Grade 11 Ceramics, Critiquing Artwork: Four Steps

1. Unit 3
Critiquing an Artwork

2. Critique
● An art critique is an evaluation of an artwork.
● While it is true that taste is relative, there are
characteristics that can be assessed to
measure the artist's success in conveying a
message.

3. Steps in a Critique
There are four steps to “reading” a work of art:
1) describe what you see,
2) analyze what you saw,
3) interpret the meaning of the work, and
4) make a personal judgement about the quality
of the art.

4. Steps in a Critique
1) Use complete sentences to describe what
you see in the artwork.
● What is the name of the artist and the title of the
work?
● What year was the work created in?
● Describe the literal objects you see in the work.

5. Steps in a Critique
2) Use complete sentences to analyze the
artist's use of the elements and principles of
design.
● Describe the elements of art – line, shape,
form, value, colour, texture, and space.
● Describe the principles of art – balance,
emphasis, proportion, movement, rhythm,
pattern, unity, and variety.

6. Steps in a Critique
3) Use complete sentences to interpret what
you have noticed about the artwork in Steps 1
& 2. Take a guess about the meaning of the
work.
● What is the artist trying to say in this work, and what
makes you think that?
● Why did the artist create the work?
● What do you think is the meaning, and why?
● Do you think there are symbols in this work? What
are they, and what do they symbolize?
● Look at the emotional content and symbols to find
the meaning of the work.

7. Steps in a Critique
4) Use complete sentences to make a
personal judgement about the work's quality.
Give reasons for your judgements. Be fair and
logical.
● What do you think about this work, and why?
● Do you like or dislike this work, and why?
● Do you think the artist was successful in conveying
an idea or feeling through the art, and why?
● Do you think it is am important work of art; why or why
not?
● Would you display this work in your home; or is it
good enough to put in a museum? Why or why not?

8. REFLECTION: UNIT 3
1) Do you think you were successful in using
slab building? Describe the areas of your
project that are the most successful.
2) Describe the areas of your project that need
improvement. How would you change them?
3) What else would you like to make using slab-
building? How would you build it?

9. “Teaset – Iraq”, by Richard Notkin, 2007

10. “So Bored”, by Magda Gluszek, 2013

11. Fragile Fragment 5 – Vessel, By Timeo Sido, 2008

12. Flower brick, by Joan Bruneau, 2014

13. by Rebekah Bogard