CRITICAL ANALYSIS
An oral or written discussion used to describe, analyze, interpret and Judge works of art. Critiques help students develop their ability to talk about and appreciate artwork.
Describe: Tells what the image is about. Information about the artist and the time the image was created; cultural, political, social events of the time that may have effected the artist or their subject matter. Make a list of everything that you see that includes the elements of art written in paragraph form. It includes the title of the piece, the name of the artist, when it was made, the materials and style if known.
Analyze: What is it? Sculpture, painting, drawing, illustration, etc. A description of how the work is organized as a complete composition. What do you see first and why do you think that is important. What is it about and why do you think it was made.
Interpret: A description of how the work makes you think or feel. Does it have a function: What is the piece of artwork supposed to do for you the viewer or society in general.
Judge: A final summation of your opinion of the work's success or failure.
or
Identify the form: What is it? (painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph...)
What do you see? (Objects, lines, shapes and forms, colors, textures, space)
Identify the material: What and how was it made?
Identify the function: What was it supposed to do?
Identify the Content: What is it about?
Identify the Context: Why was it made?