Style & making bi / utsukushii
Write an image description for your artwork that helps someone picture it
Choose the details that matter in this particular context.
Wear this characterStart with a scene
An artwork description should help someone understand the image's role on the page. W3C's guidance for informative images emphasises conveying the relevant information, rather than mechanically listing everything visible. A portfolio image and a diagram explaining one brushstroke may need different descriptions of the same work.[1]
A closer look
Describe what the reader needs from the image
Begin with the subject or form, then add a few details that shape the composition. ‘A red chair sits alone beneath a broad blue window’ gives a reader relationships to imagine. Avoid replacing those details with praise such as ‘a stunning masterpiece’. Separate your interpretation from what is visibly present.
If lettering carries the meaning, include the actual words or character and explain it where needed. Put a longer discussion in nearby readable text rather than forcing every observation into a short alternative-text field. Check what the platform allows and whether an adjacent caption already supplies the same information.
See it in words
- 美
- biBeauty; read bi in many words
- 美しい
- utsukushiiBeautiful
- み
- miHiragana mi, historically linked to cursive 美
A meaning to make your own
A thought to give
When sharing a beauty garment, distinguish the artwork from the garment's colour and shape. Clear product details help a reader make an actual choice.
Make a gift cardOne more question
Must every description be the same length?
No. Use the detail the image's purpose requires. A short description can introduce a simple composition; a complex work may benefit from a separate longer explanation.
A character to carry with you 美
美 means beauty. Describing its brushwork might mention the placement and weight of strokes, while explaining the meaning separately instead of assuming every reader recognises the character.
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