Written by Emme Raus, contributor
Photo by Jo Arellanes.
The SCAD Student Counseling and Support Services held a workshop entitled “How to Benefit from an Art Critique” on Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. in the European Room.
The workshop was led by Elise Choe, an intern for SCAD Student Counseling and Support Services and a Georgia State University graduate student working on a MFA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Photo by Jo Arellanes.
Art critiques, whether for your foundations, general education or major classes, provide the opportunity to give and receive feedback on work. This is accomplished by discussing new possibilities, getting insight from peers and professors, learning how to talk about work and determining if your work is being presented in the way that you want it to be.
The workshop consisted of five main points to help SCAD students handle their own critiques but also to be better participants in the critiques of their peers.
Prepare yourself.
Knowing what to expect before going into a critique helps to avoid any surprises and keeps stress levels down. A suggestion was getting feedback in advance from a trusted friend and being aware of your own feelings towards your art, namely, does it have personal value to you or is it just another school project?
In addition, Choe advised to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, such as submitting a painting project when you are not a painting major, as well as considering who you want your feedback from — a friend, a peer, a professor — and taking the initiative to ask. Finally, resting well the night before and eating good meals keeps you mentally and emotionally charged.
Offer insightful criticism.
Instead of stumbling over words and beating around the bush, describe exactly what you see and abstain from personal opinions like: “I see you did a painting about frogs. I don’t like frogs, so I don’t like it.” Also, analyze the piece by using elements and principles from the class to reflect upon the art form. The way you interpret what the artist is trying to express and what caused them to express it is also important.
Finally, evaluate how successful the work of art is based on if the artist succeeded in what they set out to do. For example, if a work is trying to convey a spring scene through dark shades of red and black, it’s likely that choice might detract from the artist’s intended theme.
Give constructive feedback.
A way to highlight sections of the work is through the use of open-ended statements and observations such as: “I noticed-” “I wonder about-” and “Can you tell us more about-”
In addition, it is imperative that you stay focused on the artwork itself and not on the person who created it. As artists, it can be difficult to separate our work and ourselves. We must keep in mind that a particular comment or grade on an art piece is not a personal attack.
Choe recommended a SCAD Student Counseling and Support Services method called the “sandwich technique” in which the critic mentions a good attribute followed by a suggestion and ends with a strength of the artwork.
Handle criticism positively.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the perfect critique where there is unanimous positive agreement about your piece. However, remember your perspective on your own work and understand that others will have different perspectives. Look for the grain of truth in criticism and remain grounded and open to new ideas, not emotional and defensive. Don’t be afraid to discuss your choices in creating and presenting your piece.
Another practice endorsed by the SCAD Student Counseling and Support Services is to imagine a figurative anchor that gives you strength. This is a significant person, saying, song or image with personal meaning that reminds you of your goals. Choe even suggested carrying a small, portable object to represent your anchor on you at all times as a reminder.
Review notes after the critique.
Think about what was the most helpful feedback and apply it to your work in the future. Ask a classmate to take notes for you during the critique in order to look over later what you missed during the discussion. Overall, remember to process positive and negative feedback equally.
For further information and consultation, SCAD Counseling and Student Support Services provides individual, group and creative counseling at no charge for all SCAD students.
Contact them through email at atlcouseling@scad.edu or by calling 404-253-3204.