5TH GRADE

ART
CRITICISM
ABM 12
 5TH GRADE

ART
CRITICISM
ABM 12
 FIRST, WHAT IS ART CRITIQUE
Art Critique is a systematic study and assessment of a piece of art. Yes, we are not professional
artists, but it is expected that at the end of this course, you are all capable of coming up with your
own evaluation of an artwork. Remember, no two people can have the same reaction to a work of
art. Similarly, no two people can view a work of art in the same way—there may be a few
similarities, but most definitely, different people can have a different reaction to a work of art.
 WHAT IS ART CRITICISM?
Art Criticism is analyzing and evaluating works of art. As Art Critics, we do not
simply look at an art work as something that we like or dislike. We view it as
professionals, in a business-like way. We try to ask questions like: “Does the artwork
represent a particular era, movement or style? “ We simply put ourselves in the shoes
of a detective in trying to find out what makes art ‘art’?
Art Criticism involves four basic
steps:
1. Look at the Obvious
2. Analyze the Artwork
3. Decide on an Interpretation
4. Make a Judgment Call
 01
LOOK AT THE
OBVIOUS
1. Look at the Obvious
When you present yourself to others, you are mostly liketly to provide
them with a general information about yourself such as your name,
the school where you come from, your favorites, etc. When evaluating
an art piece, you will also be looking at the same type of information
about the artist and the artwork. Oftentimes, this important detail is
the label indicated on the art work as displayed in a museum or a
gallery. Knowing the history of an art piece will make a major
difference in the way you view and understand it. Start your criticism
by providing the
following information:
Knowing the history of an art piece will make a major
difference in the way you view and understand it. Start your
criticism by providing the following information:

• What is the title of the work?

• What is the artist’s name?
• When was the artwork created?
• Where was it made?
• What are the types of medium used
to create the work (i.e. paint, oil,
etc.)
• What is the exact size of the
artwork?
 Once you have all these information, start describing the art work for
evaluation using the following guidelines:

1. Describe what you see.

Using fair words, describe the artwork. You may sagy, “This is a small-scale portrait
painting of a young woman, seen from the middle torso up against a dark background. She clasps
her hands in front of her chest and looks up slightly to the right of the audience. She wears a pink
dress and a long veil that falls behind her head.” Avoid using words like, “beautiful, ugly, good, or
evil.
Once you have all these information, start describing the art work for
evaluation using the following guidelines:
2. Discuss the work’s elements.
Describe the work in detail. Talk about how art uses the basic elements in art and design namely line, color,
space, light and form. Talk about how line was used. What mood or effect is being portrayed by the lines? The
rough, sketch lines build a sense of movement and independence, while lines that are smooth, firm are more still
and carefully designed. Describe how color was used. Note the characteristics of color and the emotions
being portrayed by the color used. Look at the overall color scheme and think about how colors fit together. Do
the colors clash, or are they harmonious? Does the work use a variety of colors, or is it monochromatic? Speak
about the use of space. Concentrate on issues like depth and perspective, overlapping objects, and the use of
empty space versus the space filled with details. Did the use of space produce a three-dimensional impression?
Describe the use of light. Is it warm or cold, bright or dark, natural or artificial? Take some time to think about
the role of light and the shadow used in the work. Was there an illusion of light? How does real light interacts
with the work? Take note of the way shape was used. Were the shapes linear, straight, or perfect curves? Is the
work dominated by a single form or shape or do you see several different shapes?
 02
ANALYZE THE
ARTWORK
 2. Analyze the work
Discuss how the artwork uses the principles of composition. Describe the artwork in
terms of its subject matter, color or style. Explain how these concepts come together.
How was the work made up?
• In terms of balance, how do the colors, shapes, and textures fit together in the art work?
Does it present a balanced or harmonious effect or is the art piece a little unbalanced?

• In terms of contrast, check if the artist used contrasting colors, shapes, textures, or lighting?

• In terms of movement, analyze if the work generates a sense of movement. Is your eye
drawn in a specific way through the artwork?

• In terms of proportion, describe if the elements appear as you might expect, or are they
surprising? Are all the figures proportion in real-life or are they biger or smaller?
2. Analyze the work

In analyzing the artwork, you also need to identify

the subject. Some artworks have one or more points
designed to attract the viewer’s attention and draw
his/her gaze. For Portraits, you may focus on
describing the subject’s face or eyes. It also helps if
you search for patterns and main themes in the
artwork like the use of color scheme to give the
artwork a particular mood or meaning, symbolism
and religious or mythological imagery, or repeating
images or motifs.
 03
DECIDE ON AN
INTERPRETATION
 3. Decide on an interpretation
Now that you have examined the artwork, it is about time to determine what the piece of
art really means. Try to identify the purpose of the work. What do you think the artist was
trying to say with his/her artwork? Why did he/she create the work? Try to summarize the
overall meaning of the artwork, as you see it.

Interpreting the work also include talking about how you feel when you are
looking at the artwork. What do you think is the overall mood of the job? Does
that remind you of something like ideas, memories, or other works of art?) It helps
if you use descriptive language to speak about your reaction to the artwork. Was the
mood being portrayed sad, hopeful, or peaceful?
 04
MAKE A JUDGMENT
CALL
 3. Make a Judgment Call
Lastly, an art critic needs to make a judgment call. What did you think of the artwork?
Did it CONVEY THE MESSAGE that the artist wanted to say? Did the artist make
effective use of their knowledge and techniques? Is it ORIGINAL or just an
IMITATION of other works?
Of coruse, judging an artwork involves explaining how you judge it. You may say that your
judgment’s focus is on how well-structured it is, how well-done it is technologically, or how
well it expresses the intended mood or themes. Then, summarize why you think the artwork has
been successful or ineffective. When you do, offer clear reasons for your judgement using your
udnerstanding and analysis of the artwork. For example, you may say, “I believe this artwork is
successful in portraying the mood of the subject because of the light, shape, gesture, and line
that were put together harmoniously.