Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

1. Select a visually interesting advertisement to analyze. This could be from the web,
   from a magazine, or even from a billboard you saw on the street.
   2. Study the advertisement for its formal qualities (referring to just the form it takes).
   3. Spend some time observing, thinking, and writing. Take notes. Record details about
   the work that interest you.
   4. Use the following guidelines to analyze those details.
   FORMAL ANALYSIS
   Line
   Line is emotive, so how might you describe the line using an emotion: lazy, angry,
   etc.
   Shape
   Organic or geometric. Since they are made using line these also have emotions
   attached to them.
   Mass
   How is the artist working to make objects look like they have visual mass?
   Space
   What is the depth of field? Is it very shallow? Or does the illusion take us back into
   space? What could be considered negative space and what is positive space?
   Time & Motion
   Is there any reference to paused time or that something has motion?
   Light
   Where is the light source? Check the shadows. How is the contrast between
   values?
   Color
   Ads are good places to find common color schemes. How are the color schemes
   being used?
   Texture
   Is the artist using texture at all? How are they simulating it and what kinds of
   reaction does thinking about that texture cause?
   Unity
   What gives it some continuity? line, shape, color, texture
   Variety
   What gives it some pizzazz?
   Balance
   Symmetrical
   Designs can start out with a strong symmetrical base and then have
   asymmetrical elements thrown in.
   Asymmetrical
   What is causing the balance? Check along a diagonal. Look for contrasts.
   Emphasis/Focal Point
   Ask your eye where it started. What do you think was leading it to start there?
   Could there be more than one visual element that leads you there?
   Repetition
   What is common throughout the piece? Could be line, shape, color, texture.
   Rhythm
   Is the common object creating a rhythm and what kind of rhythm is it? Jazzy?
   Smooth and classical?
   Directional Forces
   Any implied lines formed by edges? By repeated objects? By actual arrows?
   Contrast
   Contrast through value, texture, etc.
   Scale & Proportion
   Does the designer mess with our common thoughts about scale and proportion or is
   everything how it should be?
   CONNECTING THE CONCEPTUAL TO THE FORMAL
   The point is that someone is trying to sell you something. What, besides the product, are
   they trying to sell you? Which formal elements are connected to the sell? Well? Are you
   sold?
   5. When you have completed your sketching and writing, present your findings in a
   succinct two page paper.
   6. Please include the image either in the document of your paper or as a separately
   attached file.