Consider the shade of the colours and the way tone is used in the whole painting.

• Dark, light, middle
• Flat, uniform, unvarying, smooth, plain
• Varied, broken
• Constant, changing
• Graduated, contrasting

In some painting styles, all brush marks are eliminated by the artist. In others, the marks are clearly visible.

• Visible, blended, smooth
• Thick, thin
• Bold, timid
• Heavy, light
• Edgy, smooth
• Exhibitin...

Consider the angle or position of the subject of the artwork. How has the artist decided to present it?

• Front, side, three-quarters, profile, rear (behind)
• Close up, far away, life-size, bird's eye view
• Upward, downward, sideways
• S...

Think about your overall impression of the colours used in the painting. Consider how they look and feel, work together, and fit with the subject of the painting.

• Natural, clear, compatible, distinctive, lively, stimulating, subtle, sympathetic
• Artificial, clashing...

It's often hard or impossible to see texture in a photo of a painting, so try not to talk about it if you don't see any texture.

• Flat, polished, smooth
• Raised, rough, coarse
• Cut, incised, pitted, scratched, uneven
• Hairy, sticky

It can seem like you're stating the obvious, but if you consider how to describe an artwork to someone who has never seen it, you would probably tell them the subject of the painting.

• Abstract
• Cityscape, buildings, man-made, urban, industrial
• Fanta...

Knowing which medium the work of art was created in can be useful to include in your description.

• Oil, tempera
• Acrylics
• Pastel, chalk, charcoal
• Mixed media, collage
• Watercolour, gouache
• Ink

When a work is particularly large or small, it may be necessary to include the size and descriptive words, such as mural, miniature, or triptych.

To talk about paintings, you need to be familiar with the vocabulary to describe, analyse and interpret what you're seeing.

The more art terms you know, the easier it becomes to think of the right word.

Does the painting seem to be a particular style? There are many terms for different styles throughout the history of art, and knowing these descriptors can leave instant impressions.

• Realism, photorealism
• Cubism, surrealism
• Impressionism

Consider the sense of depth and volume of the artwork.

• 2-D, flat, abstracted, simplified, stylized
• 3-D, realistic, natural sense of depth and space
• Sharp, detailed
• Blurred, obscured, overlapping, indistinct
• Distort...

Consider the mood or atmosphere of the painting. What emotions do you experience?

• Calm, content, peaceful, relaxed, tranquil
• Cheerful, happy, joyful, romantic
• Depressed, gloomy, miserable, sad, sombre, tearful, unhappy
• Aggressive, ...

First, describe the overall aspect before you describe the individual objects.

• Antique, battered, damaged, dusty, old, worn
• New, clean, shiny
• Functional, decorative, fancy
• Domestic, humble
• Commercial, industrial