Four Step Evaluation of a Work of Art Handout
Student Handout Guiding Questions
STEP 1: GENERAL INFORMATION
Student Name: ______________________________
Name of Artwork Evaluated: ___________________________________
Date: ______________________________________
Name of Artist and Date/Media: _________________________________
STEP 2: DESCRIPTION: Describe What you see in the Artwork
OBJECTS:
MEDIA:
What type of artwork do you think this is?
Portrait
Figure Landscape Seascape
Cityscape Poster
Abstract
Nature
Still Life
What kind of objects do you see in the artwork?
(can choose more than one)
People Buildings Boats Animals
Landscape
Seascape
Plants
Water
Food
None
Other:(describe:_________________)
What style do you think
the artist primarily
used?
Realistic
Abstract
Non-Objective
What material is the work made from?
**Remember more than one can be used**
TWO-DIMENSIONAL
THREE-DIMENSIONAL
Crayon Pencil Fabric
Clay
Wood Stone Metal
Glass
Yarn
Ink
Pastels
Found objects
Papier-mache
Photograph
Paint (oil, acrylic,
tempera, watercolor)
STEP 3: COMPOSITION ANALYSIS
THE ELEMENTS OFART
LINES
What kind of lines do you see?
Jagged Choppy Diagonal
Fuzzy
Sharp
Thick
Heavy
Vertical Curved
Smooth
Horizontal
Straight
Zigzag
SHAPES
FORMS
What shapes do you see?
What forms do you see?
Circles Squares Triangles
Rectangles
Diamonds
Other: _________________
Cones Spheres Cubes
Cylinders
Wavy
Broken
How would you describe the
shapes?
How would you describe the
forms?
Curved Angular Organic
Hard-edged
Soft-edged
Free-form
Other: ________________
Curved Angular Organic
Hard-edged
Soft-edged
Free-form
Other: ________________
Dotted
Other: _________________
THE PRINCIPLES OFART
EMPHASIS/FOCAL POINT
What is the first thing you see when
you look at the artwork?
How do you think the artist created
the focal point?
CONTRAST
Are there noticeable
differences between light and
dark areas?
Squint your eyes and look at the
artwork, Identify where you see
most of the light areas.
Top Bottom Middle
Right Left
Squint your eyes and look at the
artwork, Identify where you see
most of the dark areas.
Top Bottom Middle
Right Left
HARMONY/UNITY
Which elements of art have
been used to create a sense
of unity or hold the artwork
together in a pleasing way?
Line Color Value
Form Space Shape
Texture
COLORS/VALUE
What kind of colors do you see in
the artwork?
Bright
Dark/Lights
Soft
Strong
Warm Colors Cool Colors
Neutral (browns, greys, earth tones)
Complementary: (colors opposite
each other on the color wheel
Monochromatic: single color
containing light or dark values of
that color
TEXTURE
What kind of textures do you
see?
Rough
Hard
Smooth
Dull
Soft
Bumpy
Other: __________________
Adjacent Colors (colors that are
next to each other on the color
wheel
BALANCE
SPACE (ILLUSION OF)
How is space used in the artwork?
Deep Space (looks like you can see
for miles, a very wide range of dark
and light values)
Flat Space (shapes appear 1
value/color, objects appear not 3D at
all)
If the work is a landscape, what do
you see in each division of space?
Foreground (objects nearest to the
viewer)
Mid-ground (space between the
foreground and background)
Background (objects that appear the
most distant from the viewer
REPETITION/PATTERN
VARIETY
What kind of visual balance is
used in the artwork?
What do you see repeated in the
artwork?
Lines
Shapes Colors
Textures
Asymmetrical Balance (each side of
the artwork is different)
Light/Dark values
Variety refers to the differences of
the use elements of art in the work.
It can be achieved by using
different shapes, textures, colors,
and values in the work.
What elements of art have been
used in a variety of ways to
create visual interest?
Lines Shapes Colors
Light/Dark values Textures
Symmetrical Balance (the halves of
the artwork mirror each other)
Radial Balance (the emphasis is in
the center, viewer’s eyes are directed
like the spokes of a wheel, flower, or
target moving toward the middle)
*******STEP 4 LOCATED ON BACK ******
Pattern or repetition that is used to
lead the eye on a path through a
work of art is known as movement.
Do you see movement in the
artwork? Where?
Do you see rhythm in the artwork?
(one or more element used repeatedly
to create an organized movement in
the piece of art)
STEP 4: EVALUATION
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ARTWORK?
CRAFTSMANSHIP/NEATNESS
How was the work executed? Was it carefully planned and neatly
executed showing exceptional detail ?
It was evident that a great amount of time, care, and thought was applied
in the completion of the piece of artwork.
TECHNIQUE
CREATIVITY/ORIGINALITY
The artwork showed the artist exceptional understanding and skill and
control in applying several techniques with the medium that was used
throughout the piece of artwork .
How did the artwork created show originality and creativity?