VA Comp Assessment 2

Art Criticism

Kyoto School Artist Unknown

Deer, Pine, and Bat

Description

What can you learn from the title of

the artwork?
You can learn what the paintings subjects
are; a deer, a pine, and a bat.

Description

What subjects in the artwork can you

recognize?
I can recognize the deer, the tree branch,
and the small bat.

Description
Looking at the elements of design,
describe what qualities you see.
The values of the deer and branch are
very dark, and the lines are very distinct.
The subjects forms are very realistic. There
is a lot of negative space, and the overall
painting has a sepia tone. The deer is
colored in light grey, and the fur texture
seems soft.

Description
What media and techniques did the
artist use?
The artists used paint and ink. They used
various brushes and amounts of water and
paint to create it. The painting was also
realistically done.

Analysis
Emphasis: Is there a dominant
element or focal point that you see
first?
The focal point is the deer. It is the first
thing I see, and stands out the most in the
piece. The dominant element of the painting
is space. In the painting, there is a large
amount of negative space, especially around
the deer.

Analysis
Balance: Is there a special balance, or
weight, among the elements? What
mood does it create?
There is a heavy weight on the left side
due to the large branch and the bat. There
is less weight on the right side, because the
only thing there is the deer. The weight
creates a quiet mood.

Analysis
Proportion: Do the proportions
look normal, ideal, or unusual?
Why?
The proportions are normal. The deer,
bat and branch look and have the
proportions that theyd have in real life.

Analysis
Pattern: Are elements repeated to
create a pattern? Where? Why?
Yes; the pine needles on the left side are
repeated throughout the branch. The deers
spots form a pattern as well.

Analysis
Rhythm or Movement: What visual
rhythms or paths of movement do
your eyes follow? Where? Why?
My eye starts from the deer and goes
diagonally up, following the tree branch.
Then, I notice the bat underneath the
branch.

Analysis
Unity and Variety: What elements
bring together, or unify many parts of
the design. Why? What elements add
variety? Why?
The overall tone and closeness of the
three objects together makes it unified, but
the size of the different objects and varying
textures sets each one apart from one
another.

Interpretation
Is there symbolism in the artwork?
What do you think it means?
I think the artwork is meant to represent
tranquility and silence, as the deer is simply
looking at the bat. The deer doesnt seem
to feel anger or sadness towards it. There is
a sense of harmony and balance between all
of the subjects.

Interpretation
What feeling do you think the artist
wanted to give the viewer when
looking at the work?
I think the artists wanted to give the
feeling of calm to the viewer. The gentle
nature of the painting makes it seem like
walking in the woods when all you can hear
are the sounds of the forest.

Interpretation
Does the work remind you of other
things you have experienced?
It reminds me of when I see deer in the
forest while passing by in the car, and when
they do not run away from the sound.
Instead, they would stay and watch us pass
by.

Interpretation
How does the work relate to other
ideas or events in the world and/or in
your other classes?
It relates to the book Bambi: Life in the
Woods, because there are many deer and
creatures in the forest. They all seem to be
in harmony, like in the painting.

Judgment
What parts of the work make you feel
it is a success or failure?
The textures of the branch and deer is
very nice and contributes to the paintings
success. The deer, branch, and bat are very
realistic, and everything seems to be in
harmony.

Judgment
What criteria can you list to help
others judge this work?
When judging this work, others should
look at how realistic it is. They should also
see the values, the textures, and the
crispness of each figure. The painting
should also be judged on craftsmanship.

Judgment
How unique is the work? Why do you
feel this work is or is not unique?
The painting is quite unique as it doesnt
use very many colors like many other
paintings typically have. Instead, the only
colors are shades of brown and grey. All
parts of the painting are fully formed, and
dont look flat.

Judgment
What are some improvements you
feel the artist could have made to the
work?
I think the artists could have put more
shadows, especially under the bat and below
the deer. It would also be good to see
ground with some grasses since the deer
seems to almost float.