18 Describing an Image for the Analysis Essay

Right after your introduction paragraph, you must summarize/describe the visual text you are analyzing. Here are some tips for writing effective descriptions of visual texts:

• Remain as objective as possible; you will reserve your opinion/response to the image in the analysis portion of the paper.
• MLA uses present tense when describing works of art or pieces of literature.
• Avoid using “you.” Instead use “we” or “I” or “the viewer.”
• Consider organizing the description of your image spatially:
  •  from left to right,
  • top to bottom, or
  • outside to inside.
• Or you may want to begin with the most significant feature of the image (the focal point) and move outward from there.
• Don’t forget to use the OPTIC strategy. You can use your notes from parts O (overview) and P (parts) in your description.

EXAMPLE

Link to Banksy’s “God Bless Birmingham”

A photograph of Banksy’s street art “God Bless Birmingham” features two reindeer spray-painted on an eight- to ten-foot-high gray brick wall. There is a real-life bench on the sidewalk in front of the wall, and the reindeer look as if they are tethered to the bench, which serves as a as substitute for Santa’s sleigh. The deer, painted black with white shading and surrounded by several white spray-painted stars, seem to be ascending the night sky. An actual man, who appears unhoused, sleeps on his back on the bench. He has a thick white beard, wears a green coat with the hood up, and his head rests against a large brown bag. He seems to serve as a stand-in for Santa Claus. Three smaller bags—one green, two black—sit on the ground beside him. Near the bench, the viewer can make out a garbage can. Behind the wall, the viewer can also see a leafy tree, which appears to have a light shining on it.   (166 words)