Visual Analysis Example

Summary

Tyson Washburn presents visual analysis as a way to examine how an artwork’s visible features shape its meaning and how viewers respond to it.

• Form refers to the work’s physical and visual characteristics, such as color, shape, pattern, composition, focus, placement, clothing, objects, and the relationships between elements.
• Content concerns what the work may communicate, including its subject, ideas, mood, or “essence.”
• Personal judgment is the viewer’s honest response and interpretation. It can be influenced by personal experience and need not match the artist’s intention.

Washburn recommends moving through these steps:

1. Describe what is visible in the work.
2. Analyze how its elements relate and work together.
3. Consider meaning: What might the artist be communicating?
4. Give your own judgment: Explain your response honestly, looking beyond whether you simply find the work attractive.

Applying the Method

Washburn applies this method to two photographs.

In the first, a portrait of Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and their child, he notes the family’s poses, devices, clothing, and surroundings. He interprets the image as suggesting loneliness and an emphasis on public image, while acknowledging that this is his reading—not a confirmed statement of the photographer’s intent.

In the second, a photograph by Tina Barney, he focuses on two women, their contrasting positions and postures, and the difference in focus. He reads the scene as a possible story of tension and unequal attention between the women, while noting that they might have a very different relationship.

Visual analysis can also be applied to films, music, song lyrics, poetry, and other forms of art. Washburn encourages viewers to explore their interpretations—even unconventional ones—while grounding them in what they observe.

Creators and Contributors Featured

• Tyson Washburn — presenter
• Annie Leibovitz — photographer of the portrait discussed
• Tina Barney — photographer of the second image discussed
• Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and North West — people depicted in the first photograph