Artworks are works of visual art created in a range of mediums and techniques, such as painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, architecture, installation art, and more. They are designed to engage the viewer with a wide array of senses and emotions. There are many factors to consider when evaluating an artwork, including the composition and arrangement of forms, shapes, colors, lines, shadows, textures and surfaces, spatial distortion and illusion, and other elements that can contribute to an artist’s intended message or effect on the viewer.
The composition and arrangement of forms and shapes in an artwork is often a central focus. How have the elements been arranged to create balance, harmony and rhythm? Are the shapes unified or diverse and dispersed? Have the elements been grouped, clustered or concentrated, or are they overlapping and/or touching at tangents? Do the shapes have silhouettes or other recognizable features to help viewers identify them?
Have lines been used to define, add texture and suggest movement or change in direction? How are the varying thicknesses of lines incorporated to create balance and depth? Are they flowing or static, smooth or angular, hard or soft, rough or scratchy? Do they suggest a natural or manmade surface?
Is the work a single, flat piece or a series of panels or multiple works arranged together to form a diptych or triptych? Is the artwork designed to be viewed from only one vantage point, or does it employ dynamic viewpoints and serial vision? How does the artwork fit into its surroundings, or does it deliberately challenge and provoke a viewer’s response by intentionally putting them off guard?
How does the artwork’s scale and size affect its impact? Is it designed to be imposing or dwarfed by its surroundings, or does it embrace and celebrate human scale? Are the dimensions of the work a result of practical considerations, such as storage space, display constraints, or design brief requirements?
Do the colors in the artwork express symbolic or thematic ideas; create contrast; describe and reflect a location’s natural environment; evoke mood and emotion; convey a sense of light or atmosphere; or establish unity and variety? How have the hues, saturation and brightness been used to create balance, texture, tension, contrast and harmony?
The background and history of an artwork can provide important clues about its meaning and intent. What were the social, political and economic conditions at the time it was created? What artistic movements were influencing its style and execution? How does the artist’s own upbringing, experiences, beliefs and values contribute to its interpretation? What is the artwork’s relationship to other works by this artist or to other cultural, historical and religious events?