What is Formal analysis

Formal Analysis

All formal analysis identifies specific visual elements and discusses how they work together. If the
goal of a writer is to explain how parts combine to create a whole, and what effect that whole has on
the viewer, then this type of analysis is essential. It also can be used to define visual characteristics
shared by a number of objects. When the similarities seem strong enough to set a group of objects
apart from others, they can be said to define a "style." Stylistic analysis can be applied to everything
from works made during a single period by a single individual to a survey of objects made over
centuries. - http://writingaboutart.org/pages/formalanalysis.html

A formal analysis is not merely a description of form. It is a mode of analysis that tries to go beyond
the literal by connecting formal elements to the significance of what you have encountered.
Something utilising a formal approach to analysis may also want to consider the effects on the viewer
and the meaning of the work in a larger context.

1. Begin with a thorough description. This might include the name of the object, the designer,
and the year it was first created.
2. Describe the materials used.
3. Include historical information such as what country or region did the design originate? Does
it belong to a particular period or movement or school of thought (i.e. Modernism,
Bauhaus)? And is the work typical of its period (and designer)?
4. Analyse the artefact. Consider how the details function, together and as a whole. Then
consider how the artefact may convey meaning?

Depending on your design you may want to consider some of the following?

If the design is two-dimensional (i.e. a poster):

a. How does the designer use colour, line, composition etc.? Are there symbolic meanings
behind the choices?
b. Is the design arranged in a linear or non-linear way? How does this affect the interpretation?
c. Is the design realistic or abstract? How does this affect the meaning of the communication?

If the design is three-dimensional (an item of clothing or fashion; a product design) then you might
want to consider the following:

a. What medium has the design used? How does that affect the viewers’ impression of the
garment/object?
b. What function does the design have?

If the design is an interior or space:

a. What is the form of the structure and how does it function?

b. What purpose does it serve? How do people move through the structure?
c. Does the interior and exterior compliment each other?

Further Reading

Download: http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/principles_design.pdf

See http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/formal_analysis2.html