Introduction to Art Principles Essay

Writing about art can come across as something extremely challenging for someone who does not have any previous knowledge about art. A formal analysis is a breakdown of the artistes’ materials and how it is used and making a prediction the meaning of the piece. Besides the basic drawing classes I took in high school, a person like me could probably write a general paper on art but may not be able to put together and analytic essay. In the â€Å"Formal Analysis and Style† chapter of the Barnet book, it teaches you how to write a formal analysis, what formal analysis means, and what you should know about a piece of artwork before writing a one. In the beginning of the chapter, Barnet makes it fairly clear that a formal analysis is not a description of art, simply because of the fact that a description is based on what any person might see, rather than someone who is looking for the actual meaning of the work. The chapter then goes into detail on what you should look for when writing a formal analysis. Style conveys different â€Å"distinguishing characteristics† in artwork. It’s how we can categorize types of art (sculpture, painting) and time periods. Next, Barnet shows the reader how to begin to structure a formal analysis. He states that after analyzing the piece, basic notes, or the scratch outline, should be written. Once your scratch outline is finished, your notes should be organized and a more detailed outline should be formed. Once completed you should begin to write a draft. Barnet stresses the importance of knowing â€Å"what each paragraph says, and what each paragraph does.† Knowing the difference between drawings and paintings, sculptures, and architecture, in books and on the Internet is the last thing Barnet mentions in this chapter. He points out the pros and cons of this form of access to art. In conclusion, I fell like this chapter helped me understand how to properly write a formal analysis. However someone with knowledge could benefit just as much as someone who has no prior knowledge.