So, you’ve decided to write an art catalogue for an Italian gallery and you’re feeling confident that you can capture the essence of the artist’s work in a few short sentences. Bliss! Unfortunately, you’re probably going to fail because you haven’t thought things through sufficiently. You might write something like this:
“Carlo Azeglio’s work is characterized by his use of vivid colours and a jovial mood. He paints with a broad brush, often mixing different hues on the same canvas, and the overall impression is of playfulness and joyfulness. These qualities are conveyed in his artwork through the positive messages he preaches through his art.”
Yes, that’s pretty good. Everyone will get the point that this is an artwork about joy and playfulness. However, the wording is a little awkward. Perhaps you could’ve said:
“Carlo Azeglio’s work is characterized by its joyful and playful nature. He paints with a broad brush, often using different hues on the same canvas. This gives the overall impression of playfulness and joy.”
There, now you see how a couple of little changes can make a world of difference. The first example is the use of the word “often” instead of “usually.” Depending on the nature of your writing and the number of times you use the word “often,” you might want to consider using the word “usually” instead to make it sound a bit more natural. In addition, the use of the word “his” instead of “Carlo’s,” or “Carlo’s” for that matter, makes the sentence sound a bit more impersonal. Instead of saying “Carlo Azeglio,” you could’ve said “a painter named Carlo Azeglio.”
The above examples are just a small change that could make a big difference. Before you deem the above paragraph as complete garbage, let’s examine the second example. You’ve mentioned an Italian painter named Carlo Azeglio in your piece, but have you ever considered introducing the reader to this artist’s other works? The answer is probably “no.” Even if you do, you’re not going to tell the reader what the other pieces are. Instead, you’ll leave them to their own devices to try and figure out what the other pieces are and are not about. For the sake of full disclosure, let’s include a couple of works from this artist:
- The First Violin
- The Second Violin
- The Third Violin
Your art analysis of these pieces is going to contain a section that mentions how The First Violin conveys the impression of joy and playfulness. However, the second part of the analysis is going to mention how The Second Violin conveys a sense of longing and regret. This is a case where your audience does not know what to expect. Do you want them to feel happy or sad? Do you want them to feel that what they’re reading is part of an artwork, or is this information that you want to throw in for the sake of complete disclosure?
The point I’m trying to make here is that unless you have a clear idea of what you’re writing and the specific purpose of each part of the essay, it’s very hard to create an effective piece of art copy. This is why you should take your time and plan everything out beforehand. Don’t just throw something together in a hurry because you’ve got a deadline. Write a couple of drafts, make some changes, and eventually end up with something that sounds decent. Most importantly, ensure that each part serves a purpose and is relevant to the overall theme of the piece.
With that in mind, let’s move on to the last and most important point:
The most effective way of writing art copy is by drawing on your personal experiences. This is not exclusive to art writing, but it is especially crucial when it comes to writing about art because you’re essentially comparing the work you’re describing to something that is, at least in part, autobiographical. In cases like these, the reader is more likely to connect with you and your opinion more easily because they know you’re speaking from personal experience. Ideally, you’d like to compare and contrast your own experiences to those of the artist in question. For example, let’s say you’re writing about a certain Italian painter and you’ve got one of his pieces on your canvas. In that case, it would be wise to include something about how you felt when you first saw this particular artwork. Were you able to see past your own personal experiences and connect to the work on a pure intellectual level?
Now, before you go any further, let’s examine the last piece of advice I’m going to give you. It’s a very simple concept but one that is very effective when applied consistently:
- Write for humans
- Avoid jargon
- Proofread
The above three points may seem too simple to be effective, but when applied consistently, they can help you elevate your art writing to a completely new level. For example, let’s say you’re writing about a certain genre of painting and you use words like “hues” and “saturation” without knowing what they mean. After you’re done writing, read through the piece again and try to replace every instance of these words with something that is more familiar to a general audience. This will help you avoid using jargon and give your writing that extra bit of polish that makes all the difference. In addition, take some time to proofread your work. Ask a trusted friend to read through your essay and point out any errors or inconsistencies that they find. Even after you’ve rewritten and polished your work numerous times, mistakes and careless words can still slip through. This is why you must be very careful with the way you write.
Getting Creative
Of course, none of the advice I’ve given you above is set in stone. There are literally hundreds of ways in which you can go about writing an art analysis. For that matter, there are an infinite number of methods of comparing and contrasting art, so you’re bound to find something that works for you.
In addition, what you choose to write about will depend on your own personal preferences. Do you want to write from an academic standpoint and discuss the various theories and concepts relating to art? Do you want to write from an impressionist standpoint and discuss the style and technique of your favorite artists? Do you want to write from a spiritual standpoint and discuss the meaning of life and creativity in relation to art?
No matter what you choose, the most important thing is that you feel confident enough to tackle the topic and that you feel you can pull it off successfully. In the end, that’s all that matters. If you feel like you’re able to connect with your audience on a personal level and that you’re able to educate them successfully about art, then you’re bound to have achieved your goal.