Reading on Criticism

I found this article very helpful and realistic. Providing oral criticism is something which I never really did until college, and I’ve learned that it sometimes can be very difficult to give and receive (especially if the person giving it cringes or looks distressed). One thing I always like to keep in mind when criticizing is to make sure that my advice is helpful and is something which I would find useful if I was the artist.

Also, good criticism does not come from telling a person what you personally would do to alter their piece, but what the artist can do to improve or expand upon their original idea. Suggesting alternate ideas is also fine, as long as the person criticizing is mindful of the meaning behind the piece which the artist had originally intended- this can be difficult at times when we can’t necessarily comprehend the places from which the artist was coming. So basically, the main rule of thumb for me is to be kind and respectful to the work which you are criticizing. I think that this article helped explain good ground rules to work from, the idea of many differing perspectives along with why we have them, and it also emphasized something to always keep in mind- criticism without negative energy!