Composition refers to the ways in which objects or shapes are arranged within a work of art. For instance, shapes may be placed near each other, overlapping, spaced-apart, or arranged in a pattern. This influences the order in which you observe parts of the painting.  One way to notice things about the composition is to see where your eyes go naturally when you look at the painting. For example, you could say “I'm seeing that the artist has painted bright lights around the figure of the baby. It makes it really hard to look away from that corner of the painting.” In some paintings, you will be able to clearly see the brushstrokes and technique on the canvas. You can comment on the way the brush strokes catch your eye and give texture to the image. At other times paintings can look smooth, almost like a photograph. In this case, the artist is likely going for a real life effect.  You could say "This piece looks just like a photograph. How does the artist create such smooth lines?" Alternately, you may notice really thick brushstrokes or blobs of paint. You can comment on the sculptural thickness of layered paint. Colour is another important element in art and can be used to capture your attention. Colours can create a contrast between light and dark, or complement each other in a visually stimulating way. When talking about art, discuss how the color makes you feel, and what you think it communicates.  For instance, you could say "the light and dark contrast in this image makes a sharp distinction between good and evil in this piece." You can comment on the feeling of the painting that the color communicates: "This bright piercing blue invokes so much joy, yet the muted red tones of the background feel more like a warning."

Summary:
Talk about the composition and placement. Comment on the lines and brush strokes. Notice the colors and contrast.