two: Gather your images and video.
PDF A Guide for English Students Language Arts 30-2
he April, August, and November administrations.Part A: Written Response contributes 50% of the total English Language Arts 30-2 Diploma Exa. Assignment I: Visual Reflection. Value 10% of total examination mark. Assignment II: Literary Exploration. Value 25% of total examination mark.
How to Write a Good Visual Analysis Essay like a Pro
The main purpose of the visual analysis essay is to: Describe the piece of art, image, or other visual work. Examine the artwork from your point of view. Discuss the elements of visual display in detail. Give interesting facts about the art and the artist. Moreover, the language in the visual analysis essay should be descriptive.
3.13 Writing a Visual Analysis
3.13 Writing a Visual Analysis. Terri Pantuso. While visuals such as graphs and charts can enhance an argument when used to present evidence, visuals themselves can also present an argument. Every time you encounter an ad for a certain product, stop and consider what exactly the creators of that visual want you to believe.
How to Write Visual Analysis Essay: Guide for Beginners
4 Visual Principles of Design in Essays. 5 How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay: Step-by-Step Guidelines. 5.1 Step 1. Choose Your Visual Subject. 5.2 Step 2. Observe and Describe. 5.3 Step 3. Identify the Context. 5.4 Step 4.
Visual Analysis: How to Analyze a Painting and Write an Essay
Step 3: Detailed Analysis. The largest chunk of your paper will focus on a detailed visual analysis of the work. This is where you go past the basics and look at the art elements and the principles of design of the work. Art elements deal mostly with the artist's intricate painting techniques and basics of composition.
Unveiling the Art of Visual Essays: A Comprehensive Guide
A visual essay embodies a tapestry of storytelling, where narratives are painted using a medley of visuals and textual elements. It stands as a captivating method of information dissemination ...
Visual Analysis Essay: A Complete Guide for Beginners
Conducting a visual analysis of an advertisement involves several key steps. First, carefully observe the advertisement, noting its visual elements such as imagery, colors, typography, and layout. Second, analyze how these elements work together to convey the message and appeal to the target audience.
Visual Response Assignment and Images
Consider the context, and develop your response by referring to the visual text. In your writing you should select a prose form that is appropriate to the ideas you wish to express and that will enable you to effectively communicate to the reader (short essay, rant, journal entry, conversation, newspaper article, editorial, interior monologue ...
How to Write a Response Paper
Record your thoughts. Develop a thesis. Write an outline. Construct your essay. It may be helpful to imagine yourself watching a movie review as you're preparing your outline. You will use the same framework for your response paper: a summary of the work with several of your own thoughts and assessments mixed in.
How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay: Format, Outline, and Example
Step 2: Stage Set-Up. After preparation, the second step in writing a visual analysis essay is setting up the stage for the actual writing. Here, students spend time finding credible sources, making notes, creating an essay outline, and writing an annotated bibliography (Ledin & Machin, 2018).
5 Golden Rules For Writing A Visual Response Essay
A visual essay is an image and text based essay that tells a story, explains a literary work or details a social phenomenon or problem. On the other hand, a visual response essay is based on a true photograph or an image or a painting that tells a story. If you are assigned with a visual response essay, do not fret. Most visual questions are ...
How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay: Examples & Template
The primary objective of visual analysis is to understand an artwork better by examining the visual elements. There are two types of visual analysis: formal and contextual. A formal analysis focuses on artwork elements such as texture, color, size, and line. It aims to organize visual information and translate it into words.
How to Write a Visual Analysis Essay
When writing an introduction to the visual analysis essay: Begin by stating clear facts about the artwork. Bring an understanding of the history of the artwork. Describe the artist and their purpose. Explore any novel facts about the piece and the artist. Highlight any controversy surrounding the piece of artwork.
PDF Examples of the English Language Standards for Arts 30-1 ...
or by regular mail at. tion Box 43 44 Capital Boulevard 1004. 108 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6We would be pleased to hear from you.The written responses in this document are examples of English Language Arts 30-1 Diploma Examination writi. g that received scores of Satisfactory (S), Proficient (Pf), or Exc.
How to Write a Reading Response Essay With Sample Papers
5 Responses. Your reaction will be one or more of the following: Agreement/disagreement with the ideas in the text. Reaction to how the ideas in the text relate to your own experience. Reaction to how ideas in the text relate to other things you've read. Your analysis of the author and audience. Your evaluation of how this text tries to ...
How to Write a HSC Visual Arts Essay Using a Scaffold
Step 1: Reiterate the first idea you signposted. Restate the idea from your last paragraph but this time focus on how it links to your second artist. You may want to throw in some simple comparative language as well to begin the contrasting between your two artists, such as "on the other hand", "in contrast to", etc.