The "reading" process is divided into four steps:

1. Description

2. Analysis

3. Interpretation

4. Judgment

Below is a sample set of focus questions for an art critique related to four major areas of art criticism: description, analysis, interpretation, judgment. The students will use the following questioning structure to help them organize their thoughts and what they learn about their selected artworks. As the students go through the process, they will take notes on the relevant information they discover. Finally, students will use those notes to compose a 4 paragraph Art Critique.

Step 1 - Description

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  What kind of an artwork is it? (painting, drawing, scuplture, collage, photograph, etc.)

• What is the name of the artist who created the artwork?

• What is the title of the artwork?

• When and where was this artwork created?

• Name some other major events in history that occurred at the same time this artwork was created.

• List the subject matter (category and literal objects) of the artwork. (still-life, portrait, landscape, etc/ trees, people, animals, mountains, rivers, etc)

• What media is used? (oil paint, charcoal, torn paper, wire, etc.)

• Consider the significant art elements that are present in this artwork and describe them:  

Step 2 - Analysis

•  What is the content of the artwork? What is going on in the image?

• How is the work constructed or planned (i.e., acts, movements, lines)?

• How has the artist used the medium to create the imagery?

• Identify some of the similarities throughout the work (i.e., repetition of lines, two songs in each act).

• Identify some of the points of emphasis in the work (i.e., specific scene, figure, movement).

• If the work has subjects or characters, what are the relationships between or among them?

• Describe how the artist used the most significant principles of design  to organize the elements.

Step 3 - Interpretation

Describe the expressive qualities you find in the work. What expressive language would you use to describe the qualities (i.e., tragic, ugly, funny)?What feelings do you have when looking at this artwork? Why? Do you think there are things in the artwork that represent other things - symbols? Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced (i.e., analogy or metaphor)?How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or in your other studies?

Based on what you have learned so far about the artwork, what do you think the artist was trying to communicate? Why did the artist create this artwork? What do you think it means? What specifically n the artwork led you to that conclusion? 

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• Categories of Aesthetic Judgement:

Ø       Imitationalism refers to art that focuses on things being realistically represented.

Ø       Formalism places the emphasis on the design qualities (the elements and principles) in a work of art.

Ø       Emotionalism requires that a work of art must get a response in terms of awakening feelings, moods, and emotions in the viewer.

Ø       Instrumentalism requires that art move people to act for the betterment of society; art that serves as an ‘instrument’ for furthering a point of view that might be moral, social, religious, or political.

Ø       Institutionalism focuses on unconventional works of art that can only be identified as works of art because they are placed in a museum or gallery.

Step 4 - Judgment

Present your opinion of the work's success or failure:

What qualities of the work make you feel it is a success or failure? Compare it with similar works that you think are good or bad. What criteria can you list to help others judge this work? How original is the work? Why do you feel this work is original or not original?

Is the artist's idea clear to the audience? Do think it is an important artwork? Do you think it is a good artwork?

Justify your opinion. Explain why you feel the way you do about this artwork based on what you have learned about it.

The Formal Art Critique

After going through the process, each student will write a four paragraph critique about the artwork using the information that was recorded.