Contemporary

Philippine Arts
in the Regions
Week 5-6
Critiquing an Artwork
 This topic discusses the components of an art critique that learners can
incorporate in their own pieces of contemporary artwork.

It aims to introduce learners to the contemporary art production and curating by

incorporating what they’ve learned in this module to make a thorough and
detailed evaluation of different works of art.

LEARNING COMPETENCY:

Incorporates contemporary characteristics to one’s creation with attention to detail.

CAR11/12AP-0f -h-16

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

Identify the components of an art critique.

Cite examples of contemporary artworks in your locality, and
evaluate these artworks based on the components of an art critique.

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 What’s In

Task 1: “My Favorite Piece of Art”

Read and answer the following questions. Write your answers on your
activity notebook.

1. Do you have a favorite piece of art? What is it? Describe it

2. What is its form?

3. Why is it your favorite?

What’s New

Task 2
Observe the artwork below and answer the questions. Write your answers in your
activity notebook

 What can you say about this

piece of art?
 What style of painting is
used?
 How did the artist use the
elements of art and the principles of
design in this painting?
 What do you think is the
message behind the painting?
 Do you think the artist is
successful in trying to convey his
message through this artwork?

Love for Family by Nell Campos

https://gr.pinterest.com/pin/478929741623879580/?a
utologin=true

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 What is It

An art critique is a detailed analysis and evaluation of a work of art. Different

people may have different interpretations of a single artwork and they may have
varying reactions to it but to achieve a more detailed, thoughtful critique, a few
basic guidelines could be used. These guidelines are the components of (or the
stages in writing) an art critique. These components are description, analysis,
interpretation and judgment.

Components of an Art Critique

1. Description: the visual facts

An art critique can be written by first providing some basic information about
the artwork like the title of the work, artist’s name, when the piece was created,
where it was made, the types of media used to create the work (e.g., oil paint on
canvas), and the exact size of the work
When describing the artwork, use neutral terms and be objective. Your
description should include things like form and scale of the artwork. For example,
you might say,

“This is a huge landscape painting of a volcano, showing thick clouds

around it, with an orange sky in the background. Down in the foreground are
green rice terraces and 3 men walking on the paddies…”

Avoid using adjectives like “beautiful” or “ugly”. At this point, you are not
judging, you are simply talking about what you see. This is also the part where you
describe the artwork in terms of the elements of art used. What kinds of colors do
you see? Are there lines in the work? If so, what kinds of lines are they? What sort
of textures do you see? What are the shapes used? And so on

2. Analysis: the use of design principles

Discuss how the artwork uses the principles of design. In this step consider
the most significant art principles (discussed in the previous modules) that are
used in the artwork. Describe how the artist used them to organize the elements:
Balance, Contrast, Movement, Proportion, etc.

The following questions may guide you:

• Balance: How do the colors, lines, shapes, and textures work
together? Are they balanced and harmonious or is the artwork imbalanced
in some way?
• Contrast: Does the work use contrasting colors and textures?
• Movement: Do you notice a particular movement in terms of patterns
and variations of lines, shapes, and colors in the artwork?

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 • Proportion: Do the sizes of the elements appear the way you would
expect?
• Etc.

Using the rule of thirds, what do you think is the subject of the piece? What
is its focal point? Try to identify which parts of the work are emphasized.

In addition, look for the themes in the work and discuss how the artist used
the elements of art (line, color, shape, etc.) to express these themes. Themes
might include things like symbolism and religious or mythological imagery, or the
use of a particular color scheme to give the work a particular mood or meaning

3. Interpretation: the meaning of the artwork

An interpretation seeks to explain the meaning of the work based on what

you have learned so far about the piece. What do you think is the message behind
this artwork? What do you think the artist is trying to convey?

In the first component (Description), you have to be objective. In this

component, you can be a little more subjective. Use expressive language to
discuss your reaction to the artwork. For example, does the artwork depict a
particular mood like sadness, hope, peace? Would you describe the work as
beautiful or ugly?

Backup your interpretation with examples from your description and

analysis. For example, “I think this painting is a visual metaphor of the sufferings of
the Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period. This is indicated by the dark color
scheme used in the painting, figuratively depicting the dark era of our history...”

4. Judgment: personal evaluation

This is your personal evaluation based on your understanding of the artwork.

• Decide whether you think the work is successful or not.
• Explain how you are judging the work.
• Summarize why you think it is successful or unsuccessful.

For example, “I believe this work is successful because the use of light, shape, and
texture all work together harmoniously to portray the mood of the subject.”

Here are a few questions to consider:

• Do you think the work says what the artist wanted it to say?
• Did the artist use their tools and techniques well?
• Why do you think this work has intrinsic value or worth?
• Do you find that the work communicates an idea, feeling or principle
that would have value for others?

Below is an example of an art critique.

(Taken from https://16julianas.weebly.com/art-critique-example.html)

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 The Weeping Woman
Pablo Picasso
France, 1937

Description:
The Weeping Woman is a
painting finished by Pablo Picasso in France,
1937. This type of artwork can be considered
to be expressionism. There isn’t an actual
background scene in the painting. The
background is completed with different lines
and colors. The woman is the focus point of
this painting. She is wearing an accessory on
top of her head which demonstrates her
elegance. My first impression of the artwork is
that the face of the woman is not proportionate
and is only painted with lines, no curves. The main colors that are used in this
painting are green, yellow, blue, purple, red and black. The painting is set mainly of
lined and little curves. The mood and visual effect that this painting portrays can be
considered to be suffering, and sadness.

Analyze:
The colors that the author uses can be considered to be quite different as
each color conveys a separate impression. The light purple that begins at the
bottom top of the woman’s eyes can convey sadness. The other half of the face is
mainly covered in green and yellow; these can be said to interpret other solid
emotions that the painter must have towards this woman as she was a vital
character in Picasso’s life. The painting is created with mainly lines which can
mean that the woman had strong physical features or that her different emotions
were felt passionately as lines are usually seen as strong technical elements. The
only curves that are being used are for her hair and eyes. The eyes look quite
down or depressive. This is because the woman is crying, which goes back to the
main mood which is suffering.

Interpretation:
I believe that Picasso wanted the audience to feel pain and provide a
statement that explains how all women feel and the agony that they are
consistently in. The audience can see that the woman has peeled away her flesh
by corrosive tears to reveal her white bones. The handkerchief she tries to stuff in
her mouth seems as a shard of glass. This vivid image can convey pain and
hurting. Picasso has expressed the behavior of this woman several times and often
describes the constant tears that fall off her eyes. So, the feeling conveyed by the
artwork is definitely suffering. Picasso wanted us to feel her and understand the
pain that she was going through. It was not easy to be a woman during that time
since females where often frowned upon. Picasso demonstrates the appreciation
that he has for her through this painting as he wants the audience to understand
her.

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 Judge:
Finally, the artist’s value may be to evoke pain, as mentioned previously.
This is due to the colors that Picasso used and the shapes that he draws; not only
these technical elements but also the images that the painter uses within the actual
face of the woman. The painting relates to the entire female community. This
community can understand the painting and know what Picasso was trying to
portray. Every woman is able understand and comprehend the message behind
this painting as we all feel the same way at one point in our lives. I believe that this
is a strong value in the painting confusing. The weak value lies in the different
colors that the painter chooses. I found it to interpret other areas of the face as the
colors that were used didn’t seem to match other locations of the face.

What’s More

Task 3: “Gallery Walk”

Take a walk around your town and look for at least 5 art pieces in any form that
captured your attention and document it by taking pictures. Arrange it artistically
in gallery form and make a detailed critique about it following the
components as discussed in this module. Always remember to follow all
necessary health protocols as you do the activity.
Art
Criticism
Rubric
Excellent Good Fair Poor

5 pts 4 pts 3 pts 2 pts

Content Excellent Good Fair Poor
Critique Critique Critique includes Critique only
includes all four includes all four most steps of the includes one or
steps of art steps of art art criticism two steps of the
criticism criticism, but process, but art criticism
(description, supporting supporting process, and
analysis, details are details are significantly
interpretation, somewhat lacking, so lacks
judgment). lacking. The cannot visualize supporting
Description and reader may not or understand the details. It is
interpretation fully visualize meaning of the very difficult
are very or understand photo. for the reader to
thorough, the meaning of clearly
allowing the the photo. visualize the
reader to image or
visualize and understand its
understand the meaning.
meaning of the
photo.

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Organizati Excellent Good Fair Poor
on
The first The first The artist and The artist, title
paragraph paragraph title are and year are not
introduces the introduces the introduced, but introduced in
artist, title and artist, title and there is a lack of the body of the
year of the year of the logical flow of critique. There
photo, leading photo. leading the steps of art is no logical
into the into the criticism. The flow of
complete description. The information information.
description and interpretation "jumps" around The steps of art
analysis. The and judgment among the criticism
second and follow, with different steps, "jump" around
third paragraphs some and a lot of severely,
include supporting information is making the
interpretation information. unnecessary or critique
and judgment Some of the redundant. difficult to
with appropriate information is follow and
supporting redundant or understand.
information. No unnecessary.
redundant
information
Sentence Excellent Good Fair Poor
Structure
Sentences are There are no Sentences are Paper is
clear, begin in fragments. sometimes difficult to read
different ways, Sentences are awkward, because most
and vary in mostly well making the sentences are
length. constructed, meaning unclear. incomplete,
with some They don't vary run-ons, or
minor errors. in length. Many awkward.
sentences begin
with the same
word.
Word Excellent Good Fair Poor
Choice/
Vocabular A variety of A variety of There is a lack of Simple words
y sophisticated words are used word variety, but are repeated
words are used correctly. common words frequently,
correctly, are used sophisticated
including new correctly. words are used
and challenging incorrectly, or
vocabulary. words were
copied directly
from another
source.
Conventio Excellent Good Fair Poor
ns

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 There is correct There are a few Spelling is There are so
capitalization, minor errors in mostly correct. many spelling,
spelling, grammar and There are a lot of punctuation and
punctuation and punctuation. grammatical grammatical
grammar errors, but the errors that the
throughout. reader can paper is
understand what difficult to read
is being said. and understand.
Style/Inter Excellent Good Fair Poor
est
Writing is Writing is of a Writing is Lack of style:
professional and professional simple, and to writing is dull
grabs the level and is not the point, but and doesn't
reader's written in first lacks impact. grab the
attention. person. Some areas reader's
The writing utilize first attention. First
makes the person person is often
image come to references. utilized,
life through making the
elaborate writing seem
descriptions, too casual and
similes and unprofessional.
metaphors. It is
not written in
first person.

What I Have Learned

Complete the sentences below:

I have learned that _ .

I have realized that _ _ .

I will apply _ _.

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 What I Can Do

Task 5. “Critique my Masterpiece”

Create an artwork in any form, may it be painting, sculpture, literary work,
dance, music, etc. Let a member of your family do a critique of your work based on
the components discussed in the module. The critique can be done in video or
written format.

Additional Activities

Find any video on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or Instagram of any

person doing an art critique and share it on your Facebook wall. Don’t forget to
include #CPAR #ArtCritique#Section on the caption.