How to Critique Artwork

Describing the Work

1. How to Critique Artwork Picture 1
   Gather basic information about the work. This is the sort of thing you'd find on a museum or gallery label, or in the caption in an art book. Knowing the background of a piece can make a big difference in how you interpret and understand it. Start your critique by providing the following information:

   1. Title of the work
   2. Artist's name
   3. When the piece was created
   4. Where it was made
   5. The types of media used to create the work (e.g., oil paint on canvas)
   6. The exact size of the work
2. How to Critique Artwork Picture 2
   Describe what you see. Using neutral terms, describe the artwork. Your description should include things like the form and scale of the work. If the art depicts figures or objects rather than abstract shapes, describe what is represented.^[1]

   1. For example, you might say, 'This is a small-scale portrait painting of a young woman, shown from the mid-torso up, against a dark background. She is clasping her hands in front of her chest and looking up and slightly to the viewer's right. She wears a pink dress, and a long veil that falls behind her head.'
   2. Avoid using terms like 'beautiful,' 'ugly,' 'good,' or 'bad.' At this point, you're just talking about what you see, not judging the art!
3. How to Critique Artwork Picture 3
   Discuss the elements of the work. Now describe the work in more detail. Talk about the way the art uses these five basic elements of art and design: line, color, space, light, and shape.^[2]
4. How to Critique Artwork Picture 4
   Describe the use of line. Lines in a work of art can be either literal or implied. Different types of lines can create different moods or effects. For example:^[3]

   1. Curved lines can create a calming effect, while jagged lines might feel harsher, or create a sense of energy.
   2. Rough, sketchy lines create a sense of movement and freedom, while smooth, solid lines feel more still and carefully planned.
   3. A line of sight or action might be suggested by the arrangement of figures and objects within a scene. For example, a group of figures all looking or pointing the same way can create an implied line that draws your eye through the work in a particular direction.
5. How to Critique Artwork Picture 5
   Talk about how color is used in the work. Make note of characteristics like hue (red, green, blue, etc.), value (lightness or darkness), and intensity. Look at overall color schemes, and think about how the colors work together.^[4]

   1. For example, do the colors clash, or are they harmonious? Does the work use a variety of colors, or is it monochromatic (all shades of blue, for example)?
6. How to Critique Artwork Picture 6
   Describe the use of space in the work. 'Space' refers to the areas around and between objects in a work. When talking about space, focus on things like depth and perspective, overlapping of objects, and the use of empty space versus space crowded with details.^[5]

   1. If you are describing a two-dimensional work of art, like a painting, talk about whether or not the work creates the illusion of three-dimensional space and depth.
7. How to Critique Artwork Picture 7
   Describe the use of light in the work. Light in a work of art can look warm or cool, bright or dim, natural or artificial. Take a little time to talk about the role of light and shadow in the work.^[6]

   1. If you're talking about a two-dimensional work, like a painting, your focus might be on how the artist creates the illusion of light.
   2. For a three-dimensional work, like a sculpture, you could discuss how actual light interacts with the work. For example, is the surface reflective? Does the sculpture cast interesting shadows? Are some parts of the sculpture more shadowed or well-lit than others?
8. How to Critique Artwork Picture 8
   Make note of the way shape is used in the work. Are the shapes in the work geometric, with straight lines and perfect curves, or are they more natural? Is the work dominated by any one particular type of shape, or do you see a variety of different shapes?^[7]

   1. Shapes play an important role in both abstract and representative works. For instance, in a portrait of a bride by James Sant, there are notable triangle shapes made by the drape of the bride's veil around her shoulders and the clasped hands in front of her chest.
   2. Once you notice one shape in a painting, look to see if it is repeated anywhere else.