Theresa Nicole Paez
English 1302 236
Jan. 25, 2010
Journal - PREPARATION FOR DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY “Analyzing a Visual”
Every painting has a story to tell, whether it would be about love, anger, happiness,
sadness, death and there’s so many more. In order for a painter or an artist to fulfill in telling
their story within the painting there are five elements that the viewer must notice. Those
elements are the line, hierarchy, color, value, and the composition of the painting.
The goals of the sample essay are to inform the readers what the writer thinks the
painting is about. The writer describes every details meaning, even the smallest details are
explained. The descriptions of the use of colors on the painting are done so well. For example,
the writer describes the blue and red of their wardrobe as “wild, and untamed”, just like how
the lovers are. Wild is meant that the blue and red are both strong colors, and the blue gown
definitely stands out as a bright, strong color. What the writer means by untamed is that both
colors can’t help but go together. They blend so well, and don’t clash or affect a viewer’s eyes.
The brightness of one color and the lightness of the other go together perfectly. If the red were
as bright as the blue, that could a affect a viewer’s eye, and the meaning of the painting would
be harder to tell.
The writer also describes the use of line in the painting. She describes how each detail
makes her eyes travel throughout the painting. Every detail within the painting reveals a little
more about what the painting is about. The direction of which the writers eyes wonder through
reveal a heart figure, the symbol of love. A heart figure isn’t really there, or at least I don’t see it
but the direction that the writer gives us, the readers, leads it to being a heart. The lines of their
Theresa Nicole Paez
English 1302 236
Jan. 25, 2010
arms “tangled” together is used so well, giving the readers a huge hint of how strong their love
is and what the story of this painting would be.
With just the two elements being used the writer was able to tell the story of the
painting. Not all of the five elements mentioned earlier are in a painting; but if the viewer
focuses on at least two or three out of those five, a story can be revealed.