The steps recommended for critical analysis of art: 1: do you know the artist? Is this typical for their style? 2: make sure you can see the artwork. 3: what medium is the artwork made with? Is it a painting, a sculpture, on paper, canvas, cardboard or is it an experience? 4: can you describe it with your own words? 5: after doing the visual analysis you can ask yourself: can I draw out any meaningful details about it? Is there anything culturally significant in this particular piece? 6: why do we care about this artwork in the particular contemporary context? And does it have a historical context? 7: is it referencing any other artist or artworks? If so what effect does this have on the artwork? 8: what meaning does this artwork have? Look at what the artwork is describing, but also what the artist avoids doing, what people choose not to do can empower the meaning behind the action’s that were taken. ( remember that there’s more right answers to this question than wrong answers. Any answer is right if you can use the answers from the previous questions to back up your argument correctly. As you can only make an educated assumption about the intent behind the work.)
I really enjoyed your video. I liked the fact that you spoke so plainly and clearly. I do agree with you about students using complicated terms to try to hide their insecurities. I will definitely use this video in my classes. I hope you don't mind.
That's my issue in art history everyone, including the teacher, is using overly big words or words that don't make sense to me in the class. It just seems a lot for a simple as an explanation of the art they are talking about.
Sometimes big words are used to cover up complete misunderstanding of a topic lol. Someone who truly understands what they're talking about can explain it to you using very basic vocabulary. Some speakers are just so out of touch with the audience they're presenting to.
Came to learn how to analyze some of my favorite artworks, left with a new realization of my own preferences, interests and style! Thank you so much! When you addressed the second piece, you mentioned pop culture and something clicked--i began to reflect on my favorite artists, which had one thing in common--pop culture. They send a strong message within the cultural references, bringing light to issues interwoven with the things we are all familiar with showing a new side, a dark side, a hidden message, an injustice. Grabbing your attention with cultural familiarity, then twisting that into a new perspective on society as a whole.
I have never done a formal analysis before, and am aware I have a long way to go. But I wanted to share the spark of my initial understanding anyway :)
Great takeaway, thank you for watching! I'm actually tempted to make a video on taking apart a piece of work practically/more visually focused than what I maybe went over in this video. Less on concept, more on technique 😎 it's great when you start realising the way your favourite artists might think about / put an image together. Keep going, seems like you're already onto something haha 😄
Thank you for sharing. This video helped me with my art projects at uni. I appreciate your comments about using simple language. This is something I worried about because I wasn't sure how to express reflection and critical analysis of my own projects. 😄
I'm not a fine art person, I just came across this because I have to use this method to analyze propaganda. I hope your channel finds success though, this is a wonderful video! You have a calming presence and good quality.
my issue is looking too much at symbolism but not what's actually in the painting, I need to work more on identifying techniques and how the actual painting has been constructed
Ahh - thank you for mentioning the problem of over complicated language when discussing art. I have just been reading a book about Edward Hopper, only to find myself reading the same line 3 times in order to try and understand what is actually being said. Just get to the point; in simple English and then we can all have a better understanding.
Thank you for your reply. How right you are about Hopper. I’ve purchased the fabulous Ways of Drawing (one of your Favourite Books for Artists). And, whilst I haven’t yet read it from cover to cover, I did see Hopper mentioned by Mark Cazalet - he is ‘moved by the alienation of Edward Hopper’s lonely New Yorkers’. No complex waffle there. Bonnard’s colour - you are spot on. Saw a visually beautiful exhibition at the NGV (I’m from Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺) last year. He certainly was not afraid to investigate colour. Thanks again for your wonderful videos.
@@janegrew9485 Mark Cazalet is one tutor I've had that I owe a massive part of my development to, fantastic teacher and funny guy haha. Bonnard will always be an all time fave of mine, and thanks for watching!
I love this video, but I'm still confused with how to analyze an artwork through colors, balance, tone etc. sort of thing, I kind of know the meaning of using one particular color, but I can't write it in a structured paragraph.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean. Sometimes colour is used in a very particular way that can suggest meaning, or reflect the subject of the painting, but there's not really a single way of looking at it. Depends on the context of the work 👍🏻
7:00 I think that we need to use simple language during discussions, because then no one feels left out. But I'm studying IB Diploma Art. If we don't use subject-specific vocabulary, we loose grades because the examiner then doesn't know if we trying to be simple or we were unconsciously trying to convince ourselves of something we haven't understood properly. Thanks for the video! My teacher took two classes trying to explain what critical thinking is, but mostly she just kept saying, "To critically analyze the artwork, you need to look at it in a critical way and analyze it so that it's a critical analyses." lol. You're video really helped me know that the stuff I've written for this big project is actually critical analysis, without me knowing it.
loool to paint an amazing painting, you have to use the brush in an amazing way so the painting is amazing! Yeah I think the simple vocab obviously depends on the context of your audience, but I think the deeper you understand something the more capable you are of explaining it in a simple way.
The video isn't about Klimt, it's just an iconic piece which is busy enough to make a good thumbnail out of. The video is about how to approach analyzing artworks, not a specific breakdown of any particular painting so I wouldn't say it's clickbait.
I have a dissertation video you might find helpful! I'll have to have a think and add those to the list for the future 😆 I guess the way to develop critical writing or thinking is to be as well informed as you can be about whatever subject you're interested in. A great way to look for good references and things to read is to look at essays written on the subject you're interested in and steal or use their references. Feel free to dm me if you have more questions 👍🏼
Do artists ever admit any art is bad? Because I swear to God I see people constantly praising splashes of paint on a canvas. Like how do you know what art to dismiss and what to appreciate if abstract art is literally just shapes and colors?
That's my issue in art history everyone, including the teacher, is using overly big words or words that don't make sense to me in the class. It just seems a lot for a simple as an explanation of the art they are talking about.
