To thoughtfully evaluate a work of art...

...you must determine what your criteria are for judging it. Only you the artist can provide this information. Do not assume your fellow student , the viewer, or the teacher shares your point of view. Try to look at it objectively.

 1.   Describe the work

·        what does it look like?

·        what is it made of?

·        What are the colors lines, shapes, texture, & space you see

 

Assume others (the audience) does not see the piece and that you alone are there for their understanding of it's qualities.  

2.   Interpret the work

·        What does it mean?

·        What do you notice first in this picture?

·        Where is your eye led?

·        Why?

Here you are asked to synthesize any information you have with your own (subjective) interpretation of the work's meaning/significance.  

3.   Evaluate the work

·        is it art?

·        is it interesting?

·        does it "work"?

This is, perhaps, the most difficult critical task, yet it is usually the one to which most people skip when evaluating(criticizing) a work of art. Explain why you feel the way you do.