What is Art Critique?

Defining Art Criticism

 Art criticism is responding to, interpreting meaning,

and making critical judgments about specific works of
art.
Art critics help viewers perceive, interpret, and judge
artworks.

Four levels of formal analysis, which you can

use to explain a work of art:

1. Description = pure description of the object without value judgments,

analysis, or interpretation.
1. Description = pure description of the object without value judgments,
analysis, or interpretation.
It answers the question, "What do you see?"
The various elements that constitute a description include:

A. Medium of work whether clay, stone, steel, paint, etc.

B. Elements or general shapes
C. Description of line
D. Relationships between shapes, e.g., large and small, overlapping, etc.
E. Description of color

What to Include?

Artist name
Name/Title of Piece
Subject of Painting
Objects in Painting
Colors Used
Shapes, lines

Artist name Edvard Munch

Name/Title of Piece The Scream

Subject of Painting Unknown person with pale face, male or female

Objects in Painting Two other people in back, and city in the distance,
bridge
Colors Used Red, orange, blue, shades of dark blue/purple
Shapes, lines Swirling curvy lines

2. Analysis = determining what the features suggest and deciding why the artist used
such features to convey specific ideas.
It answers the question, "How did the artist do it?
What are the various elements doing, for what reason did the artist use them
Example: Form the artist used a minimalist of forms,
The bridge at a steep angle, a landscape of a shoreline
And the sky.

Notice the swirling curvy lines which move the audiences

eyes directly toward the distressed figure, as well as the
diagonal line. Interesting that the curved lines flow into
and form the main body. Imagine if the color itself in the
sky is actually the Scream
Color -The scene appears dark and gloomy with the sky
appearing as if it is in burning up in flames. The grey, black,
and blue hues of the land and water are colors that are
often closely associated with sadness and depression
contrast between the light, pale face and the dark body
contribute to drawing the audiences eyes to the focal
point of the painting.

3. Interpretation = establishing the broader context for this type of art

It answers the question, "Why did the artist create it and what does it mean

Munch may have been trying to illustrate his internal feelingstorn between sanity and
madness. A quote from his diary
"I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky
turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably
tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went
on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous
infinite scream of nature."