Review on a Painting - Paper Example

The painting I am looking at is a scary one which shows a snake with a tail like a fish and a head like a dragon. The style of the painting can be defined as expressionism. This is because by looking at the picture, one could say that it's presentational and very subjective. The picture would have a certain perspective, and just by looking at it, the audience would have some moods or even ideas sparked in them. The picture was an interesting paint done by the artist whose main aim was to bring in a figurative theme. By looking at the painting, one would see it as a symbol of something demonic or beyond human explanation.

In this particular painting, lines are used as a contour. The lines as used as a contour and they exist between different colors of the paints used. The lines were strategically used in this picture to specifically define the shape and most importantly guide the eye of a specific viewer throughout the entire painting. For the eyes of the viewer to be directed at different points of the picture, the painter would use lines in this case. Besides, the lines would allow the viewer's eyes to see the picture but still take note of the focal point.

The composition of the painting was symmetrical. The composition is such that the visual components in the picture are arranged in a way that the viewer would have his eyes roll throughout the entire picture. The shapes of the snakes are made in a way that they cover the entire picture. Therefore, the viewer has to move his eyes throughout the picture then settles back at the focal point. The focal point is where the two symbolic snakes have their heads pointing at.

The shape in this painting can be categorized as geometric since it has two snakes drawn and some painting repeatedly done on the picture. The shading in the art is fantastic with very little contrast. The picture has got a natural source of light which comes from the left side. The lighting brings a mood of wanting to watch the painting for a long time and try figure out what is the theme that the painter was trying to bring out in the picture.

The color of the painting is mixed. The background of the painting and other flowers like images on it are done with a dull color so that they do not command too much attention. On the other hand, the snakes are done in a bright color so that they are easily visible. Also, there is mixing of color in a technique known as color harmony. The color harmony is complimentary, and they help in setting up a given mood to the viewers. The unifying color is this painting is brown as it is used everywhere in the picture.

The texture of the painting is smooth and decorative. A keen analysis of the picture would realize that the picture is simple and flat thus easy to interpret. The painting had an underpainting. The underpainting was done using the burnt phthalo blues and sienna to help in establishing values and shadows. After my analysis, I can conclude that picture was glazed, and the painter probably used just the oil paint only. By the look of things, the painter might have done the painting from the background to foreground thus explaining why the painting had a smooth texture.