People often wonder how art is critiqued. Is it just personal opinion or is there a methodology? Is it something you have to have a degree in or can anyone critique? The good news is, you don’t need a degree nor do you need to be a professional. You just need to follow the accepted standard practice for critiquing art that is broken down into four headings.

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• Description is number one: This is you describing what you see when looking at the artwork. The five why’s come in handy. Who is the artist, what is the artwork, what is the medium, when, how and why was the piece created, and what do you see in looking at the work. What mood does it convey?
   

• Analyze is number two:  An analysis is a detailed examination of something to understand its nature. Some of the things you can analyze with art are the parts of the work, its textures, shape, light or darkness. How did the artist use colour, lines, texture, etc. to organize the work? How were these things used to achieve the mood of the work?
   

• Interpretation is number three: Now you try to explain the meaning of the work. It is about what you think the artist was trying to say. What do you think is the meaning of the work from both the artist’s viewpoint and your own? Can you relate to the work, and what feelings does it invoke in you? State why you think the work was created and if it holds hidden meaning.
   

• Judgement or evaluation is number four: This is where you get to deliver your personal evaluation on the art work. Questions to answer can include: What value did you find in the work? Does it communicate ideas, and evoke feelings? You need to ask what you are basing your opinions on. Is there something influencing your perspective?

 

A good critique contains these four elements. With a little investment you can be writing great art critiques in no time.

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