Artist: Vincent Van Gogh 

Title: The Starry Night

Date: June 1889

Medium: Oil on canvas

Currently at the Modern Museum of Art

Source: www.moma.org

Description: There are stars in the sky and swirly clouds. There is a village and a tall black tower. There is a huge yellow moon. Most of the picture is blue. The whole thing is drawn with little line.

Analysis: The elements of art used are line and color. The principles of design are movement and emphasis. Line is used throughout the whole picture. Everything is made out of little lines. The element of line and the principle movement go together because all the lines in the sky are swirling around making it look like its moving. Color is used through, most cool colors because it the night time. The element color and the principle emphasis go together because the artist made the moon this bright yellow to made it stand out in all the blue he used throughout the picture.

Interpretation: Everything together makes the picture really calm. The soft line the artist used and the cool colors really give a calm mood. Even the swirly lines create calm mood. It also looks like its night time because of the moon so at night everyone is sleeping so that gives a calm mood as well. It looks like the artist used several different shades of blue that weren't too bright. There are a couple of spots where there is yellow but it's more of a pale yellow. The only bright yellow is the moon and that is to give emphasis on that one spot. 

Judgement: I think this painting overall is really great. The elements and principle really work together. I think the artists goal was to give a calm mood and they definitely achieved that. I feel like I'm there, looking out at the city. All the detail and movement really allows me to feel like I'm there. The only thing I would change is maybe add a couple more details on the houses but not too much where it takes away from the beautiful sky.