Art Appreciation

Art Critiquing Prepared by:

Kent B. Ocampo
Art Appreciation

Steps in Critiquing
an Artwork
1. Describe
2. Analyze
3. Interpret
4. Evaluate
 Describe

❖ The first step in critiquing an

artwork is describing it.
❖ It is like taking an inventory of
what is seen in the artwork.
❖ Who is the artist? What is
the title?
❖ “What do you see”?
Step 1: Describe

Guide Questions
What is the subject and what are the
objects? Are there people? Buildings?
Plants? Animals?

What sort of artwork is it? Is it a

landscape? A seascape? A portrait? Still
life? Nature? Figures?

What is the media used? Wood, marble,

bronze?
 Analyze

❖ Using the dominant elements

and principles of art to reflect
upon the artwork and why the
artist used them.
❖ Looking into the relationships
that exist among the objects in
the artwork.
Step 2: Analyze

Guide Questions
What kind of lines are present? Curved? Diagonal?
Straight? Jagged?

What shapes? Circles? Squares?

What colors ? Jagged? Circles? Squares? Bright? Strong?

Neutral? Muted?

How is space used? What are in the foreground,

midground or background?

What grabs your attention the most and why? Do you

see any relationship to the things described in step 1?
 Interpret

❖ Based on the analysis, interpret

the meaning of the artwork.
❖ It is like looking into the
meanings that exists based on
the analysis and description.
Step 3: Interpret

Guide Questions
What is the artwork about? Your own perspectives or
opinions met with the “evidences” in the artwork.

What is the purpose of the art work? Why did the

artist create this artwork?

What is the artist trying to say? What is its meaning?

Strength, mystery, beauty, fear, anger, adventure, love,
war, madness…

What kind of mood is being portrayed? Why do you

think the artist created this work?
 Evaluate

❖ Derive relevance from the

artwork to your own personal
life or the society that you live
in.
❖ Based on the interpretation,
evaluate the artwork.
❖ This is like looking into the
things you like or dislike about
the artwork
Step 4: Evaluate

Guide Questions
What do you think about the artwork? Your
own conclusions about the artwork based on all
information gathered.

What is the value that you find in it? Is it

beautiful? Thought-provoking? Gives an important
social message? Helps us understand the past?

Does it benefit others? How?

Why do you like or dislike the artwork?

Explain.
Midterm Exam

Next meeting, each group will be

critiquing works of art that will be

Critiquing Challenge assigned to you following the steps

described here.

It will serve as your Midterm exam.