How to Critique

THE WHY AND THE WHAT

What does it mean to critique art? The word shares the same etymological root with “criticism,” but the spirit of a critique is not to tear something down for destructive purposes. A critique is meant to give valuable information, and engage with the work on a deeper level than cursory considerations of personal preferences. In this class, the critique gives feedback to the artist so they can consider ways to improve their art, and it exercises your critical eye so you learn how to assess aesthetic elements. 

There are many different approaches to critiquing work. In some classes, the main concerns are the technical and aesthetic aspects of the art, while in other classes artists focus more on the conceptual content, the societal aspects of the work, and analyzing the thought process of the artist. Because this is a foundational course, we are focused on building technical skills and honing your aesthetic eye, therefore our critiques will primarily relate to such topics. We don’t necessarily expect you to make a statement about environmentalism or human rights when you’re just trying to wrap your head around creating three dimensional objects from two dimensional sheets of material. 

As you move forward as an artist, you will learn to think about art in different ways. Aesthetics are at the core of how most people interface with art, and since this is a design course, it is an especially important aspect of our critiques. However, outside of a classroom setting, people critique art for different reasons. Your classmates will engage with your art in ways that are personal to them, and will give you feedback with the aim to help you improve. In the broader art world, art critics are no longer your peers, and the audiences for their critiques are galleries, prospective buyers, museums, and the general public. The valuable information they are trying to convey has a different purpose than if they were talking directly to the artist. This is not inherently good or bad, it’s just different. 

Where you are right now, you likely aren’t thinking about galleries and the international art market, but it’s important to understand that the small conversations we have in the classroom ripple out and collide with the larger tides of the art market. The different methods teachers use to critique your work in school will affect how you think about art in the larger world. And who knows, maybe you will one day be the next Yayoi Kusama, or write for an art magazine like Hyperallergic. 

THE HOW

Every instructor approaches things a little differently, so know that this is not The One True Way, but merely a way. There are likely better ways, and there are definitely worse ways, but this is how you will be expected to critique in this class.

While it is important in all things to be kind* first and foremost, part of being kind is being honest, especially when it comes to critiquing work. You will not grow as an artist if you do not learn how to think critically about art and train your eye to discern specific strengths and weaknesses in both your own work, and the work of your peers. You do everyone a disservice (yourself included) by not participating fully and honestly in the critiques. 

You should always strive to be as honest and precise as possible when giving a critique. Simply saying “I like it” is insufficient. REMOVE THE WORDS "I LIKE" FROM YOUR VOCABULARY! Rather than just stating what you like about the piece, consider the following aspects of the design (see “Considerations” below), and think about what the artist's goals were for the piece. Instead of "I like," say what is effective, what you respond to, state what is strong about the piece, then touch on what can be improved.

 

A good rule of thumb when critiquing is to make a sandwich. Compliments and positive comments are like the slices of bread — they hold everything together and are tasty and filling, but if eaten alone they don’t make a nutritionally balanced meal. It’s important to feed your creativity with positive comments, because just as everyone likes carbs, everyone likes being told they did a good job. The fillings of the sandwich are all the nitty gritty details of what can be improved, what isn’t working, what is awkward, what falls short of its potential. It might be difficult to sit down and eat an entire bowlful of jelly and creamy peanut butter by itself, but if you put it between bread it’s a lot easier to chew and swallow. Same goes for a critique. When someone acknowledges aspects that are done well, it’s easier for the artist to internalize and digest the advice. Think of it this way: it’s the difference between someone making you a cheese sandwich, or someone handing you a slice of cheese and a piece of lettuce with a layer of mustard and mayonnaise smeared on the outsides.

*Kind does not necessarily mean polite. We do expect you to adhere to certain standards of respect and formality in an academic setting; it is polite to raise your hand
and wait your turn. However, you can be kind without being polite, and sometimes politeness can be dangerous. Many people are taught from a young age to be
polite and obedient to their elders and people in positions of authority, but this often teaches them to not speak up or advocate for themselves in uncomfortable and
dangerous situations. If it comes down to a question of being polite or being rude and safe, always choose safe. Remember to also extend kindness to yourself! I
recommend reading The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker for information about trusting your own survival instincts. ~Emiko 

 

THE WHEN AND THE WHERE

Due dates are to be determined, but critiques will occur in person in the classroom.