How to Critique | The Art Assignment | PBS Digital Studios

Pre-order our book YOU ARE AN ARTIST (which includes new assignments!) here: bit.ly/2kplj2h Today we discuss the conventions of art critique and explore the possibility of the internet as an arena for constructive critique. Can we do it?!
Recommended reading:
Matthew Goulish, 39 Microlectures: In Proximity of Performance (2000)
James Elkins, Art Critiques: A Guide (Second Edition, 2012)
Kendall Buster and Paula Crawford, The Critique Handbook: The Art Student's Sourcebook and Survival Guide (2nd Edition, 2009)

[@123blueapple]

I have a love/hate relationship with critiques. I'm a final year woven textile design student so i've had my fair share of good, and bad, critiques. For me, the critiques I hate the most are not the ones that make me cry or feel sub-par, they are the ones that provide no constructive critisism. I recently had a change of tutor and they are very unhelpful. I present my work, she asks obvious questions (for example, she hold a blue piece of cloth and asks if it is blue) and then ends the critique. I've asked for feedback but she says I need to become more indepenant and critique my own work. I fully understand the importance of self critique however I am paying £9000 a year for her to waste my time.

[@trasslaren]

"Interesting" is what my grandmother says when she didn't enjoy the dinner. XD

[@lucasmerat9522]

This video was interesting because it: A. addressed a social issue applicable across many mediums. B. Was relevant to the medium in which it was published C. Was commentated extremely well And then you suppressed us with D. Showing us your own work which itself deserves a critique... but seeing as I just critiqued this video I'm gonna hold off. Thanks for another insightful video!

[@theartassignment]

Well done! Thanks for the thorough and non-lazy use of "interesting."

[@a_youtuberk.4227]

Wait you mean "surprised us" right?

[@JohnWilsonComicsGuy]

The world need, nay deserves, a Crash Course Art History with Sarah running it.

[@giitanjalichiya2116]

have we been good enough?

[@gabytorres9767]

Why isn't this real yet? PLEASE!

[@munusshih4936]

@crashcourse yes pls

[@johnsmith-fk7fw]

so true, it's common knowledge that art can only be correctly viewed once you're familiar with all art history (from one perspective), and just like the video starts by saying, even though modern art is all about breaking long held artistic traditions, we should critique art in the traditional way, obviously

[@kathy9124]

Yes!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@KateReadsBooks]

These are the best damn videos about art on KZbin.

[@legendarysportmastercaster4536]

ikr

[@Wacgoon]

no... u

[@TheJaredtheJaredlong]

Compositionally, since eyes naturally always form very strong focal points, especially when staring out, the dual sets of eyes creates a lot of tension as they both try to be the focal point. Perhaps the tension was intentional, since there's only one subject and that single subject creates tension within itself, perhaps it's expressing an internal tension or struggle of the artist herself- the left represents how she shows herself, but the right represents how she views herself - much different than how people see her. Also intriguing that there's no consistent light source hence the inconsistent shadows. I think it would have been a more interesting aesthetic study if there had been a single light source. But perhaps if a light source is viewed symbolically, then if light represents direction, then perhaps tieing back into the tension idea earlier, the tension could be caused by an uncertain direction in life. The left shows a direction the artist _should_ take, but the opposing right speaks of a suppressed direction the artist _wants_ to take.

[@theartassignment]

You're good. Really good. The dual eyes of this painting made it impossible for me to ever live with it out in a room, even for a short time. While it does create tension that holds me in to the act of looking, it can be rather disturbing to have these two sets of peepers following you around a room. And if you had been around in my art class at the time, I would have really appreciated the single light source suggestion. Although I doubt I could have executed it! Thanks for this great contribution to the discussion.

[@ajblake3045]

I like what you are saying about the tension created by the eyes and I too felt the impact of two sets of eyes. The colour choices for the shading of the eyes and mouths of the two faces - that they correspond horizontally rather than thematically across the faces - makes the tension more intense. I found myself thinking that if if was flipped upside down the colours would change so it made em think of the permanence of an object in conjunction with perspective...

[@sandranienaber9326]

TheJaredtheJaredlong i

[@josemflores465]

3

[@chantalhenderson6994]

Thank you. My child is in year 9 and was asked the above question - to talk about a piece of artwork. thanks for your good ideas.

[@Anewevisual]

This art is trash

[@blomstrashinelucia]

I loved the part on the aspect of wonder. As an art student in art school I think my favorite critiques of my own or of others is when the critique really runs with what one person or everyone finds as wonderful.

[@rileydehority707]

I've never been to art school but positive/complimentary critiques sound really nice, I feel like they could really inspire you to run with what's best in your work.

[@SarahCrookall]

"There's a lot you can say about something without declaring it good or bad." So incredibly true! I find that people get so caught up in their own opinion about a work that they don't engage with it very deeply. Saying something like "Your painting looks like a kid did it" doesn't interact with the various elements of it. This kind of critique doesn't help the artist or yourself. Ask yourself what is being said and comment on that. Ask if your impression is similar to what the artist aimed for. You don't even have to have the same interpretation to find your own personal meaning within it.

[@ARTiculations]

I will take your advice Sarah and ask some questions. When doing this painting, did you primarily focus on the technique aspect - as in trying to develop good under painting skills? Or did you focus on the content and narrative of your self portrait? And are the dual representations of yourself meant to show different aspects of who you are, or is there a higher meaning?

[@theartassignment]

Good questions, but unfortunately I don't have the answers. I painted this 13 years ago, and I truly do not remember. That's what makes the critique fascinating to me--that it's almost as if I'm coming to this completely fresh and without any knowledge of the making. I do think it was mostly a technique study, but that I was surely trying to at least set up some varying avenues of interpretation. I don't think I had a solid sense of who I was, so my guess is that it was more of my own investigation into my persona than any "expression."

[@BrettLeeDyer]

Your channel and videos have become so helpful during this quarantine. Thank you! As an Art Professor, you have filled in so many gaps, created curiosities, and made my job less stressful teaching studio and lecture courses online. I love the broad range of topics and open-minded approaches to heavy subject matter. This is helpful for both students and experts. I have even started to think about some things in a new way. The book is wonderful too! I cannot wait to dive deeper into the projects this summer. Keep up the excellent and much needed high-quality content!

[@ciannacoleman5125]

One of my art teachers posted this as a suggested video before our semester begins. Clear and quick summary of good critiquing. Thank you

[@coreydon9494]

Same

[@ArtichokeHunter]

NGL, I kinda love that bathmat. Maybe it's not art, but maybe the shot of it before it's revealed to be a bathmat is.

[@BenStreeter]

Or maybe the act of presenting it as art and then revealing its true nature is the art

[@theartassignment]

NGL, I was very picky in my selection of that bathmat.

[@kristinmroach]

The Art Assignment One of my art professors did something similar. He gave a whole lecture about this artist from world war II whose paintings had been unearthed in an attic. He was an official painter for the German government and was so creatively oppressed that he painted these massive abstract expressionist paintings, and we soaked it up, and at the end, he revealed that all the paintings he had shown were simply photographs of the table we were sitting at - which was a work table and he had taken bits of truth from a variety of sources and fabricated the rest. It shifted the perspective of what the art was from the "paintings" to the realm of "photography" (ie photographs of the table) and then the final twist was neither of those things which were secondary to the experience of the lecture and the "reveal" and the process of changing perceptions about context and art making and fact and fiction. It blew my closed mind wide open about what art is, should be, could be. So yes, love the bath mat.

[@georgewang2947]

I love the name of the artist: Art C. Pursin. Lol

[@aeromodeller1]

You can get sheets, pillowcases and bathmats with art on them. Also, there are textile designers who are recognized for their art. One of the purposes of art is decoration, so, yes, the bathmat is art.

[@snazzyninja]

I clicked on this video because I wanted to learn about art critiquing, but with a pleasant turn of events, I'm leaving with great guidelines to use in school. I just started graduate school, and it's been challenging me with its constant discussions over the readings, lecture, and one another's thoughts. It's been daunting staying afloat when my peers have really insightful comments, or sometimes incredibly controversial ones, and all the thoughts in between. Thanks Sarah! Also, this is my first youtube comment. You are right, it's easy to hole up, but nice to engage :)

[@nadiact-ie5hy]

Good luck with grad school! I think we all feel this way. :)

[@nichegosebe]

I miss videos from this channel a lot. I keep watching, rewatching and recommending them to my friends. This channel is one of the things that taught me to love contemporary art. Thank you so much, Sarah!

[@mamccrea4910]

As new artists, or neophyte critics, looking through the age old list of Principles of Art and Elements of design, having that bank list of descriptive adjectives beside you, and applying the universal Golden Rule of kindness, by being sensitive to how extreme your commentary may affect an artist (We all have to find a way to be supportive...we are all in this together...and none of us are infallible). Providing more questions to the artist rather then negative commentary, would still enlighten the artist and the viewers. Insightful video Sara. Thank you.

[@aimeeeisiminger2547]

In the past I have always felt somewhat reluctant to critique art, simply because art is often an expression of the artist's longing to create and to inspire. I think that all humans are artists. I have often heard many people bemoaning their own attempts at drawing, that they couldn't draw a stick figure if they wanted. This is an exaggeration of course, but be able to draw should not be where one stops when it comes to creating something of wonder, something that inspires or generates a debate. What I love about this project (The Art Project) is how it demonstrates exactly what I believe is important to understand and that is that art is not limited to drawing, painting and sculpture. And it is also not limited to film, dance and music. The example of the bath mat is perfect. It was created by someone, someone had to design it. It has a certain appeal and its existence in the bathroom makes the space within that room warm and inviting. I believe all of us possess an innate response to art and that we all possess a need to create something beautiful even if that beauty appeals to ourselves and isn't that what makes art so compelling? Love this stuff. Keep it coming and thanks!!

[@veronicatjioe7711]

Thank you, Sarah, for keeping it real, honest, constructive, and fun! And most of all for creating an intellectual and creative platform for us to engage and grow.

[@SM_zzz]

Here here.

[@pizzaovenpizza]

You make me feel like everyone should spend a semester in Art school. I love your videos so much damn it!

[@zack7smithey]

You mentioned Ed Paschke. Recently, a friend of mine was cleaning out a house and found hundreds of pieces of art from an artist who died a decade or so ago, the art is currently in my studio and it's really amazing. I'm going to attempt to host a retrospective next year. The artist was Rick Ulman, an artist from St. Louis who showed mostly in Europe. He graduated from the SAIC in 1969 with Ed Paschke and Roger Brown. Within the hundreds of pieces from Ulman was a portfolio containing 1 piece from each student in the graduating class of 1969, Ed Paschke included. Unfortunately, there was one missing piece, and it was Roger Brown's. But overall, this was an amazing find and I think it would make a great show.

[@davidschmidt5507]

"Wow it's a beautiful Rothko" "That's a bath mat" "And...."

[@Dev1nci]

David Schmidt well next to crap in a can think about how good it is.

[@LynneSkysong]

I doubt this is what Sarah was going for, but the first details I noticed is that the Sarah on the right looks darker and has darker circles under her eyes and the cheekbones look a little more pronounced. It reminded me of the long hours I put in in college and how I felt like my life was in constant turmoil (reinforced by the right-side-up and up-side-down Sarahs).

[@aeromodeller1]

I got a mirror so I could view both in standard orientation. Both are so similar, minor differences, that I wondered whether they were both taken from the same photograph. This could have been a steriograph.

[@attheranch873]

When I was in art school, what I found most valuable in a critique is when I was told what worked, what didn’t work and why.

[@jessherselfable]

What grabs me immediately about the piece is the eyes, they seem to be looking just past you and not directly at you. That makes the piece compelling to me.

[@megmotherwort]

I love these suggestions. I'm reminded of two books: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg and Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson. Personally, I often withhold feedback because I try not to presume my experience of something is necessarily important to it's creator. It's an equanimity practice for me. But I also recognize that articulating a meaningful critique is a muscle that I need to exercise to strengthen it. It's certainly easier irl. Thank you for making this video. I'm always a fan of discussing how to have more effective dialogues with others, especially online where conversations tend to devolve quickly into name-calling.

[@oliverapopovart8902]

I thought similarly as you for a long time, thinking that it is presumptuous of me to think that people want or need my opinion, and leaving it to others.This changed when I started following a writer on a self-publishing site and they made me realise how demoralising it is to work alone, create in solitude and then share, only to be faced with a wall of silence. Later, when I started using social networks to share my work, I experienced this for myself. So, if you have anything to say, to at least some of the artists whose work moved you in some way, I am sure it would be much more appreciated than your discretion :)

[@1110glen]

Loved Ed Paschke and he taught at Barat College also...he was amazing! So appreciate your comments and I share this with my Marketing students before their Pitches. Thank you!

[@il7876]

I especially like the last idea, which is put yourself out there. I don't like to comment on the internet because of ego or maybe something else. However, I just realize the importance of doing so. It can help you to actually engage in something instead of just scanning. This channel is really inspiring. Thanks.

[@PogieJoe]

Fantastic advice! It's very applicable to a variety of circumstances. I personally love getting critiques...even from people who hate my work. I guess I just truly enjoy hearing *any* perspective on something I've made because it means someone took the time to see it and think about it.

[@MaraK_dialmformara]

Your self-portrait evokes a melancholy feeling in me. The faces' wide eyes seem to stare straight into my soul and pick out all my worries and confusion about the future. The fact that the faces are upside-down relative to each other adds to this disconcerting and slightly surreal feeling for a couple of reasons. First, it's strange to look at a face upside-down. My brain tries to interpret the eyes as if they were right side up, making them even wider and more penetrating. Second, it seems that there are two people in the image whose perspectives/worldviews/opinions are irreconcilably different, even when looking at the same thing (or person, like the viewer). I don't know which to respond to first, or whether to tell the upside-down one that she's looking at the world the wrong way, because it seems she'll insist that I and her counterpart are the upside-down ones.

[@Xenolilly]

I love the word interesting and all the variations there of. It makes me think of the candelabra from Beauty and the Beast when he says, "Something that will spark her interest." So interesting to me means Belle spinning about a castle Library. The Art Assignment is interesting to me. The painting shown here is interesting, but why is it interesting? It is interesting because as a self portrait one gets to see how the painter views themselves. It is deeply personal. Especially since it was made in the past. One is quite literally looking into the psyche of someone's past when gazing at such a portrait. Of course one can never be certain of proper interpretation of that psyche, because it is filtered through the viewers. I could say, I see a young girl anxiously honing her skills, but, do I see that because the video referenced this was made at art school? I may never know. That conundrum could lead me down a path to an internal crisis of correlation and causation. However, I won't allow that. The painting didn't ask that of me. Instead, I'll enjoy the experience of a personal piece of art.

[@MUTEscifan31W]

But "interesting" doesn't mean you think it's good or bad. Bullying is interesting. Shakespeare is interesting. One of those is harmful and frowned upon, while the other is entertaining and praised. The word "interesting" doesn't hold any weight on its own. In your post, you start with interesting, but to explain why, you had to expand with a more detailed critique.

[@Xenolilly]

I understand what interesting means. It just has positive connotations for me. Therefore I personally use it in a positive way.

[@TheCode52]

Xenolilly Interesting.

[@theartassignment]

Completely valid, well-defended use of the word interesting. We are thinking about the same things when we look at this painting. I feel so completely detached from the person who made this painting that it is almost as if it was made by someone else. I think a self-portrait is always tied to that exact moment in time--it can't just be a self portrait of [person], it must be a self portrait of [person] in [date made].

[@SmileForMeValerie]

I think interesting might not be a good word to use in critiques because it's based more about the person than the work. Not too many things in the world are universally interesting so if someone calls a piece interesting it might only be interesting to that one person, if that makes any sense. But it can be so really revealing what a person thinks is interesting. Like the first two things you came up with to classify as interesting for you are bullying and Shakespeare and that's so interesting to me because I think those things are interesting too but they wouldn't be on top of my list.

[@6wermz]

By far the best channel on art. They embody what art is to me. Not necessarily what is seen but where in comes from and the feelings that create art

[@patrickhawbecker9941]

My first impulse when I'm observing this is that game of identify what's the same and what's different. At first glance it is apparent that it is intended to be the same person and yet there are certain discernable differences such as the parting hair pattern, some of the cheek bones, and the different hue on the right neck. But as much as people talk about focal points and the couple sets of eyes, which could relate to our brains psychological dependence on perceiving human features, I believe from looking at this the artist intended to invoke more metaphorical questions then those of craft and taste. See, there are many ways for artists today to make the perfect duplicate, but that does not appear to be the case here. Rather, there seems to be more of the beginning questions of ontological and institutional nature. I perceive these questions of "how is this working" and "presentation" being at the forefront. I see these through the artistic devices incorporated by the artists. First, I see the prominence of device, frontal. Throughout much of art history, if there is a straightforward idea being presented artists have chosen to depict their figures in frontal. Also, it's an easy way to connect your piece to art of old. The second device incorporated is that of the diptych. An efficient approach to contain multiple ideas or a duplicity in a single image or thought, or even just telling a narrative, is the diptych. This artist uses the diptych seemingly to multiply the intensity of the self-portrait assignment. She could be trying to suggest increasing her self identity but it seems like she's more so making a point about the assignment then anything else. And the fact that she turned 1 side of the diptych upside down suggests her attempt at turning, at least partially, the artistic conventions on their head. Thirdly, well, there isn't really a third point unless you consider the rendering of the saturation of color as a jab at over-craftmanship. It is more probable that this is the artist's current level of ability. See, in my art, I try to incorporate a rule of three particularly when I am driving home a metaphorical point. If I can express, say an ontological question in at least 3 different ways then I feel more successful or justified. I know it isn't necessary but it is something I always try to grapple in the formative stages of my pieces. I feel this self-portrait diptych is a good addition to this artist's repertoire of work and I look forward to seeing her push these ideas, if not others, in her future works.

[@moniquerios3877]

What I found most helpful was that she listed the "etiquette to critique," a process where many don't have the format. She also gives a great reminder that critiquing is often most instructive for the person offering it and that a person shouldn't be lazy while giving a comment. It was also helpful because she encouraged everyone to put one's work out there and let it be critiqued even if it makes you feel vulnerable because in the end you will only learn how to do it better the next time. -Monique Rios

[@aeromodeller1]

You may not want to do this. My high school English teacher completed his section on poetry by reading a poem and asking us to critique. No one wanted to say anything. It was a very bad poem and I explained why. It broke every rule in the book, used mixed metaphors and did everything he had told us not to do. I'm not a stickler for rules, but sometimes rules serve a purpose. This was a good demonstration of why you should be aware of the reasons for those rules. It turned out that he had written this poem for his poetry class and his teacher had made exactly the same criticisms as I had. He was hoping to get a more sympathetic response from his captive audience of high school students. Now to your double portrait. It did catch my attention, more than the usual art student solo portrait. Failure point number one for a work of art is you walk by it and don't even notice it. It reminded me of a playing card, the Queen of Diamonds, except that the portraits on a playing card are arranged on a vertical axis where these are on a horizontal axis. Both have approximate, but not necessarily exact, point symmetry. There is an implication of spinning. I brace myself against getting dizzy. I would expect that if she exhales strongly through her nose, the whole thing might spin like a pinwheel. There is ambiguity about up and down. Which is the "right" orientation, or would this be mounted on a Lazy Susan? I find myself looking at the left face and wanting to turn it around to look at the right face. The faces take up almost all of the surface, there are four small areas of plain red brown in the background. The faces show little emotion, maybe boredom? There is the ambiguous area where the two overlap. There is a concern about matter and antimatter, what can go wring here? Why two almost identical portraits on the same canvas? Wouldn't it have been better to make one large portrait? The yellow color makes the person look unhealthy. The problem with most student art is that it is busywork. The teacher gave an assignment; make a cyanotype. The student makes a cyanotype. Assignment completed, the student was exposed to a medium. Unfortunately the student did not have anything to say, so the picture says nothing. It does not communicate with the viewer. The picture may be a successful technical exercise, but fail as expressive art. You don't go to the symphony to listen to the violinists playing fingering exercises. I have seen a lot of student art and often my critique is more about the assignment than the execution. A class assignment is a collaborative work, both the teacher and the student are involved. It may not always be a successful collaboration. This was an experiment in underpainting. Did it succeed or not? As a class assignment, only the teacher's assessment is valid. Did it get a good grade? This reminds me of colorized photographs. In the days before color photography, colorists were employed in photo studios to color B&W portraits. Some used dyes, some used oils. The goal was to present a "realistic" color portrait. This is an extension of earlier colorists who hand painted colors onto black ink prints. Usually many impressions were colored, sometimes a whole print run of books.

[@TearDrop2727]

This painting reminds me of my childhood days when my sister and I use to hang out together more often. Whenever she use to see my face upside down, she would say that I look like another person, like a particular friend of her. I think by seeing one's face up side down one can discover a completely different persona. I guess you have used this kind of observations to try to explore the inner conflicts of your personality.

[@Loungemermaid]

I've seen in other comments that you find the orangey neck distracting, and it does command attention, but it made me go looking for the other colors in the composition and I love how the colors shift from orangey to green and yellow. It makes it disjointed in a unified way. I also love how it won't let my eyes rest. I'm constantly darting back between the eyes. Even when I turn it upside down, the one on the right seems more stark and stern. It speaks of someone who at first glance is mild mannered, but the other side of them is harder in some way than most people expect.

[@wren6311]

As an artist who shares her art on a lot of different online forums I wish I could share this video with everyone. Sometimes I do receive genuine substantive critiques, usually on art forums. I appreciate that. However when shared with the general public, so many people think that the only way to critique art is to say something negative, and usually they provide no detail other than an adjective. If I have to ask what their critique meant I don't think it was a successful critique.

[@artprof]

Yes, a good critique should have a balance of recognizing an artwork's strengths while also addressing what can be improved! Seeing what's working is just as important as what can be improved.

[@mathewbredfeldt7801]

I found myself more connected to the upside down self-portrait rather than the normal right-side-up one. I seem to notice the shadowing in the eyes and the nose more in the one on the right than the left. I think it is the whole darker color palate used on that one that grabbed me. The whole upside down/right side up idea is a big departure from the regular, stuffy, self-portraits that we see done in art museums. The thinking outside the box is what draws me to the portrait. The whole piece is versatile in that you could hang it one way when you are in one mood and the other when you are feeling another way. Please note that I am not an art student in any way. I only took two drawing classes as pre-requisites in order to get my associates degree. In those classes we maybe did a critique every two weeks or so. So I've only taken part in a handful of this sort of thing.

[@kayceemiller6171]

The different hues used in the faces is intriguing. The one on the right (upside down) reminds me of when people have a "face/body mismatch" when they apply makeup that has a slightly different color than their skin. Although your self portrait appears barren and make up free, it conveys the idea that we have control over our phenotype and image.

[@MsDafiM]

I think the thing I liked most about your painting was the fact you painted two portraits with one upside down. It reminded me of the forensic science course I took a year ago, where we learned about a technique security staff in airports use to discover imposters using stolen passports - they look at the pictures upside down. that makes them detached from the context of the face, so they can concentrate on specific features and discover if they don't match with the person in front of them. that's what I like about this painting - You get the full context of a face while still being able to examine each feature separately in the upside down part. For me it also really enhances the difference in hues and color wash in each part of the painting. Thank you for sharing it :)

[@HopethePrincess]

Hello! I'm a little newbie to the Art Assignment, but gotta say I'm liking it so far! This video wound up being about something I thought I knew much about already, but I was delighted to hear some new concepts and ideas! As for my critique on your artwork, I find the painting to be an excellent display of using color to shade, rather than boring monotone grays! I found the shading near the eyes to be especially striking. I also really love the balance of colors between the two heads - in one, the face's lips are an orangey yellow, which is the same sort of color used to shade near the eyes... and on that face, the lips are greenish, which is the color used for the shading by the other head's eyes. I find this detail particularly thought-stirring, and wonder if perhaps there was any symbolism behind this choice of color juxtapositioning and alternation. It leads me to imagine that the two heads were meant to symbolize opposite sides of oneself, while still remaining true to the entirety of oneself, as the self is still the same person regardless of the portrayal of a few traits.

[@BrianMarcWhittaker]

I'm an art teacher and I've found that the Feldman Method is helpful. 1) Describe (stating facts about subject matter, medium, which elements of art are being used, etc.); 2) Analyze (how does the artist use the Principles of Design in their artwork); 3) Interpretation (what meaning is gained from this, what do you think was the artist's intent, etc.); 4) Judgement/Evaluation (discuss the merit, success, or importance of the artwork). When my students critique, they use this as well as discussing which parts were successful and which parts need improvement...again based on the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. And how those Elements and Principles help with visual communication.

[@jessicalada5572]

This is a very useful discussion on effective critique practices. A screenwriting professor (Lou Berney) once told me that criticism should be "ruthless but kind," and that is the standard I have always lived by. I've been using this video as an introduction to peer review in the writing classes I teach.

[@mdridlen]

Thank you Sarah! As always, a valuable contribution. I love that you mentioned that the process of a critique is often more important for the person offering it, that we learn by formulating our opinion of a work of art and considering the work of others. I think that may be important for the artist hearing the critique to consider too because sometimes a critique can be deflating or emotionally painful even. It is good to keep in mind that sometimes you have to keep the opinions of others at a distance, knowing which ones to keep and which ones to throw back. That can be a hard skill to acquire.

[@lenabussman1808]

I love your painting because of its dool nature. l like the color because they a not super warm and neither sober by still being serious which l can tell would fit your mood and reflect your personality at that time in your life. I like it because it looks and feels like you. I like that you painted to the edges of the painting with no boards making yourself limitless. It works very well. Wonderful work!

[@stargazer209]

I'm so glad that the Art Assignment did a video on critiquing, as an art student it plays a huge role in your art process.

[@ronanmcnally8519]

The painting had a deadpan look to it, expressionless, without feeling or emotion, giving it a quality close to that of walking into a completely empty house with nothing in it. When looking at someone, we expect emotion, a specific appearance, just like walking into a house. We expect that house to have a tv, a couch, a fridge, bedrooms, objects we are accustomed to in that environment. This bare look in the portrait is alien, and unexpected. The viewer would be left staring at the portrait. This is what I found appearing in the portrait, and experienced from it.

[@ljmastertroll]

I love the way the added colors go straight across from the eyes in one portrait to the mouth in the reverse portrait and so on. I sort of got lost in this one aspect for a while.

[@HeyRowanEllis]

I've just finished a Masters in Advanced Theatre Practice and we had group feedback almost everyday, to the point where we thought it was too much, or not useful enough. If you are being seriously critiqued on a piece produced from a rushed hour long activity that you have no emotional investment in, it's hard to take on board comments and to not see it as a waste of time. Similarly, we found that there were people whose own frame of reference, personal tastes and opinions were so far from the creators, that criticism and feedback missed the point and didn't help the creator with any of the issues relevant to their work they were wanting help with or feedback on.

[@elliottmcollins]

I have a presentation tomorrow that really drives home for me how important and helpful these sorts of insights can be.

[@livzyful]

woman, you are so articulate... breath of fresh air.

[@paigeleestma6653]

Thank you! I love this channel, it has deepened my appreciation and understanding of the art world since I've started watching it.

[@hypesy]

Following up Critiques with affirmations and points of interests is obvious and excitingly challenging

[@_noirah_]

One of the most blatant issues i have as a painter is the abject absence of the critique of my work by others. Honest feedback is valuable.

[@heatherbee41]

This is such a great video about critique! I was just talking about the nature of internet interaction and had never really thought about the connection to art critique. I will be passing this on to many people!

[@sharonmiller2224]

The bath mat reminded me of Agnes Martin's infinities. Except the bathmat has the texture to quote sand, a more tactile representation of the shoreline and the horizon and the space between. That was a fun moment. A bathmat! That makes me happy.

[@dant3493]

I agree with your tips on how to critique. You have made all valid points. I would like to extend on your point "don't be a jerk". I think we can take that further and be respectful and polite. We can make our critical points just as clear and effective when we cover that in respectful and polite language. Nowadays, in the age of KZbin, Twitter and Facebook comments, we find that most responses are aimed to be funny, witty, crude, offensive and illogical when criticisng something. It is becoming the norm, or at least I find this with my experience. How about we take the higher ground and stand out from the rest the comments by being respectful and polite in our critical interactions? It would be a nice change.

[@LuaThomF]

The painting is beautifully earnest, I find the upsidedown side to feel more personal, especially after looking at the painting from that perspective myself. I am inspired to explore this technique.

[@cefrinaldi8060]

I'm so grateful to find this video. This video is so helpful. Sometimes I always confuse to critic or respon something (mostly about art).

[@AndyMorrisArt]

I now have quite a few Online Students and I agonize over giving them critiques. Mostly I just give encouragement with a sprinkling of suggestions. They all are trying very hard and with many being beginners, I'n reluctant to be very harsh. I remind myself what it was like when I first started painting. This was a very helpful video and I'll be sharing it with them.

[@346UNCLEBOB]

This site is so clever! At my age I don't find a lot of things clever.

[@asharma78901]

Sarah: "...you've done A, B, and C and then surprised us all by adding D." I am always surprised by the D... context is everything. I apologize to my friends and family for this comment, I watch too many Wimbly Wombly videos. Alright, now for the critique of your art piece, first of all it's pretty fantastic in terms of execution, you draw gooood. I enjoy how the colors stay the same across both of the portraits, i.e. the lips are green in the left portrait and the eyes are green in the right portrait, it really links the two pieces together. The eyes have that 1000 yard stare across my left shoulder. And not to mention color too much, but I enjoy your palette of colors, the yellow and green are nice accents. The darker color on the neck of the right portrait looks like spray tan. Annnnnd, thats my critique. I would like a critique of my critique, thank you.

[@mariamantigua6901]

I love the way she talks, she just sounds so well that once in a while I kind of lose attention to the content for a few seconds just cuz her voice flows so smoothly, jajaja, it's a lovely channel, In glad I found it.

[@zrichards418]

This brings me back to my time in college, my art professor really didn't like the word "interesting". If that word was uttered, he'd turn to the speaker and immediately ask "oh? So why is it interesting?" Not that he wanted to embarrass someone, he wanted to push us towards clearer expressions of thought.

[@wbiro]

Lightweight mishy mush compared to the standard serious contexts for art critique - i.e. 1. The historical context; 2. The formal context (rules); 3. Various demographic responses; 4. Grasp of reality; 5. Connections to other art; and 6. Cultural infusions (and I would add 7. Response from varying mental levels); yet all of which are nebulous mishy mush compared to what I look for - which is how the work relates to our struggle to survive in a harsh and deadly universe (and since no one has had that mentality yet, it can be argued that nothing of worth has been created to date). Two other curiosities for me are what the artist's intent was (whether noble, such as social critique or enlightenment, or ignoble, such as ego gratification, instant gratification, money, fame, domination, snobbery, ornamentation, academic or social fawning) (note that love is its own category), and what the work actually 'says' - which is seldom what the artist intended since the audience has to give it 'voice' - and there are varying degrees of audience mentalities, hence varying degrees of 'voices' (and varying degrees of voice content, from childish to mature). So go ahead and take this video's advice and be courteous, attentive, be substantive rather than tepid, don't use lazy words, be generous, look for aspects of wonder, be sympathetic to the artist, find your point of personal connection to the work (what it reminds you of, such as the bathmat example), think about the decisions made along the way (though this is not as simple as the video suggests - each work of art contains hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions), note what skills (and I'd add talents) are on display, note mode of delivery of the ideas, don't be a jerk, participate in communities to gain different perspectives, know that vulnerability can be liberating and empowering, don't let it be about you passing judgement, and don't be mean (unless you are me and you are completely pissed-off about the state of human mentalities)… and if you are not yawning from all the trivial irrelevancies yet you should be - because now you can see how it all misses the most important point above - i.e. how it relates to survival and perpetuation in a harsh universe - and it is not the fault of any artist - it is the fault of philosophy (which has failed us and which is currently in the toilet), and which (as a result) we must hodge-podge together trite platitudes and shallow maxims (as poor substitutes) in order to function at all (your core philosophy is what you weight every little (non-animal) decision in life against - and I can tell you, it is a mess). A clueless philosophy equals clueless art and clueless art critiques. So indulge me for a moment and I will offer a suggestion for a new (and adequate) philosophy: begin with a core value, such as 'consciousness is a good thing' (consider the alternative), and then determine satellite values that contribute to securing consciousness against a harsh and deadly universe (such as 'diversity', which is still critical to the survival of life) (and the realization of that alone should alleviate lack of self-worth, depression, suicide, envy, jealousy, hate, prejudice, evil (good and evil being goal-determined) and war) (not bad for starters). Then you will have a solid foundation for going about life, and for creating art, and for critiquing art. Was this video valuable? Most certainly - for it provided a starting point (from which I provided the end point). Now for the actual 'art critique' (on the self-portrait): INITIAL REACTION: The skin colors are odd - indicating perhaps not much thought went into it, but then thinking ahead is only one technique - you can also finish a piece and THEN determine if everything works together - here it could be the greenish-yellow skin color accentuates the expression presented (which might be "I, like Numi, am also sick of the current state of human mentalities (to the point of turning green and vomiting) - although I am keeping my chin up and braving life anyway)… SKILL: as far as skill, it has a long way to go - it is not a Rembrandt - nor is it a cubist Picasso. SALVAGING THE PIECE (CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS): What may elevate it is another 'layer' of creativity - preferably after mastery in some other method has been attained - I might go with 3D embellishments, such as twigs or fabrics or stones... and (here's a unique, spontaneous, creative thought) 'complete' the portrait with another portrait (or several) of the rest of your body - perhaps even a series of bodies offering an array of all the period fashions in your particular life reflecting all the shifting cultures (and mindsets) you were a part of (if only passively); and along with actual fashions, perhaps a few personal fantasies and creative imaginings)… so as the work stands it is not much, but it can be used as an underlying 'base' for further creative work (imparting future important statements) (hopefully in some way relating to the survival of higher consciousness in a harsh and deadly universe). Well, all that was fun (and good exercise) for me - like you said, thoughtful commenting also benefits the commenter; so I'm glad I stopped by - it was stimulating…

[@TASmith10]

It's a decent self portrait, especially for college level. I'd prefer to see something recent, so I know your skill level now. The main point of critiquing a living artist is to aim towards improvement. Do you still paint? Every November 1st is international self portrait day. Give it a shot. Also, if you want to get into portraiture, look up Stan Prokopenko's videos on KZbin. He's the best art teacher on anatomy I know of online. So far as the topic of this video, you should change the title to "How to be Nice in a Critique". Two observations. You forgot to add the importance of honesty, and that includes value judgments. Second, you seem to feel most people on the internet are of the same amateur level - that offering critique is a way of learning instead of teaching. For places like KZbin that's often true. But there are professionals out there willing to give their time freely. For anyone looking for serious advice on their art, I'd recommend seeking out Chris Bennett, Kev Ferrera, Tristan Elwell, Michael Mentler, James Gurney, Stapleton Kearns. Their advice might not always be nice or supportive (they are wonderful people, though), but it will be valuable because they are incredibly talented and full-time professional artists. I can't stress this enough, anyone seeking to become an artist must come with humility. I can be ruthless during a critique, but I take that same ruthlessness to my own work. Art is about reaching for the stars and never grasping one. Also, it can be good to survive a harsh critique - artists need to develop a thick skin to go with that humility, if you don't want to quit.

[@steelieboy10]

I never liked contemporary art, before I started watching this show. I found it confusing and felt like is was exclusive, the art assignment has made me appreciate it and realize I was being foolish. The best thing it has done for me is too make me think more deeply and complexly, not just about art but about my whole life and everything when wandering around. It is my favorite thing on the internet and i watch it just before bed as nothing else relaxes me more in the world. so thank you. oh and seeing as this episode is about critique.i guess it's not as polished yet as it could be but then look at 2007 Hank and John videos compared to now. apologies for my lack of eloquence especially compared to other comments, i'm new to this commenting thing.

[@zacpatsmith]

3 things: 1 -- "Ugh, I said interesting." I chuckled so much at that afterthought at the end of the video. 2 -- I'm intrigued by the contemplative expression on your artwork that is further enhanced by the color palette. I ask myself what it is that You-the-Subject were thinking, as well as You-the-Artist. It provides for a curious conversation piece. 3 -- "Aspects of Wonder" was a phrase you used that sounds like a brilliant title for an Art Assignment publication. I'm not-so-subtly suggesting that I would be thrilled to see this made and would happily be the first to purchase. =~D

[@calibanxpable]

OMG! I am a Gemini. I love the duality of your piece. If I saw it in front of me, I would buy it ASAP!

[@fauziyahya8475]

Love this channel. Thumbs up! It makes exploring art become less complicated.

[@VocalEdgeTV]

Not a fan of most modern art. But you are easy to love! I will continue to listen to the words you make with your face and learn from them.

[@sidharthsingh6705]

The painting is nicely balanced, and the slight changes in the colour adds interest.The complementary composition of the two faces is pleasing to look at

[@SleepyMatt-zzz]

I wish my instructors taught us how to critic in my university. I had to learn how to do it on my own, and this proved helpful, especiually since non of thr students seemed equiped to critic art by their forth year. No one had the maturity to take critism, and could not properly articulate their thoughts. My school sucked balls...

[@Ihearbooks]

Really great points that can be applied to so many things not only art, but book reviews or architecture. Really great short lesson.

[@pyrotechnic96]

I really enjoyed this, as a new director to an acting class I've had trouble with the way I critique. This has definitely made me think and I think I'll return to it when my next round of scenes comes up.

[@sschmidtevalue]

Your self portrait makes me puzzled because I can't fathom why there are two images of you and one is upsidedown. There are numerous reasons I could guess at, but they all could be wrong. As for technique, I think it's on a "pretty good amateur" level - the sort of thing I see at our State Fair every year. I'm glad for seeing it though! Thanks for putting it out there.

[@MUTEscifan31W]

I like the part about the word "interesting". I just used it yesterday when I suggested my mom watch the musical guest on Letterman (musical guest Hatsune Miku). My mom asked me if she would like it and I just responded that she would find it... interesting. I always use "interesting" in that way only. I never use it if I love something or if I dislike something.

[@peachswarnalata4761]

direct, clear and thought provoking, thanks Sarah! look forward to an Art history course if you make one!

[@tinyhomestead6023]

Thank you for taking the time to share this message. It is truly needed in our world today. 💞💜👍🏼

[@suzannekappe2310]

What I find interesting about Sarahs piece is the way she uses colour in her work. The yellow en green tones in the face go well with the purple/red on the background, what I also like are the sharp contours in her work, it makes you look at her face differently. I think it would be nice if we could critique work of others more often, it would be even cooler if we could send in our art and get critique of the art assignment community!

[@madalyn7360]

I really enjoy her shading on her potrait. It's just enough to define certain aspects of her face without being too much. It makes it lifeless yet full of reality. I'm not sure that makes sense or not. Like... there's not really an expression on the face, but, as humans, we all don't really hold that much expression on a day to day basis.

[@mikel4510]

Old video, but has some revealing information. However, it misses some important aspects of art critiques: • When pointing out something "wrong", provide suggestion(s) on how to improve the shortcoming. • Critique the work, don't criticize the artist.

[@riftiee]

i was required to watch this for class... and i unironically enjoyed it. huh. kudos!

[@carolToyXD]

I just found this channel and loved

[@musemurray]

Please come back to close out 2020 and a necessary & needed finale!

[@terralynn9]

Thanks Sarah, this was very helpful. I use the word "Interesting" way too much, partly because I feel unqualified to say much else about art (and other things). It's great to have a template for the sorts of things to look at and comment on.

[@pmjohnston7987]

I know this is late to the party here, but I would add ~ if you are going to offer criticism then make sure you are using the word you intend ~ there is a massive difference between calling something simple & calling it simplistic, and there are lots of folks who just think the one with more syllables will make them sound smarter.

[@radicalbacon]

One of the things I like about this portrait is that the subject is looking directly out from it. So often, women are portrayed with their eyes averted, or looking up at a man. The exaggerated asymmetry makes me think of the "McKayla Maroney is Not Impressed" picture. I wonder if I'm misreading the twist in your mouth as contempt, and if I'm not, if that's contempt for yourself, or contempt of me, the viewer.

[@helloarlooo]

It reminds me of wizards and magic. When I was very young, I loved loved loved witches and the idea of magic. Who didn't? This piece brings a sort of nostalgia especially with Halloween right around the corner. I love the idea of having one version of yourself upside down and one to the front almost as if you're portraying your alter ego. Adding texture might have helped the piece have a more mystical/eerie feel depending on what you were going for.

[@himtraldi]

I remember commenting on a Maltese wine. It had a hay-y taste. You'd think that would be had, something tasting like hay. So I had to clarify that it reminded me of lots of fun visits at the Zoo, and therefore felt pleasant.

[@anitafpinto]

I think the underpainting result was simple and assertive, the lights and shadows are really well done, very subtle. The draft has beautiful lines, traces are symmetric, except for the nose proportion, but this little difference let me think that each head belongs to a different person, like twins. The first moment that I saw these signs led me to notice the subtle representation of two sides of a personality, something about the contrast of the hair and the neck. The right side is upside down, the colors are darker and stronger. The other one has a delicate hue, it seems to have a kind and benevolent personality. Remembers me the Brazilian soap opera called "Sand Women" where there were these twins sisters "Ruth and Rachel", they had these characteristics and they look pretty much like this painting. The The chosen color behind adds to it even more drama.

[@sara_sah-raezzat5086]

I would be fascinated to see that self-portrait next to one you would do now. I think sometimes the most interesting critiques are in comparisons; seeing growth and change.

[@alpualyou]

Your self portrait... after spending time with it, it speaks to me as a bold portrait of a single individual as both female and male. It is like looking at a yin yang of the self through the lens of gender. I’m not sure if you meant it in that way, but it is much more “interesting” to me as that than as a simple technical exercise. Technically, I think it works, but the necks seem a bit Mogdaliniesque without fully committing to the absurdly long neck. I have to say, though, I’d like to see some recent work too!

[@ericswain4177]

Critique: verb (used with object), cri·tiqued, cri·ti·quing. to review or analyze critically. Criticall: adjective inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily. occupied with or skilled in criticism. involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.; judicial: a critical analysis. of or relating to critics or criticism: critical essays. providing textual variants, proposed emendations, etc.: a critical edition of Chaucer. Well I think the key really is not limiting how a person or persons respond whether there Mean or otherwise, it's the responsibility of the one who initiates the communication, in this case the Artist ( Art form) To respect and be willing to except that response to their communication, Artist (Art Form) For the artist created it to begin with. For one the artist may be looking to invoke Rage ,Hatred or any range of emotions.

[@PaintingwithEnrique]

i really love this artwork, it is so unique, I love how both you can live together in one painting, like two twins. so simple yet complex. i just love it, love the backgound, love the red glow in your hair, love the face structure, very simetric. you can improve by making a more define shadow, and make them stare in diferent direccion so it wont feel creepy. overall good.

[@JoshHodgsonTV]

In your self portrait I really enjoy the idea of underpainting, which I haven't yet studied, however I feel that the composition would be improved you have madr the two beings of yourself interact or blend together more. The choice not to do so creates a hard line in the center of the piece, splitting it into two equal pieces which is usually frowned upon in my classes. But I love your work :)

[@feitocomfruta]

Your self-portrait is interesting to me, because it not only highlights a technique I've never seen before with underpainting, but it also contrasts with the image that we have of you as the host of this show. In the first split second that I saw the picture, I was drawn to the left side of the portrait, where your eyes are staring into space from a canvas of light tan skin. Then I noticed that the second portrait, with the upside-down face, you painted the neck in a darker tone. To me, this makes the portrait more interesting, as it almost makes it seem like at the time, your world was a bit more upside-down and chaotic. Then, to contrast it more, I noticed how your portrait doesn't look so much like you do today, but there are still key structures there that read "Sarah, the art student." One question I would ask you about this painting is this: was the darker-toned neck intentional and why did you make that choice? (I hope this works as an example of a good critique. :D)

[@hunterwhite4394]

I am a student at SVA, and this was useful/interesting to even someone who does crit every week!

[@lemonlime218]

My senior year of high school I was in a sculpture class and we weren't having a critique or anything. I was creating a wire armature for an owl, I had masking tape wrapped around it and hadn't added feathers yet. My teacher told my whole table, "It looks like a cockroach." She laughed and walked away. I cried(just like a tear) and everyone told me that I needed to toughen up. She could've been nicer about it...

[@davidshi451]

Oh man…that was kind of callous of her… but hey, don't be afraid to defend your work, for its own merits.

[@PogieJoe]

What an awful thing to do. I'm sorry that your classmates and teacher made you feel that way and that it hasn't deterred you from making art!

[@megmotherwort]

I hope you didn't let that one bad experience drive you away from your creative process. Recognizing that you were a beginner and that the piece wasn't even finished are a couple of ways to not let that off-hand comment disempower you.

[@123blueapple]

That's awful! She should have been more tactful, provided constructive suggestions or simply kept her opinion to herself. As a final year textiles student, I would say that being strong and confident in your work and your abilities is key to becoming a more resilient artist. Instead of taking comments to heart, I have learnt to take comments with a pinch of salt.

[@pendlera2959]

+TootTootMcbumbersnazzle Here's $5, buy some manners.

[@aleahdodson1889]

About the painting at the end: .the proportions are pretty much spot on .I like the emotion coming through the subject’s face . I like how the emotion the subject is show is indecipherable, it reminds me of a Rembrandt . I like the background colour, it’s really rich .I like the idea of having one portrait upside down and one the right way up, it’s creative However: .the hair needs to have more dark and light values, or,in my own words, be more “shiny” .the neck of the upside down girl (right) is completely to the girl’s on the left .the skin colour is a bit yellow .you must never shade in black unless you’re doing it the same way comic book art does. I’m sorry to say but the end of the nose and lips especially look as though they’ve been shaded in grey rather than a cooler (therefore darker) shade of the skin colour you were already using. That’s all.