The artwork I chose to analyze is Young Corn by Grant Wood. I really like how serene it looks. The rolling hills bring about a sense of calmness. The subject of this work seems to be farming and the rolling hills. You can tell it has to do with farming because of what looks like crops are planted and that the three people may be picking crops.
Wood uses many forms of visual elements in this painting. One element is the use of lines. Lines are used to create boundaries between each piece of land. The crops that are planted are used to make lines. The lines also show direction of the crops. Diagonal lines are also used to show feelings of movement over the rolling hills. The fencing of the pastures forms lines. A line also forms the horizon.
Another visual element Wood uses is shapes. The primary geometric shape used in this piece is the circle. The trees and the bushes are made with circles. The house is made up of triangles and rectangles. The crops at the bottom of the painting form diamonds. The rolling hills are organic shapes because they appear to have a natural look. The three people in the painting are positive shapes because they stand out and we focus on them.
The next visual element is light. Woods use of light and shadow give the piece a three-dimensional feel. The shadows that the trees are making imply that the sun is shining up in the sky. The shadows also give you a sense of depth and it makes you feel as though you are standing on the hill looking down over the farm.
The main colors of the piece are greens and browns. They can be categorized as secondary colors. Wood uses different shades of green for the trees and the hills. He uses different shades of browns for the crops at the bottom of the painting. I believe the painting to have analogous harmony with the use of the greens and browns. The emotional effect response is relaxing and warm.