Learning to offer helpful feedback when viewing art is a skill worth acquiring. It's actually useful both to you and the recipient of the feedback. I often ask for feedback. I enjoy hearing other people's opinions, even when the differ from my own. That's right. It's okay to have negative feedback. But, think about why you're offering feedback. Most of the time, it's because you want to help the person asking for feedback. Is it helpful to say, "I don't like this?" Probably not. Is it helpful to say, "This is ugly?" Probably not. Those kind of statements are deflating conversation enders. It's like telling someone, "You look terrible." What are they supposed to do about it? There are, however, ways to make your feedback useful. Here are three tips on giving better feedback:
BE SPECIFIC
"This is ugly," is NOT helpful feedback. Helpful feedback always has a "why." Also, try to use "I" statements. It's not a fact that it's ugly. YOU find it ugly. Take ownership of that.
You could say, "I find this ugly because I don't like the colors." That's certainly more useful and clearly explains why you feel that way, but it's still not 100% helpful.
Think a little bit harder: why don't you like the colors? Is it the color combination? One particular color? Does the color make you feel a certain way that you don't like?
The more specific that you can get, the more helpful the information is to the recipient and to you. How is it useful to YOU? Lots of ways:
- Sometimes it's easier to see the problems in other people's work than our own. By verbalizing a problem, you may be able to also recognize it in your own work.
- Verbalizing your likes and dislikes allows you to hone in on your personal style/preferences.
- Being able to accurately describe why something isn't working is the first step towards being able to fix it. You can't fix a problem that you can't diagnose.
It goes the other way too. "This is amazing," is always nice to hear and say, but go deeper. Why is it amazing? What specifically about it is blowing you away? Specificity is extremely helpful. By honing in on the details of what makes something work, both you and the recipient of the feedback will be able to take that information to the next piece of work. For example, when you sit down to make something and the feedback you received on your last piece of work was, "This is amazing," you don't have any useful information to act upon. However if the feedback was, "This is amazing. The design is so clean and graphic," then you have a nugget that can get you going right away. After receiving that specific feedback, I'm ready to sit down and create a clean and graphic design and see how it goes.
BE DESCRIPTIVE WITHOUT JUDGMENT
Words like "ugly" or "sloppy" are opinion words. It's an agree or disagree kind of statement. For example, lots of people find Basquiat's work ugly and sloppy while I think it's beautiful and extremely well composed.
And while we may disagree when using those kinds of words, I'll bet that we can all agree on descriptors such as: discordant, aggressive brush strokes, and high contrast. Those things may be ugly to some and beautiful to others. When you're offering feedback it's not useful to be judgmental. It is, however, extremely useful to be descriptive. Descriptions without judgment allow the recipient to assess whether or not they've met their goals. Very few people have a goal of "ugly" or "sloppy." Descriptions without judgment also allow you to drill down into your opinions and really learn why you're having the reaction you're having.
BE OPEN ENDED
We already know that instead of, "I don't like this," we should try something more specific. But specificity needs to be open ended. Saying, "You should put some green along the left side," is very specific. But it's NOT helpful because that's what YOU would do. It's important to give feedback that allows the recipient to make their own choices. For example, "I think it would help create unity in this piece if you found a way to repeat some of the colors." How they decide to implement that advice is up to them. It's also useful feedback because they can take that same feedback and apply it to other pieces in the future.
Here's another example of specific but open ended feedback: "This piece doesn't work for me because the composition is unbalanced and unfocused. There's nothing that really grabs my attention and so I find that my eye wanders right off the canvas." The feedback is specific: there's something tangible that I could fix if I wanted to — imbalance and lack of focus. But the feedback is open: I can make my own decisions about how to address the issues of imbalance and lack of focus.
As you can see, giving helpful feedback requires a bit more thought. Most people never bother to dig a little deeper. I believe that the benefits of doing so are enormous.
I hope you found these tips useful. If you want to practice, here's a piece of art.
What do you think?
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
With all the complexity of the visual texture of this piece, I find myself wanting the larger shapes to be more regular/conventional in shape to ground all the activity of the marks and scribbles. I love the colors and the little surprise pops of red that energize the cooler colors used overall. I think this would make fabulous fabric! I’d definitely wear it!
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found the colors and composition work well together. The white and yellow patterns draw my eye around the painting enabling me to stop and enjoy the smaller details. There is plenty to look at without it being overwhelming.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I found this post very helpful and these tips can be applied to many other situations besides art. Thank you for sharing.
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
I am really enjoying the balance of colours, textures and shapes. For some reason the shape top right, sort of floating above the others, unsettles me, I feel like I want it to be connected to the rest of the painitng – Interesting.
I like the way my eye travels around the painitng, which seems to be led by the white and yellow shapes.
Thank you Julie – a valuable exercise. 🙂
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
This post was a helpful reminder about constructive criticism. In this piece of art I find that my eye is immediately drawn to the purple just above center and slightly left. It distracts me and I have to force my eye to move to the other sections. I’m not generally a fan of abstract art, but I subscribe to your blog in an effort to become more familiar with various aspects of it.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I wish there were more quiet places for the eye to rest. It feels a bit frenetic.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
I really like this piece. it has lots of contrast with darks and lights. The lights help pull your eye around the whole piece and allow you to enjoy all the details. Applying more dark around the edges would ground it more for me. Enjoyed the tips…so helpful and I will put them to good practice when I teach a seniors class this fall. Thank you again.
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Julie, this was a great post! I struggle with the critique and never feel I have the right words or terminology to helpfully describe what I’m feeling. I think you could do a series of posts on this subject with more suggested ways of describing what you see or feel when looking at someone else’s work. Thank you!
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
Great post, Julie. Sounded like you were doing the final lecture from Boot Camp!
I like this piece a lot…..it’s like getting hit with a pie plate full of color and texture – BAM! the more I look at it the more it feels like there’s a lot of movement in what at first take is full of static shapes and forms. The yellow pulls me around the canvas and the blues/greens allow me to hang out and mellow, but my eyes want to wander all over looking at the textures and scratches and marks and paint strokes. There’s really so much going on in this piece so it obviously has my attention….and then I notice the turquoise nugget in the upper left area and then the reflection/opposite of a neon green shape in the lower right tucked under an awning of yellow stripes. There’s so much intention in this piece…..focused, deliberate mark making. That energy really pulls me in.
Yes, I would hang this on my wall and smile every time I saw it.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
I think one of the problems that come up with critiquing a piece is that some folks take the word criticism a bit too literally…and forget the constructive part of the phrase. Perhaps some are thinking the asking them about the piece is strictly if they like it or not…rather than suggestions on how to improve the piece or what is or isn’t working about the artwork for them. If they think it’s all about whether they like the piece and would display it In their home, then I can see more comments coming across as insults. It takes a bit more effort and thought to look at a piece and give constructive feedback. I think it takes practice.
As to what I think of the piece…I’m intrigued by all of the mark marking and how it works together on the page. I recently took a mark making class and it amazes me to see how different marks can work together to bring a piece together. I noticed you have several different kind of marks in various colors and styles, and I think they draw my eye around the page. I like how the yellow and purplish ones create visual triangles. I feel like I see it all without my eyes getting tired and it’s visually interesting for me.
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
Yes! It takes lots of practice. Thanks for the useful feedback!
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I like this piece, I like depth and dimension that your color choices create. I also have a sense of peace when I look at this piece. I think it makes me think of rocks in a stream. Thank you for helping me be more helpful in my responses to art.
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I am so impressed you thought about some mean feedback (and it was) and offered practical coaching on how to be constructive. Winner!
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
I love the colors and textures / marks as well as the concrete shapes. What doesn’t work for me are the pinks on some shapes on the diagonal from bottom left to top right as well as the yellow patch on the bottom left – feel like they take away from the clarity in composition that is so evident in the rest of the piece.
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Hi Julie… I have been following you for a few years. I am not doing your art projects but I do enjoy seeing everything you do. I want to expand my exposure to different types of art techniques. I like the way you tell us what you are doing… the types of medium… stencils, stamps, etc and I appreciate you information on critiquing an artists work…. and how I can use this in other areas and types of work. I am a quilter and enjoy groups of quilters working on their own project. I think I will be able to offer more helpful information if asked my opinion. I so love seeing your pictures and comments about your son… he is so cute!!
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
Feedback/reviews always help you to become better than before no doubt
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.
I’m trying for specific but open-ended feedback: To me the composition is unfocused. There are several shapes that grab my attention due to their strong pattern and wealth of detail. The shapes fight each other, and no shape wins. The closest thing to a dominant set of shapes is the two ovals at upper right and lower left, (the ones with the white dots and salmon overpaint), because they are the largest shapes. The eye ping-pongs between the two large ovals, traversing the middle shape which does not harmonize with the two ovals because of the discordant gray patch (salmon overpaint on black?) and the lack of white pattern. This neither unifies the ovals, nor allows the eye to rest, nor guides the eye. Tired of ping-ponging over inharmonious territory , my eye freezes in on the sapphire blue shape, choking at the boundary between it and the middle shape. The sapphire shape shrinks from being the focal point because it is smaller and less detailed then the other shapes, and its partner blue shape is too far away to meld with it visually.