Surviving the critique

While every artist fears negative feedback, critique is an essential aspect to perfecting the artist's work. In The Critique Handbook, Kendall Buster and Paula Crawford suggest, "Consider times when you were making the work and you were unsure whether to do this or that, and are still unsure whether you ended up with the best solution. Consider struggles you have had with craft." If our class models such ideals to work towards the most effective and constructive criticism, we would be able to guide each other towards creating the best work possible. It is necessary for our art class to understand the importance of critiquing, because if we all want to move forward as artists, we must open ourselves to the advice of others. To work towards this goal, we should have "critiquing time" at the end of every week with the other artists in our area.

To get the most out of a critique on my own work, I should feel as comfortable as possible with the work that I am creating. As Buster and Crawford say, "defend your work, struggle with the painting, attack the canvas, execute the piece, wrestle with it, master the medium." If I follow these guidelines, I will be able to make the most of every evaluation towards my work.

To be a helpful participant in critiquing others' work, I should articulate my thoughts and criticism in a specific way, instead of making general or broad statements, such as, "that looks good" or "that doesn't look good." When critiquing others' work, I will focus on pinpointing exactly what I think could use more work. Also, to give the most effective criticism, I will listen to the artist's objective. This is an important part of critiquing, because certain aspects of their work may need explanation beyond what I am able to see on a canvas.