Critiquing Advice.

[thEbrEEze]

I feel that if you are going to post your work in a public forum you are going to get critiques period. Now some people know better then others how to give a proper objective critique.

My general rule is if there is something not working IMO then I state it and offer a way to fix it. I always try to also point out the positives in the piece as well as offer some advice to make the piece stronger. Even if the piece is overly stylized, the fundamentals of drawing still need to be there.

And my critiques are based on my experiences and what I know of the art form so whether people take it or leave it alone it doesn't matter to me a long as they continue to want to get better as an artist. That's what this forum is about to me.

It is also very obvious when someone can't take a critique especially if they start attacking a constructive crit that actually makes sense. And like stated before that will work itself out.

[dfbovey]

I think along with suggestions on how to give a critique, a "how to take a critique" thread may also be in order. Because it seems that when problems occur, its on that front.

One thing is certain, giving and receiving criticism is an important part of growing as an artist. I learned as much looking at art from others and critiquing it as I did receiving criticism on my own stuff. How much you can learn by critiquing is often overlooked.

[Pep]

One thing is certain, giving and receiving criticism is an important part of growing as an artist. How much you can learn by critiquing is often overlooked.

Well put! I couldn't have said it better myself... in English anyway. XD

[penciljack]

I would just like to say that "wonky" has become a part of the vernacular of this forum and - at least as far as I am concerned - is a cherished part of the PJ language. I have plans for that word.

In terms of offering criticism, I think it's a perfectly fine word to use as a preface to a deeper crit.

"That left leg looks wonky. Looks like you have the underlying bone structure backwards ..."

or

"The character's mouth is wonky. I think you have it placed too high on the face .."

or

"Those fingers are wonky. The index finger has too many joints while the little finger has too few ..."

Those are some examples of how the word could ideally be used. But you have to remember, sometimes people use words like "wonky" or "weird" as a shorthand or because they can't explain what they do mean.

This goes back to the relative skill level of a person offering a criticism. For example, I can't draw like Travis Charest, by a long shot. But I CAN discern whether an arm in one of his drawings looks wonky or not, even if I couldn't describe how or why in any way that was meaningful to him.

Similarly, there are folks who are new at offering criticism that may not have the vocabulary to fully explain it.

And that's one other thing I wanted to mention - we get wrapped up a lot in what people said about our drawings. But the key is this - criticism is a learning opportunity for everyone involved, not just the person receiving the critique. Viewing a piece of artwork from another artist with a critical eye is an extremely potent way to improve your own work.

Lastly, I believe it falls on the original poster to maintain grace and patience with those who offer criticism, even if it's sometimes harsh or even unfounded. After all, those people took time to make a comment on your work, for good or ill.

If you're considering a career in comics, you had better get used to the idea of folks not liking your artwork. No matter how good you are, or how good you get, or how cool your style is, you WILL have folks who take great delight in bashing your work, with good reason or no. So think of it this way - getting a harsh or absurd crit here at PJ is good prep for your upcoming and illustrious career in comics.

[Carl_Shinyama]

I would suggest the inclusion of this: If you point out an error, also make suggestions on HOW TO FIX the error. Don't just say, "those legs are too long." Cite specifically why it's too long and where/how to fix the error. Not all artists know how to fix a problem.

[Jcatlett76]

If you're considering a career in comics, you had better get used to the idea of folks not liking your artwork. No matter how good you are, or how good you get, or how cool your style is, you WILL have folks who take great delight in bashing your work, with good reason or no. So think of it this way - getting a harsh or absurd crit here at PJ is good prep for your upcoming and illustrious career in comics.

What Terry said is so true. At least you are just coming to this site and getting criticized. Think of the folks who are actually making a living doing it. They get critiques all the time on a mass scale. Some of them, I doubt would be able to land much work if they weren't already in the business. By that I mean, comic art over the last twenty years faces even more scrutiny than ever. I think in part because of the digital age. The public in general expects near perfection and when they don't get it they can be harsh. Seriously, there are some artists by today's standards and public taste probably couldn't cut it without the following they amassed some 20 plus years ago. For instance, Erik Larsen, who I happen to like personally even though he can be a dick sometimes on Facebook. His artwork however isn't anywhere as good as it once was. It looks like he's gotten lazy and it shows in his work. However, he's one heck of a story teller and that's where the money is. I say focus on trying to tell a solid story with your art while at the same time working out any weak points you may have and even if you never become perfect, so what. Look at Rob Liefeld. He's the guy EVERYONE loves to make fun of and criticize but...he's been in the business for 23 years or so. You don't enjoy that kind of longevity by listening to all the negative input. What I'm trying to say is, some people are going to find fault in something you do no matter what but that shouldn't discourage you from giving it a shot. There are also people that are going to build you up and give you helpful insights. Those are what count. Forget the negative and focus on the positive energy. That's not to say forget a negative critique, those you learn from and move on.

With all this said, there are correct ways of doing things. There are some things that are universal and you can't always claim stylized art when something is so blaringly wrong. I see people all the time saying things like "I can draw it the right way, I just don't want to". HUH?? Why would you not want to? And if you can, then do it. I'm all for style but when a right foot is on the left leg...it's wrong, redo it and don't turn into a 30 year old cry baby when somebody points it out.