VISUAL ARTS

A GUIDE FOR ART CRITICISM

Produce a colour sketch of the piece in question. Clearly label it with the artists
name, year of production, medium, dimensions and the source of the illustration.
Always use your own works and include a bibliography.

GENERAL REACTION

Whats your first response to this work?
How does it make you feel?
What does it make you think of?
What does it remind you of?

DESCRIPTION
What images do you see?
What colours textures shapes are there?
Describe the colour effectiveness what combination complementary, warm or
cold, dark or light.
Why do you think the artist picked the colours he used? Do the colours set a mood?
Are there any outstanding or unusual features you notice?
Are there any dark/light areas? Rough/unusual textures?
How do you think this work was made?
What types of brush strokes/sculptural finish/photographic technique etc do you
see?
What is the artist trying to say?
What is the theme of the artwork?
Does this work of art tell a story? What is the story?

FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS OF SHAPES AND IMAGES

What colours, shapes, textures, lines dominate the image? Why?
Are there significant negative areas/spaces in the work?
What makes them significant?
Is there movement? What elements and or principles cause it?
Do you see contrast? What causes it?
Where are the figures looking/pointing?
Where does the focus lie in this work? What causes you to look there?

FORMAL CHARACTERISTICS

What mood is presented? How are we meant to feel in the presence of this piece? Why?
Why are we meant to focus where we do? Why is there no central focus or why is there
a central focus?
Is this realistic? Formalistic? Expressive? Abstract?

CONTEXTUAL EXAMINATION

What was the artists point or intention?
When and where was the work done?
How does it reflect that place and those times?
What style is it considered to be?
Does it have a functional or religious purpose?
What influenced its production?
What impact has the work had on work that came later or on society in general?
What does the work tell us about the people who originally made and used it?

INTERPRETATION

What do you think this work means?
If you were inside the work as a particular character, abstract form or figure, what would
you be thinking/ feeling?
Imagine that you are walking around in the picture is it an exciting journey or a boring
one?
What title would you give this work if you were the artist? Why?
Suggest what may be communicated. What do you imagine the piece is about are
there any symbols which might stand for other meanings?


AESTHETIC JUDGMENT

Do you think the work is good in and of itself?
Is the work well made?
Is it clear? Does it do what it seems to be trying to do?
Does the work have any cultural significance? Is it important in society in any
way?
Does it move you? Does it have the aesthetic power to make you feel something
strongly, or think something new, or move you to action in any way?

CONTEXTUAL JUDGMENT

Did the work address some significant human problem or need? Did it do it well?


EVALUATION

Personal experience
What was your experience critiquing this work?
Have your perceptions / feelings of it changed since we started?
Comment on strong and weak points making suggestions whenever possible of
different approaches that could be taken
Is it effective in communicating the idea?
Did the artist choose the right material to express the idea? Judge medium
appropriateness - technical skills control materials.