Describing subject matter

The words you use to describe the subject matter of a piece of art, craft or design work will depend on the individual work. Below are lists of descriptive words that you could use:

Art

Figures - man, woman, child, groups of people, royalty, religious figures, families, people in love, people at war

Scenes - everyday life, worship, at war, working, sleeping, posing, storytelling

Animals - moving, static domestic pets, groups

Objects - the still life, everyday objects, food and drink, plants, the landscape, personal belongings, religious artefacts, symbols and signs

Abstract - colours, shapes, geometric, patterns, suggestive, mood, emotion, dark, light, powerful, subtle

Craft

Purpose - sculptural, decorative, functional, vase, bowl, cup, plate, jewellery, necklace, bracelet, earrings

Patterns - symmetrical, abstract, geometric, symbolic

Shapes - Square, circular, long, tall, short, interlocking

Organic shapes - flowers, stems, petals, flowing, curving, interlocking, curved

Design - lettering, text, signs and symbols

Design

Purpose - clothes, shoes, hats, jewellery, furniture, houses and buildings, bridges, fabric, wallpaper, designs for print, logos, posters

Organic shapes - anatomical, flowers, stems, petals, flowing, curving, interlocking, curved

Shapes - abstract, curved, angular, straight, flat

Design - lettering, text, blocks, patterns

Human experience - memories, stories, myths and legends, religious, everyday

Site-specific - environmental, practical, scientific, aesthetic

Identifying subject matter

Now that you have looked through the lists of words that help identify the subjects in art, craft and design have a go at this activity.