If your painting seems a little lack-luster you can learn how to do an art critique on your paintings and fix the problem before anyone else is the wiser. Art critiquing may seem difficult when it's your own work, but you can simplify the job by breaking it down into steps.
What Draws Your Attention?
The first thing you should do during a personal art critique is to try to figure out where your viewer's eye will go. Successful paintings lead the eye from the main subject, around the painting and back to the main subject.
Generally, this is done by having items point toward one another instead of off the canvas. Check to make sure that your objects aren't leading your viewer's eyes off the painting and on to something else and then make sure that your subject has enough impact to draw the viewer in. The main subject should either be the darkest or lightest area in the painting.
Check Your Painting's Composition
The unity, balance, proportion and scale will all be in harmony in a good painting composition. Often an easy way to check a painting's composition during an art critique is to turn the painting upside down. The mistakes will become more obvious to you with this new perspective. Here are some things to look for:
- Does a cluster of small objects will balance a large object, or is the painting's composition too heavy on one side?
- Is the color palette harmonious? Do all of the colors come from a warm color pallet or a cool color palette?
- Is the composition cluttered with too many items?
- Are all of the objects in your painting in proper proportion?
- Do you need to scale the main object up or down to make more of an impact?
Evaluate Lack of Signature Painting Style
Your painting should have your signature painting style incorporated into the composition and subject matter. You want people to look at it and say that they can tell you painted the artwork without even looking at the signature. Does it have your flare for bright colors? The original way your brushstrokes fall on the canvas? An original color pallet? If your painting doesn't incorporate your style, it may be the reason your painting doesn't seem just right.
If you can't figure out what makes your paintings unique, take a look at the article How to Create a Signature Painting Style.
Try these easy art critique tips for finding problems in your painting and you will consistently crank out better artwork.
Alina Bradford - Alina Bradford is an artist with around 20 years of experience and 12 years experience as a professional writer.
Comments