How To Understand a Painting

Handle any emergency with Howcast's First Aid app - http://howc.st/jkDRTe

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video.

Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from envisagefilms and more videos in the Painting Appreciation category.

You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at http://www.howcast.com/videos/new or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at http://www.howcast.com/filmmakers/apply.

Art is practically a foreign language, and we're here to be your personal translator for how to understand a painting.

To complete this How-To you will need:

A good art history book
Access to an art museum

Step 1: Pick a painting

Pick a painting that strikes your fancy, either in your art history book or in the museum.

Step 2: Study for subject and composition

Carefully look at the painting, studying it for subject and composition, or how the elements are arranged.

Step 3: Determine color and tone

Determine the color and tone of the painting.

Tip: Color, tone and brushstrokes are the primary ways an artist will signal mood.

Step 4: Find any common threads

Look for anything that the objects or subjects in the painting have in common.

Step 5: Look for puzzles

Be on the alert for anything logically puzzling about the objects—do they make sense? Are they contradictory?

Step 6: Look for illogical aspects

Extend your alert to the whole painting; is it entirely logical, or, at least, not illogical?

Tip: Paintings that don't make logical sense are best explained by reading up on that particular artist.

Step 7: Question the location

Ask yourself "Where in the museum is this painting located?" and "Where was it supposed to be located before it ended up in a museum?"

Step 8: Find out when it was made

Find out when the painting was created by reading the title card.

Step 9: Memorize and research the artist

Memorize who created it, and find out information about the artist.

Step 10: Make a conclusion

Use all of the details you've gathered and try to make a conclusion about the meaning behind the painting.

Step 11: Read the art history book

Read sections of the art history book on specific painters, regions, movements or techniques.

Thanks for watching How To Understand a Painting! If you enjoyed this video subscribe to the Howcast YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=howcast

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• performing
• arts
• fine
• understand
• understanding
• painting
• gallery
• interpreation

[mightmareofgores]

smoke some weed

look at the painting

TADAA

bet u didnt expected to be that hah?

[Foodfast123]

I am a bird. Who's the ornithologist?

[BrandyZigg]

being asked to explain your work is one of the most frustrating dissapointing things in life

[Nicolettaax33]

Ah, this is exactly what architects need to understand the ancient paintings! Very helpful! *sarcasm intended* sigh..

[nicki2456]

You cant understand a painting. Nobody will ever know what an artist is trying to express and everybody interprets things in their own ways

[dcomusic]

How to Stalk a Painting

[TheSummerGirl14]

Hahah. William dekooning is my great uncle. So weird.... He actually told that to me when I was younger. I liked my great aunt Elaine too tho.

[BecauseAlexWasBored]

1:32 lol at the mustache twisting :)

[icantw8]

You can pull a Family Guy and erase some of the painting then draw something until you get it. :P

[icewhipRox]

The painting at 1:42 is beautiful!

[ncfwhitetigress]

but they provide an insight into the mind of the artist... it's like a code that must be cracked!

[ncfwhitetigress]

lmfao