What is the message that this work or artist sends to the viewer?

HUM 1010: Formal Analysis & Creative Work Humanities Project
This assignment has two parts:
1. You will do a formal/descriptive analysis on a work of art of your choice.
2. You will create your own work of art and do an analysis of it.
Requirements for each part (you will submit each part of the project separately) are listed
below.
Formal/Descriptive Analysis (1-2 pages): For the formal analysis, you can choose a work of art
related to any of the artforms we covered in your text (literature, painting, photography, film,
architecture, etc.). Choose a work that was not featured in our textbook. If doesn’t even have
to be a well-known work. Something from a local museum is perfectly fine.
A formal analysis includes an analysis of the forms appearing in the work you have chosen.
These forms give the work its expression, message, or meaning. A formal analysis assumes a
work of art is:
A. a created object,
B. the object has been created with a stable meaning (even though it might not be clear to
the viewer),
C. the meaning can be ascertained by studying the relationships between the elements of
the work.
To aid in writing a formal analysis, you should think as if you were describing the work of art to
someone who has never seen it before. When I finish reading your analysis, I should have a
complete mental picture of what the work looks like (though you are uploading a file of your
work, be it a picture, audio file, link to a YouTube video, etc.). You should be applying key terms
from the text in your analysis. Keep in mind the formal analysis is more than just a description
of the work. It should also include a thesis statement that reflects your conclusions about the
work and how it expresses something about the human condition/experience. The thesis
statement may, in general, answer a question like these:
-What do I think is the meaning of this work?
-What is the message that this work or artist sends to the viewer?
-What is this work about?
So, you are touching on content as well as form.
Format for the Paper: 1-2 pages (not including title page, if you use one), 12pt font. Save it as a
pdf file before uploading. Please proofread your paper carefully for incorrect grammar, spelling,
punctuation, and other errors. Points will be deducted for writing issues. In addition, make sure
your paper includes a thesis statement. Your grade will reflect your ability to follow these
guidelines.
Remember, I am looking for your original ideas. I am not looking for you to refer to other
resources for this. I want your ideas based on what you learned from the relevant chapter of
your work of art and the general chapters that cover art and the humanities (Chapters 1-3 a

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