Most artists have dealt with an art critic or two at least once in their lives. More than likely, the critic wasn’t artistically trained or an artist themselves… though they may have been well studied in the art of scathing remarks. Often, these critics are people the artist loves or respects, such as a parent or teacher, and the remark hurts all the more.
The Non-Artist
After a less than complementary comment from a non-artist, the artist may have the urge to say, “Well, you’re not an artist so how would you know?!”
It is important to take a step back from the situation and consider this: Who does the artist paint for? Does he paint for other artists or does he paint for the masses? The viewer, no matter how competent in the craft of fine art has a right to have an opinion, even if it isn’t complimentary.
The artist should simply say, “Thank you for your opinion.” It is up to the artist if she wants to incorporate the comment into her work.
For instance, if the comment was, “Your artwork is ugly,” then, obviously it was simply a judgment and not worth much consideration. The artist should shrug it off and move on. On the other hand, if the comment was something like, “This painting is too dark. It’s depressing,” the comment may have some merit if the artist didn’t intend for the artwork to be dark or depressing. In this case, the artist should try to decide how they can avoid making depressing paintings next time.
The Expert
Maybe the most depressing remarks come from the “experts”. These are people with degrees and awards; people that the artist looks up to. One negative word can feel like a damnation to never paint or draw again…because, they know, right?
Not necessarily.
Just because a person is skilled in art doesn’t mean they know everything. The artist is the only person that knows exactly what their own art is about and how far they want to grow. Sure, that expert may know a lot, but do they do exactly what every other artist does? No. Each artist has a unique style and a unique way of doing things. So, every comment shouldn’t crumble the ego.
Though, the artist shouldn’t totally discredit comments by experts, either. Constructive comments can help the artist reevaluate their work and make it better. No one can give better constructive criticism than an artist with years of experience.
So, next time a artwork is critiqued in a negative light, remember to look at the source and decide if the comment can work for the piece, or if the words can be forgotten.
 |
