WEEK EIGHT: Self-critique Without Self-Criticism (Problem-Solving Methods for Creating Spectacular Work
PREVIEW: Evaluation and Critique are not only limited to the fine art community. Most careers have periodic times where work is put under a microscope to improve excellence and productivity. What is difference in art is that what we create is often highly personal, making our work more difficult to bring to public attention and possible criticism. This week we will focus on simple ways for you to provide on-going self-critique as you solve problems with tips for keeping the dreaded inner judge at bay.
4:00 CST
MONDAY ZOOM:
W hat goes through your mind when you know you have to show something to a group without being completely prepared? Are you confident and excited? Do you inwardly moan and worry that your work wouldn’t be as good as everyone else’s? Were you afraid of secret criticism? Where was your self-confidence on a scale of 1-10, 10 being super-confident, 1 being wishing you could hide under the bed. Where does confidence in our work come from, anyway? Can it come from criticism?
In preparation for Monday’s zoom, take a coffee break with your journal and your thoughts. Reflect on a time in your art making life that someone’s critique or criticism was a catalyst to moving your work forward in a powerful way. What was the context? How did that experience concretely affect a particular work or a direction. What was your response?
Reflect also on an experience where criticism put a stop to your enthusiasm, dampened your work or shut down your process. What was the context? How did that experience concretely affect a particular work or a direction? What was your response?
Here are some resources for learning the language of effective critique
Critique Strategies
Self-Critique
Critique Conversations
Be prepared to share your either one or both of these experiences with the Circle. You will have about seven minutes for this sharing. If there is time, we will initiate a general discussion about those inner voices that impede your growth or challenge you to be more authentic.
TO READ: In her PDF, Mid-Work Review-It’s All About the B’s Michelle offers quick tips for self-evaluation of work in process using an easy-to-use formula for assessment. Print out this practical guide and keep in in your studio when you need when your mind goes blank, and you find yourself on a hamster wheel.
TO WATCH: CraftArtEdu Vimeo Lesson Lyn describes this video Troubleshooting Composition as the “Worst and Best” videos she has made on composition. I’ve watched it at least four times and I still learn something new each time. Her clear, concise outline for evaluating orientation and alignment in a collage composition is easy to remember and hard to forget.
CraftArtEdu Vimeo Lesson
TO ACCOMPLISH:
TO DEEPEN:
Fairly Tale Exercise Part Two
OPTIONAL RESOURCES:
Finding Your Direction, Evaluating Three Works in Process for A Way Forward In this video, a part of a longer class in Cold Wax, Michelle uses clues from a series of three works to find a way forward in these works in process by returning to the original inspiration for each.
Cold Wax: Finding Direction in Your Work
Week Seven
PREVIEW: Evaluation and Critique are not only limited to the fine art community. Most careers have periodic times where work is put under a microscope to improve excellence and productivity. What is difference in art is that what we create is often highly personal, making our work more difficult to bring to public attention and possible criticism. This week we will focus on simple ways for you to provide on-going self-critique as you solve problems with tips for keeping the dreaded inner judge at bay.
4:00 CST
MONDAY ZOOM:
W hat goes through your mind when you know you have to show something to a group without being completely prepared? Are you confident and excited? Do you inwardly moan and worry that your work wouldn’t be as good as everyone else’s? Were you afraid of secret criticism? Where was your self-confidence on a scale of 1-10, 10 being super-confident, 1 being wishing you could hide under the bed. Where does confidence in our work come from, anyway? Can it come from criticism?
In preparation for Monday’s zoom, take a coffee break with your journal and your thoughts. Reflect on a time in your art making life that someone’s critique or criticism was a catalyst to moving your work forward in a powerful way. What was the context? How did that experience concretely affect a particular work or a direction. What was your response?
Reflect also on an experience where criticism put a stop to your enthusiasm, dampened your work or shut down your process. What was the context? How did that experience concretely affect a particular work or a direction? What was your response?
Here are some resources for learning the language of effective critique
Critique Strategies
Self-Critique
Critique Conversations
Be prepared to share your either one or both of these experiences with the Circle. You will have about seven minutes for this sharing. If there is time, we will initiate a general discussion about those inner voices that impede your growth or challenge you to be more authentic.
TO READ: In her PDF, Mid-Work Review-It’s All About the B’s Michelle offers quick tips for self-evaluation of work in process using an easy-to-use formula for assessment. Print out this practical guide and keep in in your studio when you need when your mind goes blank, and you find yourself on a hamster wheel.
TO WATCH: CraftArtEdu Vimeo Lesson Lyn describes this video Troubleshooting Composition as the “Worst and Best” videos she has made on composition. I’ve watched it at least four times and I still learn something new each time. Her clear, concise outline for evaluating orientation and alignment in a collage composition is easy to remember and hard to forget.
CraftArtEdu Vimeo Lesson
TO ACCOMPLISH:
- Post your Progress Report in the Slack channel PROGRESS-REPORTS-AND-GOALS.
- Choose an artist that you know or someone from SLACK. Request a critique covering specific areas you want them to review, such as composition, value and variety of elements, balance, etc. You can also request a group response from anyone on the Work in Progress SLACK channel. Be specific and limited on what you want your critique to focus if you want feedback that will be constructive and helpful.
TO DEEPEN:
- Part 1: EnSights: The Fairy Tale Exercise In this week’s EnSights you are asked to do the exercise first, like dessert! This pdf provides a brief outline for constructing your three-paragraph fairy tale. We won’t ask you to share your story, so don’t be overly concerned about doing your best writing or even having the story make sense. As always try to use what first comes to mind, trusting the story process.
- Part 2: EnSights: Fairy Tale Lessons Using a classic tale, Michelle explores how your Inner Critic can become an ally.
Fairly Tale Exercise Part Two
OPTIONAL RESOURCES:
Finding Your Direction, Evaluating Three Works in Process for A Way Forward In this video, a part of a longer class in Cold Wax, Michelle uses clues from a series of three works to find a way forward in these works in process by returning to the original inspiration for each.
Cold Wax: Finding Direction in Your Work
Week Seven
