[Art-is INDEX]  [Syllabus]
Art-is: Critique!
See also:  [Art Materials]
           [Art Technique]
           [Art Terms]
           [Art THINGS] (sort of a catch-all)
 

On this page:  {What is a critique?}
                                             

What is a Critque?
We are all used to the stereotype of the "critic". Most of this
consists of someone who either LOVESSSS!! --or-- HATESSSS!!! a
film, show, or art work, etc. 

Critiques follow patterns of this sort of thing. But we are 
interested in critique as a CONSTRUCTIVE process not as a
DESTRUCTIVE process.

This means, that even if i seem to be trashing your art work,
i'm trying (as an outside person) find the "problems" with it.
By doing this (if i approach the process in what the philosopher
Jean-Paul Sartre called "in good faith"), i should be able to
help you do better work.

My own appraoch is:   Harsh words, followed by healing energies.

Also, remember the words of the artist Betsy Belcher following 
a particularly harsh critique:

    Isn't it amazing what you can do when you're angry?

So, even though if (like me) after the review you are steaming
and thinking of murder -- take that pain/anger/frustration/venom
and:  I'LL SHOW THEM!!!

As the writer Robert Nilson sez:  

   Find the "problem" of the work, an poke at it with your
   pen until it bleeds. And then use THAT blood to write with.


Formal Elements

The first thing we should notice (when we are in the "critique mode")
is the use of FORMAL ELEMENTS in the work; eg, light/dark, space/volume,
color/shading, contrast/blending, flow/juxtaposition, etc.