Outline the overall form, composition or subject matter of the piece. Include what medium(s) or technique has been used to create the work. An example could be, "This oil on canvas painting portrays a woman and two children in a pastoral setting." This gives the reader a quick sense of what you are describing and prepares the reader for you to go into greater detail.
Describe the piece in a detailed and systematic way. Start at a logical point, such as the focal point, a corner or the ground floor (if your piece is a building) and describe in detail what you see. Do not hesitate to describe areas that may seem obvious, such as a human face in a painting, because everyone tends to see an image in a slightly different manner. By doing this, you may point something out that your reader may not have seen and you are also detailing your point of view.
Use directional words to guide the reader through your description. You might begin your formal analysis with, "The focal point of the work is the central figure, a woman in a red dress." After describing the woman, you might write, "To the right of the woman, stands a small boy..." Tell the reader where to look next. Give the reader directions by using language such as, "In the upper left corner," "diagonally across from," "beside," or "to the right of."
According to Schneider Adams: "They consist of line, shape, space, color, light, and dark, which artists arrange in many different ways to achieve broader categories of design. These, in turn, consist of balance, order and proportion, and pattern and rhythm." Detail how the artist employed each of these elements and how they contribute to how the piece makes you feel.