Description of a painting

Try to describe a painting according to the plan:

1. To begin with, you should say that the painting belongs to a particular genre. It can be

• the portrait
• the landscape (seascape, townscape)
• the still life
• the genre scene
• the historical/ mythological painting

Ex.: To begin with, this painting is a portrait which belongs to the brush of (…. the name of the painter)

1.1. If you remember some information about the painter, say it then.

This artist lived in the ……century and worked in the style known as Classicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, Abstract Art.

1.2. Try to describe what you can see in general (who/what, when, where)

2. Give more details

• In the centre/middle of the painting we can see a ….
• In the foreground there is a….
• In the background there are….
• In the far distance we can make out the outline of a…
• On the left/ right stands/ sits…

          At first glance, it looks strange/ confusing/ depressing/ …

• But if you look closely, you can see…
• It looks like ….
• The artists managed to capture the atmosphere of a…../ the mood of the moment, etc.

2.1. Mention the colours (colours are nonverbal communication that creates physical and emotional reactions)

Colours can be:

• warm/ cold colours
• bold colours
• oppressive colours
• bright colours
• deep colours
• light colour
• soft and delicate colours

Think about your overall impression of the colors used in the painting, how they look and feel, how the colors work together (or not), how they fit with the subject of the painting, and how the artist has mixed them (or not). Are there any specific colors or color palettes you can identify?

• Natural, clear, compatible, distinctive, lively, stimulating, subtle, sympathetic
• Artificial, clashing, depressing, discordant (несумісний, негармонійний), garish (кричущий, яскравий), gaudy (барвистий, надто яскравий), jarring (різкий, незлагоджений, дратівний), unfriendly, violent
• Bright, brilliant, deep, earthy, harmonious, intense, rich, saturated (насичений), strong, vibrant (резонуючий, тріпотливий), vivid (жвавий, яскравий)
• Dull, flat, insipid (нудний, прісний), pale, mellow (м’який, соковитий), muted (приглушений)= (syn.) subdued (приглушений, пом’якшений), quiet, weak
• Cool, cold, hot, light, dark
• Blended, broken, mixed, muddled (заплутаний), muddied (замутнений), pure
• Complementary (додатковий), contrasting, harmonious

For example, green is the color of grass, the leaves of trees, and seaweed. Green represents growth and healing. Red is the color of blood, roses, and hot chilies. It’s a very passionate color. Red can mean anger or desire.

The picture is painted in …… colours. These colours contrast very well.
The dominating colours are ….
The colours contrast with each other.

3. In the end, give your impression and make guesses about the situation:

Use the words and phrases:

• Well, I feel that I am unable to put into words what I feel looking at the painting.
• To my mind, it is a masterpiece that could stand the test of time.
• Well, it seems to me I couldn’t put into words the impression made on me by this painting.
• I feel extremely impressed by this painting.
• It is brilliant, amazing. It is a real masterpiece by (….. the painter).
• The artist might have wanted to…
• This scene portrays…
• The painting depicts…
• In my opinion, the painting portrays…
• I think that this painting wants to show…
• The foreground highlights…
• The targeted audience of the painting is…
• The message is directed towards…
• This a comment on…
• It reflects…
• The artist’s intention is/was…
• The painting conveys (передавати) a sense of…
• We get the feeling that…

What is the mood or atmosphere of the painting? What emotions do you experience looking at it?

Calm, content, peaceful, relaxed, tranquil

Cheerful, happy, joyful, romantic

Depressed, gloomy, miserable, sad, somber, tearful, unhappy

Aggressive, angry, chilling, dark, distressing, frightening, violent

Energetic, exciting, stimulating, thought-provoking

Boring, dull, lifeless, insipid (прісний)