Formal Elements Start asking yourself questions about the elements. A place to start might be color. Lines are central to a painting, too. They can slice across in a still life to divide, or meander through a landscape to connect. Diagonal ones convey motion and disorder, vertical ones can show stability.
Contours can make a face appear soft and delicate, while jagged lines can make one seem rugged.
After line, you might examine how the artist uses light. Brushstrokes can shape a painting, too. They might appear wide and fast to show vigor and motion, or be barely visible at all for a more naturalistic scene. Thick and thin paint might fill the canvas, creating texture, which in turn could create some other effect. After looking for the formal elements and what they do, sum them up, along with their composition, and attempt to integrate any common conveyed emotions or feelings.