I would also refer readers to “Giving an Image Review”. There is another more lengthy page with invaluable information called “This just in ... from the Constructive Critiquing Bureau ...” (thank you Lori for finding the link for me) which makes worthwhile reading. There are other posts also which may find themselves linked to from here later, according to relevance and usefulness to the intent of this post.
I have noticed, looking at not just my own images but also those of other artists here that there really isn't much of the review process going on. Some members do, and when I see it on my images it is always appreciated - and that may be something as simple as "I wonder what this would look like darker" to a direct "I think that if this was done this would image would look better" to "I like the way you have done xxx". I won't mention names at this stage, as the aim is not to praise some artisits and not others but to encourage everyone. To those artists who have provided encouragement and open critique, my thanks and appreciation.
When I first came to Caedes some years ago, it was through the direct input of many other artists that my own standard improved and became what you see today. None of those images are today left on this site; we shall only say that I had a few emotional and psychological issues to face and resolve, and in the process deleted all those images and left, theoretically never to return. Well, thanks to Verena and her patience, I am back (and enough groans from the back row up there (Romane laughing)).
So, why this thread. No, I do not believe in or accept whinging, so that is not the purpose. What I would like to do instead is challenge other artists to post more useful critiques on images, and at the same time to provide a thread where artists can tell others what they are looking for in an image when they look at it. This may serve as a useful adjunct to the other links above.
I will begin (well, I suppose that the first post in a thread is as good a place as any to start). :) This is not comprehensive, but provides sufficient grist that others can get some idea of how I think.
The first thing I look for is aesthetics. Is the image aesthetic. If so, why. Then state what I have seen. If no, why, then find the good points to praise, then out of the non-compliant issues, find just one and state how I think that may be improved. And do that it a positive and encouraging manner. If I can use non-technical or otherwise descriptive phrases, I will - don't know too much of the technical schtuff anyway :)
I have in front of me a list of things that I am looking at - some I have extracted from others posts on mine and other's images, some I put in myself. This list is (for want of a place to list them) aesthetics, colour, clarity, angle, placement, tone, balance, composition, warmth, contextual content. And as I think of other terms to look for, they get added to the list.
What do you look for in an image? How do you critique an image and try to do so in an encouraging manner? How can you help to encourage the many potentially good artists and thus, an improvement in the overall quality of images that live in the new galleries?
Ball is tossed - who is the next to catch it, and then pass it on ??
I would also refer readers to “Giving an Image Review”. There is another more lengthy page with invaluable information called “This just in ... from the Constructive Critiquing Bureau ...” (thank you Lori for finding the link for me) which makes worthwhile reading. There are other posts also which may find themselves linked to from here later, according to relevance and usefulness to the intent of this post.
I have noticed, looking at not just my own images but also those of other artists here that there really isn't much of the review process going on. Some members do, and when I see it on my images it is always appreciated - and that may be something as simple as "I wonder what this would look like darker" to a direct "I think that if this was done this would image would look better" to "I like the way you have done xxx". I won't mention names at this stage, as the aim is not to praise some artisits and not others but to encourage everyone. To those artists who have provided encouragement and open critique, my thanks and appreciation.
When I first came to Caedes some years ago, it was through the direct input of many other artists that my own standard improved and became what you see today. None of those images are today left on this site; we shall only say that I had a few emotional and psychological issues to face and resolve, and in the process deleted all those images and left, theoretically never to return. Well, thanks to Verena and her patience, I am back (and enough groans from the back row up there (Romane laughing)).
So, why this thread. No, I do not believe in or accept whinging, so that is not the purpose. What I would like to do instead is challenge other artists to post more useful critiques on images, and at the same time to provide a thread where artists can tell others what they are looking for in an image when they look at it. This may serve as a useful adjunct to the other links above.
I will begin (well, I suppose that the first post in a thread is as good a place as any to start). :) This is not comprehensive, but provides sufficient grist that others can get some idea of how I think.
The first thing I look for is aesthetics. Is the image aesthetic. If so, why. Then state what I have seen. If no, why, then find the good points to praise, then out of the non-compliant issues, find just one and state how I think that may be improved. And do that it a positive and encouraging manner. If I can use non-technical or otherwise descriptive phrases, I will - don't know too much of the technical schtuff anyway :)
I have in front of me a list of things that I am looking at - some I have extracted from others posts on mine and other's images, some I put in myself. This list is (for want of a place to list them) aesthetics, colour, clarity, angle, placement, tone, balance, composition, warmth, contextual content. And as I think of other terms to look for, they get added to the list.
What do you look for in an image? How do you critique an image and try to do so in an encouraging manner? How can you help to encourage the many potentially good artists and thus, an improvement in the overall quality of images that live in the new galleries?
Ball is tossed - who is the next to catch it, and then pass it on ??
With greetings
Romane