Jos Tam analyzes- Hartley Eames -House and Studio 2003

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
•What is the title of the drawing?
  House and Studio
 •What is the name of the artist?
  Hartley Eames
•What is the year the drawing was done?
 2003
•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc) 
 pencil,charcoal and fountain pen
•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?) 
I think it is a landscape painting of artist's house and studio according to the title 
•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory? 
The purpose of this picture may be for construction.
2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL
•How is line used? What does it do/express?

It used different types of line to represent different things. The artist used some rough ,crossed lines to represent the supporting characters such as trees,grass and leaves. However, the house and studio is the main characters of this picture. And we can see that the artist draw it neatly and clearly.The artist also used some diagonal lines to show the door and windows.

•How is tone used? What does it do/express? 
The tone is used to express the shade of the objects. Therefore, there are different tone of dark and light in the picture to display the shapes of  the objects. We can see that the studio is darker than the trees which are in front of it.Also, the tone lead we can identify the shape of the objects,it is a very realistic rendition of the image.

Although, the drawing is only white and black, the tone help us image about the different colours of the objects. For instance, the colours of the trunks are light green, and the trunks are light brown and the grass is dark green. 
•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect? 
The drawing is exactly realistic and sophisticated. The viewpoint is from close to far, it shows  the thee-dimensional  front view of the house and studio such as the stairs, trees and the studio. The size of those objects show the length.width and depth like the trunks are tallest.The meadow is just a 1/3 width of the house. Therefore, we can imagine the shape of whole picture.
•Is texture a feature of the drawing? 
Yes.A wide range of line combinations make special textures of the objects, so that we can recognize different materials.The artist used zigzags to make the grasses look short and thick ; it used  cross-hatching to show the smooth glasses and the neat house.What is more,there are some erratic lines that show the trunks are rough.
•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
In this drawing, the composition is that it is divided to two parts. The first part is when we look at the trees and the second part is the house and studio.The trees divide the picture into  two parts.And we can see the house from the bottom of the left to the top corner of the right.The effect of this type of composition can make the perspective and the viewer can pay attention to the front view of the House and Studio.  However, the two numbers 137 and 138 destroyed the whole composition.
•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
Yes, it is. We can discover that there are a lot of duplicated lines and similar pattern in the picture and it created the action of the objects. For example,the repeated diagonals on the glass of the window may represent the sunshine.
•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
Yes . The picture  is symmetrical. We can see that the House and Studio is in the centre .And there are three trunks,leafs and meadow in both side.Moreover,the supporting characters,the stair,flower and sky are just a little proportion in the picture
•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created?
Yes. For the above mentioned, n this drawing, the composition is that it is divided to two parts. The first part is when we look at the trees and the second part is the house and studio.The effect of this perspective can make the viewer pay attention to the front view of the House and Studio.
•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way? 

Yes, the picture is harmonious.The artist used same  lines and intensive lines to create this picture and it makes the picture become unity.

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...
No.

3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.
I think the mood is soft,smooth and comfortable.The picture make view feel as harmony as their own.The whole picture is balanced and not strongly contrast.It is because this picture shows the designation of the House and Studio, and the artist just wants a cozy and silent place to make his artwork and creation .
•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
 The picture show the detail of the studio and house which is for the constructor or engineer. Also, the texture and tone provide the constructor information about the appearance and material the artist wants.According to the proportion, it can show the size and ratio of the house and studio the artist want.
•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above). 
In my opinion, this work is really extraordinary. It is because the picture shows the place very detail. The artist just use pencil,charcoal and fountain pen to draw different lines and disclose different textures of the objects. The techniques of using the combinations of lines are excellent.The picture is so vivid and realistic that I should learn some techniques of expression from the artist.I am also so curious in those two numbers (137&138) which i haven't mentioned above.This two numbers puzzle me so much because I cannot find any clues on the Internet or in the book .So I guess these two numbers represent the designation of the house and studio.

Jacqueline A Venzon - Kiki Smith- My Blue Lake 1995

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
•What is the title of the drawing?
My Blue Lake
•What is the name of the artist?
Kiki Smith

•What is the year the drawing was done?
1995
•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc) Photogravure- lithograph, paint

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?) Artist's self-portrait/Landscape

•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory? I It appears the artist is expressing her own emotions through a dreamlike portrayal of her body as a landscape of her own life experience. In other words, is a psychological drawing permeated with inward-looking expressions.

  2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

•How is line used? What does it do/express? The lines expressed movement and at the same time create a certain tension such as the lines on the expanding hairline.
There are different line types such as the thin curved lines of the artist's face and shoulders that create the illusion of three bodies within one plane. The lines express a strong sense of unity and harmony. While at the same time the contour lines of her shoulders give a sense of the movement  through the illusion of a flowing lake. Moreover, the thick horizontal line in the background  created by the expanding gray hair serves to depict a horizon and a vast terrain.

•How is tone used? What does it do/express?  There is a deep contrast between the dark landscape of her stretching hair and the light blue tones of the water flowing. You also have contrast with hues of dark and light tones on her gray hair which create the texture of the rugged landscape, while doubling the visual effect of linear perspective creating the illusion of a vanishing horizon  - which seems to express uncertainty and somehow human nature/life as a rugged terrain full of uncertainty, and at the same time the light blue tones of the cascading river serve to imbue the atmosphere with a sense of loneliness and nostalgia.

•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect? The artist is depicting a flat perspective of her body as a landscape. You can see her hair expanding to create a surreal dark landscape

•Is texture a feature of the drawing? Yes, the texture of her hair serves to highlight the ruggedness of the landscape.  

•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing? I think the balanced composition creates a sense of unity  whereby all the parts of the drawing fit harmoniously.

•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it..To some extent, yes.The curved light blue lines that evoke the flowing water/lake, create a certain rhythm that in my view serves to channel the flow of her restless energy.

•Is the picture balanced? Explain... Yes it is.  The composition is well balanced because  line, shade and space have been arranged in perfect symmetry. Which means, If you cut across a vertical line in the mid section of the work you could almost have two identical parts.
 
•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created. Yes, the thick horizontal line on the background created by the texture of her expanding gray hair  gives the illusion of linear perspective through the vanishing horizon. Furthermore, the contoured lines of her shoulder on the foreground portrays the illusion of mountains/cliffs with cascading water on opposite sides. 

•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way? Yes, because there is a sense of unity through the balance of the different elements that fit within the space. 

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more... Yes, there are, you can see a strong contrast between the dark tones of the her hairline and the light blue tones of the flowing water/river. Which ultimately help to convey the mood of the drawing, as well as to contrast the different planes, foreground, middle ground and the background used to contrast the horizon as well as the cascading blue river in the foreground. 

3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.
  Very expressive as the deep contrast of the dark and gray tones of the landscape and horizon, as well as the blue tones of the river somehow evoke loneliness, melancholy and uncertainty, but at the same time restlessness/uneasy mood that is highlighted by the tension created by the stretching of  the landscape/hairline.

•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above I  In my own view it expresses the artist's own life experience/emotions (inward looking at her self)  within a dreamlike state. The idea of  portraying three selves within a rugged landscape appears to allude to our endless quest of finding our true selves/purpose, but at the same time I get a strong feeling of loneliness and uncertainty expressed through the  deep contrasts of the dark and blue color tones.  Moreover, her stretching hairline/landscape creates a certain tension and uneasiness. Through her work she captures these emotions  that appear as if she was on a restless journey still trying to find a deeper sense of self and purpose within the landscape of life. Moreover, you may sense this emotions as you are immediately drawn to her wondering eyes looking for direction, while her expanding hairline seems as if she is trying to break free from something. .
 
•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).
I find the work deeply moving and fascinating because the artist masterfully expresses a deep sense of personal emotion through a fantastic visual illusion using deep color contrasts, texture and lines that double her body as a landscape of her life experience. 

Nicol Cheung analyses Rachel Whiteread

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
•What is the title of the drawing? Stairs

•What is the name of the artist? Rachel Whiteread

•What is the year the drawing was done? 2003

•What is the medium? Photo collage, gouache and pencil on paper

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work?
 The artist herself describes it as her diary. Though it could also be seen as a study of stairs

•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? 
 The artist did some other paintings in similar style. She describes them as a product of her thinking  process. The artworks are described as diaries of the artist. The purpose is to denote what the artist  thought at a particular time.


2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL
•How is line used? 
 Narrow straight lines drawn by pencil interweaves densely across the paper. These geometric lines  crosses the paper in different directions and intersects near the center of the paper.

•How is tone used? 
 Black pencil lines on white square make up the background while the subject - a realistic coloured  photo collage of  a pair of wooden stairs provides contrast with the monotone background.

•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? 
 The picture is nearly entirely composed of straight lines. The pencil lines, along with the pair of stairs  create a very geometrical feel. 

•Is texture a feature of the drawing? 
 The photo collage in the center of the picture certainly has a different texture than the rest. However  textural differences do not seem to be the emphasis in this artwork.

•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of  composition on the overall drawing? 

 As stated before, the picture is nearly entirely composed with straight lines. This creates a very  geometric and perhaps Constructivist style. Just as the picture is named Stairs, the pair of stairs are  the main subject in the picture. The subject is emphasized by various means. Firstly the pencil lines  intersects around the subject. Secondly the artist utilizes contrast of texture and tone to bring out the  pair of stairs. Also while the 'background', referring to the pencil lines and the white squary void, feels  two-dimensional, the photo of the pair of stairs in the center (as it is a photo) includes many three-  dimensional features such as highlights, shadows and perspective. The overall effect is an  emphasis on the subject.

•Is rhythm important in this picture? 
 The dense disciplined network of pencil lines creates a rhythmic flow across the paper which leads  to the center subject of the pair of stairs.

•Is the picture balanced? 
 Yes. The most noticeable feature is the positioning of the main subject - at the center of the picture.  Also the dense network of straight lines is balanced by vast areas of white void.This arrangement  creates a balance in space. and composition. 

•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-  dimensional space has been created. 
 Yes. Perspective is used in the subject, the photo of a pair of stairs, in the center of the picture. The  pair of stairs are actually made up of a photo of a flight of stairs juxtaposed with its inverted  duplication. Due to the special arrangement, The perspective of this pair of stairs does not match  with daily life observations. 

•Is the picture harmonious?
 I don't find the picture harmonious. There is a contrast between the monotone lines and the photo.  Also the dense network of pencil lines consist of lines sprawling across the picture in various (three,  mainly) directions. However in the cases of the horizontally-sprawling lines especially, they intersect  in a rather dissonant manner. Also the white background is slightly tilted, which also adds to the  dissonance of the picture. To me, the overall effect is the picture being dissonant rather  than  harmonious.

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? 
 Yes. Contrast of colour (Monotone vs Colour), contrast between two-dimensional lines and three-  dimensional photo.


3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing?
 I don't sense a particular mood in this picture. However I think the picture reminds me of the  industrial, scientific atmosphere of a factory. Such suggestions are far from happiness. The picture's pronounced industrialist style even creates a slightly eerie mood.

•What does the drawing express? 
 The artist described this picture as more of her diary than a  study. As Racel Whiteread has always  been interested in stairs, this may be a reflection of what she  felt about stairs. Perhaps the drawing  expresses the artist's impression of geometry or that of disciplined, linear subjects.

•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

I find it interesting in the way it feels starkly industrial to me from the very first moment I looked at it. In other words, I think the painting successfully conveyed the features of stairs. It is also quite clever in the way different contrasting elements are used subtly in the picture. The composition, seemingly random, actually also helps highlighting the subject and creating the atmosphere. The way a very three-dimensional subject is placed on a two-dimensional background reminds me slightly of the Russian Constructivism art. I would describe the picture as 'industrial', 'geometric', 'angular' and 'disciplined'.

Miranda Tang analyses "Buy a Liberty Bond to-day! "

Introduction in general terms

Title

Buy a Liberty Bond to-day! 

Artist

W. A Rogers

Year 

1918

Medium

Pen and ink

Subject matter and general theme

Sketch of "melting pot" on verso; not recorded on videodisc.

Soldiers in Statue of Liberty torch. "Blue devils" on left banner; "Pershing's vets" on right banner with slogans "Come across!" "We've been across!" and "Buy a bond." And the words on the flags are refers to the 88th Infantry Division of the US Army and and General Joseph Pershing. And I think the solders are from Germany and the U.S. according to the uniform. Also, the flying birds around the torch symbolised the freedom of liberty.

Purpose of the drawing

William Allen Rogers is an American political cartoonist. This drawing is not depicting an actual scene but the imagination of the artist. The drawing is asking the audience to support liberty.

Description in detail

Line

For the line, it is so thin as it's in pen and ink. The artist used diagonal lines to depict shadow on the torch. And use the darker ink for main characters like the people and torch; the lighter ink for the sky and the flag at the back. Also, Rogers used lines to depicted shadow in his work.

Also, there are not many straight lines, most of the lines are curvy. While the straight lines will give audience a feelings of solidness and motionless, the artist use curved lines to make the drawing so energetic and optimistic. On the other hand, implied lines are used in the drawing. In the right picture, we can see the implied lines of hands and body is in purple color and the eye gaze is in orange color. Implied lines from the hands and bodies of the soldiers are spreading out of the verso. It is like the sun light on the sky and it is bringing hope to Americans.

Composition

For the composition, the liberty touch is in the middle and some tiny persons are on top of it. It is quite balance as it's easy to divide people into two groups, left and right. Also, we can see "liberty" in the middle of the drawing and flags and slogans are on the top right hand corner and top left hand corner.

Rhythm
I can see that the draw it fast according to the shape and line. The artist use diagonal lines to depict shadow and a small part of the sky. The birds and the lines of sky seems to be done spontaneously. And this feeling of rhythm bring us a sense of joy and hope, as the lines and curvy and looks soft. Also, the spreading implied lines I have talked before is like suggesting a fresh new opening of a song played by trumpet.

Space
In this drawing, there is lots of negative space surrounding the torch and people. But the artist also draw some flying birds to make it look like a sky. The negative space let us to focus more of the main figure.

In order to depict 3 dimensional space, linear perspective is being used in this drawing, People at the back is smaller than those at the front. Also, the artist used modelling and shading to suggest the 3D space, for example, the hand and the torch.

Harmonious?

Yes. The lines are thin and do not contain many angles. Although the solders and their posture is quite strong and with power, it is not giving are sense of intense but optimistic. Also the curvy lines of the flag and the round torch gives me a sense of harmonious. I think is harmonious feeling is because of the message and the lines.

Interpretation and evaluation

Message

I think this drawing is about encouraging and a positive mood. We can see that the artist is encouraging the audience to join him and the soldiers. It shows the friendly relation between them and they raise up their hands. This also imply the power and strength of people and liberty.

In my opinion, I found this work interesting. Political cartoon was popular in the first few decades in America. After one to two decades, political wood block print also started to be popular in China. I like how artists use political art as a medium in order to educate people. 

This is me, Miranda.

Reference
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=8&psid=2892&filepath=http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/primarysources_upload/images/buy_a_liberty_band_today_l.jpg
http://olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_ww2webgear.php
Picture by ARTstor

Sihan Yang - Kovats Untitled from Miernology Series 2005

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS 
•What is the title of the drawing?
Untitled

•What is the name of the artist?
Kovats

•What is the year the drawing was done?
2005

•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc) 

Watercolor and pencil on paper

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?) 
A drawing of the composition of overlapping solid geometries.

•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory?

YES. The drawing aims at using different sizes of cubes which overlap each other to form a big irregular solid geometry, making a three-dimensional effect and a space with complex perspective.

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

•How is line used? What does it do/express? 

The lines which are mainly used to contour the cubes are almost at the same quality that they are so thin that almost disappear. The thin line benefits the three-dimensional effect especially the line on the bright side of the tubes because if the boundary is too apparent,the cubes will seem to be trapped in a certain frame.
Although the lines are used to contour the cubes, they are not absolutely straight but actually a little bit casual and curved. This reduces the stiffness causing by the analogous geometric shapes and avoids the patterns become too mechanized.

•How is tone used? What does it do/express? 

Tone is used to better show the depth and space of the composition. The light source comes from the left part and three faces of cubes which we can see from our direction are in three degrees of hue. On the one hand, the tone clearly shows the shapes of the solid geometries and the relationship of overlapping. On the other hand it creates an interesting illusion that although there is no single integral cube whose corner or face are free of being cut or blocked, we can still know they are cubes and how they connect with each other. Especially the tone of the brightest face of the cube is the same as the blank negative space.


•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect? 
The form in this picture is monotonous. They are all cubes in different sizes. The artist uses this single kind of geometric shape to form an irregular and multi-angle aggregate, showing the aesthetic value of repeated geometries and how monotonous shapes turn into delicate,complex,dynamic object that contains a potential to grow and expand.


•Is texture a feature of the drawing? 
YES. The texture in this drawing comes from the texture of the solid cubes. The artist used simple line and clear tunes to show the hard,solid,plat texture of the faces of the cubes. Meanwhile the stable,hard,sharp angle of the cubes help contributing to the whole texture of hard,stable,sharp and solid. 


•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
Monochromatic solid cubes in different sizes with smooth faces,apparent tone and almost invisible contour overlap,combine,block off with each other,creating an unbalanced but solid effect using single pattern and the contrast of darkness and brightness of the different faces of cubes.
This type of composition contains single elements but organizes them in a complex way, making an interesting evolution from the simplest element to extending tendency of intricate whole.

•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
YES. The rhythm in this picture is created by the repetition of cubes. These elements show a solid,odd rhythm with a progressive trend. When looking at the picture I can’t help myself imaging putting them into digital effect that the cubes begin to overlap at the bottom and keep overlapping one by one and growing into an unexpected shape with a very digital sound as the background music emphasizing its rhythm. And this potential of growing and expanding leads to a sense of movement, and this movement creates the rhythm.


•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
No. First it is not symmetrical since there are no so-called opposites sides. We can see a tendency of growing and expanding from the picture that the the assembling of the cubes seems to start from the bottom left of the picture, then they keep overlapping and growing till the middle and gradually form an unbalanced and uneven platform on the top right corner and keep growing towards right side. The cubes at the junction and on the platform have more visual weight than composition at the beginning of the growing process which creates a unbalance perspective.

•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
YES. In terms of the individual form, all the cubes have perspective. As for the whole picture, the composition of the countless cubes also have depth and space.The cubes in the middle seem to be nearer to us than the cubes at the bottom left and top corner right. The irregular combination of the cubes builds up a structure and this structure contains angles and depths that make perspective.


•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way? 
YES. The separate parts are similar in shapes and tones that they won’t be mess when they are gathered altogether. And the way how they are formed together makes no use of other forms,shapes or lines but smaller cubes as a connection or cubes getting into others. The similarities of separate parts and the subtle way of connecting parts create harmony.


•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...
YES. The contrast comes from the tone of the objects. The brightest face of the cubes which reflects light is as white as the background while the dark side is almost black that they make a strong contrast.



3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION


•What is the mood of the drawing?

Although this drawing is very geometric, it still contains a particular mood that the complex composition, the solid,hard,sharp texture of the edges of the cubes, the unbalance of the structure, the intensive gathering of some small cubes show a sense of tension. It seems like with the growing and accumulating of the cubes, the sense of tension and disturbing also expand. The geometric forms normally have no strong expression of mood and they seems to represent mathematics, science or disciplinary but the artist combines them together, creating an odd mood that it truly gives people some emotional feeling.

•What does the drawing express? 

The drawing shows a possibility to create a three-dimensional space with complex, changeable perspective on a two-dimensional platform, which express the experimental idea of playing with the structure, composition, relationships of geometric units. Meanwhile it expresses a specific mood of tension, anxiety by successfully form this whole dimensional structure. And obviously this mood is created mostly by the interesting composition of different sizes of cubes. In a word, by exploring and experimenting the way of using one single form to create a space with a potential to expand and overlap, the artist manages to express both this experimental idea and a specific mood.


•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......? Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

The three dimensional effect contributes most to the interesting attraction of the picture. It’s not easy to create a three-dimensional form on a 2D paper, not to mention successfully creating a twisted and illusion space with complicated depths only using one type of geometry. It is also very creative that it inspires the idea that three-dimensional structure can be built up in flat. Shapes or forms combine in a irregular or random way constructing a twisted space with potential or trend to keep expanding.

YUNG Man Lee analyzes wicked woman

INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS

What is the title of the drawing?

Wicked Woman (in Spanish: Mala mujer)

What is the name of the artist?

 Francisco de Goya (in full name: Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes)

What is the year the drawing was done?

1801-1803

What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc)

Brush and ink wash.

What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?)

It is a figure drawing that an old woman, who sitting on the ground, is holding a naked baby up-side-down.

Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory?

I think it express some views or feelings of the artist.  The drawing makes viewer feel horrified and anxious as the drawing shows a woman hurting a baby.  The bad woman with her teeth broken has no hair, wrinkled, thin and weak, is holding a naked baby upside-down as if she is about to bite the baby’s leg.  To hold a baby upside-down is not a correct or usual way to take care a baby.  In the drawing, the woman only hold the baby’s hand and his hip rather than his whole body, this may hurt the baby as baby is still so fragile in this stage, he is not well developed yet. This action is horrifying, maybe Goya wants to show his view or to criticize that human beings, in some sense, can be disgusting or can be so evil.

DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

How is line used? What does it do/express?

For the whole drawing, the line quality is smooth and continuous while the line types are curved and zigzag.  Some lines are light and sketchy while others are heavier and more deliberate seeming.  The lines of the dishes, the baby and the dress are really soft and light, maybe it wants to express the environment there is so bright.  And these light line of the baby can show his smooth skin.  The lines of woman’s neck and the part of the dress which close to her leg, are heavier and more deliberate, these shows the shadows under the light and contribute to three dimension in this drawing as well as showing the texture of the dress which is folded.  The line of woman’s neck and her right hand are detailed and varied, it shows the textures of her skin, which is full of wrinkles. Also, as we can see the old woman is wearing a black coat and there are dark black and light black on the coat that show the shadows.  The lines of the coat are sketchy and thick. 

How is tone used? What does it do/express?

The drawing is monochromatic.  The black of the ink makes a big contrast to the white of the paper.  The bad woman is in dark whereas the baby and the background are in white. The strong contrast of the woman and the baby gives a feeling of drama as if they are different to each other.  And the light and more delicate lines used for the baby show its fragility.  And the black tone of the woman shows her darkness.

What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?

The shape and form of this drawing is three-dimensional as we can see the woman appears closer than the dishes and glasses.  And the darkness and lightness show the wrinkle (of the clothes and skin of the woman) and the smoothness (of the skin of the baby).  There are even some shadows of the glasses and the woman.  All of these features make the drawing more realistic. 

Is texture a feature of the drawing?

Yes, in terms of the skin of both the baby and woman. The texture of the baby’s skin is very smooth and glossy and the woman’s skin seems wrinkled and rough.  Also, we can see the fold of woman’s clothing (especially the part near her left feet). 

What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?

The composition is unbalanced as there are no repeated elements, no significant rhythm or pattern in the picture and because it is bottom heavy.  The subject is not in the centre in the drawing.    The old woman sits on the bottom with her head is in the centre of the picture.  The upper part of the paper is a negative space, as it is all empty. 

 
Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
The rhythm is not important in this picture as there are not much repeated elements in it.

Is the picture balanced? Explain...

It is visually unbalanced.  As the composition of the drawing appears bottom heavy that the characters are in the lower part of the paper and the upper part of the paper is totally empty.  And the post or gesture of the old woman is also unbalanced as she trends to tilt to left, this contributes an unstable mood to this woman.

Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.

Yes, it creates the appearance of depth via shadowing.  We can see the light is from the top left hand side as we can see the shadow of the dish and cups and the line of them are lighter.  Also, there are shadows under the glasses and the outline of the clothes is darker.  Also, the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.  The dish and cups are little bit behind the woman and the baby, so we can the woman, rather than the glasses is foreshortening.  The dish and cups look smaller as they are farer from us, and the characters are closer to us as we can see they are bigger in the picture.  This contributes a sense of three-dimensional.

Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?

It is not harmonious, as there are no unity and similarities in this artwork. 

Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...

Yes, the biggest contrast here is the tone of the woman and the baby.  The woman is wearing a black scarf but the baby that she is holding is so bright.  This shows the contrast between the woman and the baby – evil and innocent.

INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

The overall mood of this picture is contradictor and sad.  As the colour used here are soft but the feeling it brings out is strong.  In the sense of colour using, the biggest contrast is white (baby) and black (woman). The line here is curved but not straight, this creates a sense of weakness (of the woman) rather than strength.  However, the subject in the picture brings a strong feeling out.  The bad woman is hurting a baby.  Although she, herself is physically weak, she is spiritually strong whereas the baby is spiritually fragile.  The baby is getting hurt, but there is no one coming out to help him, this make us feel sorry and sad to him. 

What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

I think Goya wants to express his disappointment to some evil behaviours of human beings.  He is well known that he always criticizes people’s immoral behaviours, say, wars via his artwork.  In this picture, the wicked woman is harming the baby.  The baby has no force to fight back, and there is no one helps him.  It may suggest that how cruel human beings can be . 

In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

In my opinion, the drawing is thought-provoking as well as imaginative.  I can imagine many symbols in it.  For example, the baby symbolizes pureness and justice and the wicked woman symbolizes devil.  As the drawing does not show what the old woman will do in the next moment, it allows viewers to imagine much kind of possibilities. For me, I imagine as if the bad woman is going to bite the baby in the next moment.  However, we do not know what she actually wants to do with the baby.  I think Goya may want to provoke our thought by showing something evil of human beings.  It makes me think of some dark side of human nature and make me feel like human beings, in some sense, can be repulsive.

Stephen Yip' Analysis-- Burden's "Medusa's Head 1994 (2)"

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS

•What is the title of the drawing?

-The title of the drawing is “Medusa’s Head”.
•What is the name of the artist?

-The name of the artist is Chris Burden.
•What is the year the drawing was done?

-The drawing was done in 1994
• What is the medium?

-The drawing was done by using watercolor on the paper.

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work?

 -It was a creative, imaginary, surreal drawing of an irregular object like a rock or a planet . However, with careful observation, one can discover the drawing of transports and infrastructure like bridges, highways, concrete roads, trains running on the railways; and also natural landscape (probably mountains).

•Does the drawing have a particular purpose?

 -As Chris Burden was an American installation artist, the drawing is probably a draft or a sketch on the journal, and the object in the drawing is materialized by using concretes and rocks, and the sculpture is exhibited in museums and galleries.

-I think that it is an imaginary and creative masterpiece that reveals Burden's perception of how the contemporary world acts and looks like. Instead of presenting the late 20th century condition in an ordinary and realistic way, he attempts to  draw the world in a surrealistic way. This makes the picture interesting. 

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

•How is line used? What does it do/express?

-Lines do not play very important role in this drawing. However, thin, curvy, complex, but vague lines travelling in different directions can still be found in the drawing. The use of unobvious thin lines tends to express a chaotic or confusing situation, and the lines crossing over the the “Medusa Head” also create a sense of directionless movement.

•How is tone used? What does it do/express?

 - Primary color (mainly yellow and red), and black are used, and the drawing tends to be relatively darker in terms of tone. It seems that the artist is trying to show that the irregular object is actually is large, earthy planet. 

•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?

-The Medusa’s Head has an irregular shape like a spitball crumpled by hand. It is also similar to a planet or a rock. The shape of the Medusa's Head brings a sense of messiness and confusion to the audience. One has to observe carefully to see the whole structure of it. 

•Is texture a feature of the drawing? 

-Texture does not play an important role in this drawing. However, the directionless lines  show that the irregular object tends to be bumpy or uneven. 

•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of      composition on the overall drawing?
 -The composition of the drawing is relatively simple, with vertical composition. There is an extraordinary head of Medusa at the center of the paper, which is the focal point of the  drawing; the title of the drawing is found  at the top of the paper; besides the irregular  object there are numbers to show the height and weight of the object. 
-A small human is also drawn at the left-bottom corner of the picture, which act as a  contrast with the object to demonstrate the greatness and magnificence of the “Medusa Head”.

•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
 -The drawing is quite balanced, Medusa Head was the only focal point of the drawing, and it was drawn quite symmetrically like a planet or round rock at the center of the paper.

•Is perspective used in the picture?

- It seems that perspective is not  vital in this drawing. However, Burden drew a small human at the left-bottom corner of the drawing. The human was standing in front of the object at an angle, with the back facing the audience. He was looking at the object. This may create a some sense of perspective.

•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way? 
-The picture is not very harmonious, as the picture fails to create a sense of unity by    stressing similarities of separate parts of the artwork. 

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture?
-Contrast is not very strong in this drawing. However, the background of the drawing is white, clean and clear, without any unnecessary decorations. This makes the messiness and chaos of the Medusa’s Head stand out. Inside the head, colors with different tone is also used. 

3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

-The use of colors (probably crimson, mustard, grey and black) with darker tone reveals a sense of earthiness and  that the object is a great crystalized minerals; the use of vague and directionless lines give me an impression of chaos and messiness.

•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

-This drawing is surreal and imaginary, but also messy and chaotic. However, by careful observation one can discover man-made infrastructure, such as bridges, trains running on the railways, tunnels and concrete roads, and all of these are the symbols of industrialization in the 19^th and 20^th century. One can also discover natural landscape (probably the mountain) in the picture, but it seems to be darkened. With the utilization of darker colors and unapparent, chaotic curve lines, Burden seems to express his point of view about how complicated and muddling the world is nowadays. 

•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

 -I think the drawing is thought-provoking and imaginative. The name of the object (“Medusa’s Head”) is a metaphor. Medusa is a well-known female character appeared in the Greek mythology that can turn organic things (humans and animals) into stone when they look at her eyes. Burden attempts to visualize the complex situation of the contemporary world by drawing transports and infrastructure with thin, continuous and directionless lines, as if the numerous snake-like hairs of Medusa. 

  -Medusa head is sometimes used as a symbol of terror, sin and evilness. It seems that the drawing expresses a sense of pessimism and negativity about the chaotic situation of the world and the creation of artificial things. This idea is presented by using colors with darker value. 

 - The drawing is also interesting as it seems to be a still life drawing (the drawing of a hanged and non-moving planet), but one can somehow see the swinging movement of the whole object, and the operation of different means of transports in the head.