Fire is an oil painting created by American figurative painter and draftsman Sidney Goodman between 1979-82. In this artwork, Goodman explored the human form using elements of art such as color, value, line, shape, form, texture, and space. Formal analysis of “Fire” takes into account factors such as subject matter and context while reflecting on the personal point of view.
The most basic building block of formal analysis used for “Fire” is the line found in the painting along with its degree of light and dark values known as value. The use of these elements helps to create a balanced composition in which every shape contributes to an overall sense of harmonious movement throughout the artwork.
As a piece from his larger body of work that explored various aspects of life ranging from nature to humans surroundings and spirituality; one could argue that nature played some role in inspiring Goodman’s creation process for “Fire”. While certainly not explicit like a landscape painting might be, one cannot ignore how earthy tones are most commonly associated with fire (red) being layered upon soft foliage greens taking up the background for example.
