ELI5: How Do You Understand a Painting?

Understanding a painting is just like reading a story without words, where you use your eyes and feelings to discover what the artist is sharing with you.

Think about how you look at a photo on a friend's phone: you do not need special training to know if they are happy, having a birthday party, or playing in the rain. Looking at art works the exact same way.

You can understand almost any painting in everyday life by following three simple steps:

• Look at the clues: First, see what is actually in the picture, just like looking out your bedroom window. Is it a person, a bowl of fruit, a sunny park, or just wild swirls of color? These are the building blocks of the story.
• Notice the mood: Pay attention to the colors and shapes, the same way you notice the weather. Bright yellow and soft round shapes feel warm and cheerful, like a summer afternoon. Dark blues and sharp, jagged lines might feel chilly, mysterious, or stormy.
• Trust your feelings: Ask yourself how the picture makes you feel. Does it make you feel calm like bedtime, or excited like the playground? What does it remind you of from your own life?