2.1: Critique/ Crit
Individual and group evaluations of art works (critiques) are key to learning in the studio art environment. This experience will help you to see where your projects are successful, or where they might need improvement. You will also discuss other students' work in the same manner. The critique process should be one of constructive criticism that in the end, helps you make better decisions about your work and become a stronger visual artist. It is not a process used to give everyone a "pat on the back" just for showing up or as a way to put others down. The critique should be about the work that is being discussed separate from the maker. Every object I artwork ever made could be better somehow and the goal of the critique process is to discover how the works could be more effective and interesting.
Effectively presenting your ideas, projects, or objects to a group is a skill that matures with experience and has a great deal of value outside the college art studio. The critique process should help you develop your confidence in speaking about your ideas, receiving criticism, and responding appropriately. These are skills that should serve you well in your future career, whatever that may be.
In this studio course, we will look at your projects and discuss any relevant issues. Some of these aspects include how well your work fits the assigned criteria, how visually dynamic your solutions are, how interesting your concept is, and how well-crafted your objects are. Sometimes a piece will be strong in some of these areas but not in others. For example, a work might have an exciting idea behind it, but it is poorly constructed and is falling apart. Or another might be extremely well crafted but the idea behind the project is weak. The best works always have a balance of ideas, visual interest, and careful construction. We will use critiques to help you see where your work is strong and where it needs to continue to improve.
There are a several of questions to ask when analyzing an artwork in a studio art class. For example, did the maker use the required materials and techniques skillfully? Does the piece work as a successfully integrated object or are there parts that don't fit? Did the artist use the elements and principles of art in the work effectively?
If the work is meant to be functional, does the piece make you want to pick it up and use it?
There are a number of questions to ask when interpreting an artwork in a studio art class. For example, what is your response to the piece?
How does it make you feel; does it make you think of anything from your own experience? Can you tell what the artist was trying to communicate to the viewer/ user?
There are many questions to ask when judging an artwork in a studio art class. For example, if you think the piece is successful, why do you feel that way? What are the work’s strengths and what could be done to make it more successful? What would the maker want to do over? What would be the next idea in a series of these kinds of pieces?
Critiques should be a valuable experience for all involved. Carefully looking at, thinking about, and discussing the works will help to make everyone a better artist. Remember, everything could be better somehow!