How to Critique and Analyze Art in 3 Steps

Опубликовано: 07 Май 2021
на канале: Clement Makes Stuff

This is an exercise that helps one to learn how to critique artwork. We will attempt to extract as much content as we can from this painting. To achieve this, we will break down everything we can identify into three categories: 1. Materials, 2. Representation 3. Interpretation. This exercise works best in a group setting, but I'm demonstrating it by myself for this video because of Covid restrictions, and because my current drawing class is online/asynchronous. Going through this process can help students create a deeper relationship with how they gain knowledge from looking at a work of art.

There's much more one can still identify about this image, all of which may help our understanding of it. For example: the purple and yellow play off each other as they are complementary colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel. Also, the figures are centred horizontally but offset vertically, which gives it an asymmetrical balance. The horizon line bisects the image slightly above the center, which contributes to that effect. Since the human eye enjoys perfect balance, an image that sets elements slightly off-center can subvert that balance. If this image is unsettling, all of these elements may be contributing to that emotional effect.

The painting, "Double Jump" is acrylic on canvas, and painted in 1988 by Kamloops-based artist Tim Francis. His work may be enjoyed at:
https://www.timfrancis.ca/
/ timfrancisart