Writing the Visual Analysis:

Develop a Thesis
A thesis hypothesizes an argument that will need to be proved. It is not a self-evident
statement about the artwork. Developing a good thesis takes critical thought and is an
essential step in your assignment. The type of thesis that you will develop for this
assignment is very specific, and you must first complete the inventory of art elements
and principles. The more time spent observing and writing about the artworks visual
qualities, the easier it will be to formulate a thesis.

What concepts can you associate with the artwork? What is the artworks tone? What
can you glean from the artwork by reflecting on its visual qualities? Work with
adjectives, which describe tone, or abstract nouns, which express concepts.

Do not try to undertake this step without first having described in detail the elements
and principles! A poorly crafted thesis demonstrates inadequate critical thought and
effort on the students part, and your grade will reflect this.

Brainstorm a list of tones (adjectives) and/or concepts (abstract nouns).

Choose three qualities of the artworks tone [i.e. angry] or three concepts [i.e. liberty]
you would like to work with from the list above.

1) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Craft your one-sentence thesis statement using the formula below. Remember to use
parallel structure (a list of adjectives or a list of nouns) when writing your thesis.
The artwork conveys (1), (2), and (3).
The painting conveys feelings of loneliness, solitude, and joy.

The artwork promotes ideas of (1), (2), and (3).

The sculpture inspires patriotism, liberty, and independence.

Do NOT mention elements/principles in your thesis! For example, The painting has line,
color, and symmetrical balance, is not a thesis! Its a simple observation or statement
of fact. Your thesis deals with the tones and concepts of the artwork only. For this
assignment, keep the thesis simple and direct. It will be up to the writer to demonstrate
the thesis through the visual analysis.

INCORRECT: Through the use of color, line, and focal point, the painting deals
with loss, hope, and community.
 CORRECT: The painting deals with loss, hope, and community.

Decide on three Art Elements and/or Principles for your Essay

The three body paragraphs of your essay will focus on three different elements and/or
principles that you select to demonstrate your thesis. Each paragraph will be focus on
one element or one principle.

Brainstorm a list of the elements/principles that are prominent or important to your

artwork. Jot down which tones or which concepts the elements/principles help express.

Next, choose the three elements of art and/or principles of design that will best support
your argument. You will discuss one per paragraph in the body of your paper.

1) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Write an Outline for Your Paper

Paragraph One Introduction

Identify the artwork (artist is known, title, date) and the museum collection.
Describe the artwork so that your reader can picture it.
Describe the condition, surface texture, display [i.e. frame or pedestal], and
gallery setting of the artwork.
State your thesis in bold.

Paragraph Two The First Element or Principle

Develop your argument from general to specific observations. Topic sentences should be
general but descriptive, followed by specific examples.

Describe the first visual element or design principle.

Write three to five specific examples to support the topic sentence.
Relate this discussion to your thesis statement in paragraph one: explain how
these aspects convey one of the concepts.

Paragraph Three Second Element or Principle

Describe the second visual element or design principle
 Write three to five specific examples.
Relate this discussion to your thesis statement.

Paragraph Four Third Element or Principle

Describe the third visual element or design principle
Write three to five specific examples.
Relate this discussion to your thesis statement.

Paragraph Five Conclusion

Summarize your argument but do not restate it verbatim. Say it in a new way.
This is an excellent space to explain why you chose the image.
Relate your discussion of this artwork to something elseanother artwork,
contemporary events, a work of literature, pop culture, or history, for example.
This is a crucial step in demonstrating critical thinking.

Outside Sources: Endnotes, Footnotes, Bibliography

This paper is completely your original thought. You may not include any information other than
the artworks identification (artist, title, date, medium) from the museum label. You may not
include any information, descriptions, analysis, explanations or help from the museum website,
catalogs, museum personnel, textbook, and/or other sources.

If you were allowed to use outside source material, your instructor would include detailed
instructions on how to cite sources, write endnotes or footnotes, include a bibliography, and
similar research instructions. But this is not that type assignment.

It you ignore these instructions about outside sources, your instructor may assume that: you can
not do the assignment; you have chosen to ignore the assignment; you have not spent the
required time on the assignment; or, you are committing academic fraud by turning in a paper
written by someone else or for someone elses class.

Write a Rough Draft

The body of your paper (the visual analysis argument) should not exceed, nor fall short of, three
typed pages, double-spaced.

It is as much an exercise in critical thinking to write a minimum number of words as it is, a

maximum. If your paper runs longer than three pages, you have not sufficiently edited your
writing. If it falls short of three pages, you have not written enough. There is plenty to say in this
assignment. Editing your paper down to three pages should be your experience.

Rewrite, Edit, and Proofread Your Paper

 College level writing is expected. Papers with grammar and typographical errors, problems with
clarity and organization, and those not written in an academic voice may be failed. Papers
submitted that do not follow this visual analysis format may be failed: your instructor is not
interested in reading papers that do not reflect the critical thinking necessary for the problem
posed. If you write a paper other than what is asked for here I may assume: you can not do the
assignment; you have chosen to ignore the assignment; you have not spent the required time on
the assignment; or, you are committing academic fraud by turning in a paper written by
someone else or for someone elses class.

Do the Following

1. Write in academic voice. This means that you will use third person, singular point of
view and that you will not address the reader directly nor include I-statements. Do
not use contractions or slang expressions or clichs.

2. Do not include the exact dimensions of the artwork; rather, describe it in general terms.
Spell out all numbers except for dates.

3. Guard against rookie mistakes: its vs. its; there vs. their; verb-subject agreement;
possessives; capitalization.

Format Your Paper: These guidelines conform to the Chicago Manual of Style, aka Turabian
Styles, preferred by many in the art history field.

1. Set margins to one inch on all four sides of the paper.

2. Use the font Courier New 11 point consistently throughout the paper.
3. Double-space the paper. (Select the no spacing style if using Word 2010 and select
double-spacing.)
4. Indent a new paragraph one tabs length (5 spaces or 0.50 setting).
5. If your word processing program automatically inserts an additional space after
paragraphs, correct it. There should be no extra space in between paragraphs.
6. Format page numbers to appear centered at the bottom of the page in the footer.
7. Use Arabic numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3) for page numbers.
8. Do not number the cover page. The first page of the written essay is page one.
9. Start your essay at the top of the page using the one-inch top margin.
10. Type your thesis in bold and place it at the end of the first paragraph. If you do not put
your thesis in bold, I will assume that you: do not have a thesis; do not know what your
thesis is; or, have not read the assignment directions.
11. I talicize titles of artworks (paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints and photographs) but
do not italicize titles of buildings. Italicize the titles artworks consistently throughout the
paper.
12. Scan or affix your museum proof to the last page of your assignment, or the first page of
your worksheet. Staple the worksheet to the end of your essay. If museum proof is too
large for the last page of your assignment, add a fourth page to your essay and title the
page Museum Visit Proof in all caps, centered, and flush with the top margin.
13. Make sure that the Museum Assignment Grading Chart is affixed to the back of your
worksheet. Do not mark this paper, it is for instructors use only.
14. Staple the cover page to the front of your paper. Format the cover page with the
following:

Two inches down from the top margin (or, three inches down from the top of
the page) center your title in ALL CAPS.
If the title of the paper is longer that one line use single spaces.
At the bottom of the paper and so that the last lines conforms to the one inch
margin rule, type the course information in caps and lowercase, single spaced,
centered in the page. Include all of the following:

Your Name
Title of the Class
Section ####, Semester YEAR
Instructors Name
Southwestern College

Example:
Sponge Bob Square Pants
Art 100, Intro to Drawing
Section 09, Summer 2016
Instructor: Jennifer Donovan
Southwestern College