Grade 11, Ceramics, Critiquing Artwork, 4 Steps

1. Unit 3
Critiques

2. Critique
● A critique is an evaluation of an artwork's
sensory and aesthetic qualities.
● Aesthetics – the study of beauty

3. Steps in a Critique
1) Describe the object's sensory qualities.
● Shape & form
geometric (having a regular
shape/form; ex. - square, oval,
circle)
organic (having an irregular
shape/form; ex. - blobs,
animal/human forms)
● Line -
width (thick, thin), length,
sharpness/fuzziness,
continuous/broken, flowing,
movement, direction (horizontal,
vertical, diagonal), boundaries/
edges
● Colour
hue (lightness/darkness of a
colour), intensity, opacity (is it see
through or not?)
● Space
Positive space (space that is
taken up by the object)
negative space (space within a
vessel, or within the boundaries of
an object; ex. - underneath a chair)
● Texture
rough, smooth, ridged, pebbly,
grooved, high relief, low relief,
intaglio

4. Steps in a Critique
2) Describe the object's formal qualities.
● Balance
Imagine a line through the object. Are the sides balanced? How do colour,
line, and texture contribute to a feeling of balance? Is the object
symmetrical (the same on both sides) or asymmetrical (not the same on
both sides)? Is it top-heavy (more visual weight at the top)? Or bottom-
heavy (more visual weight at the bottom)?
● Unity
Are all the parts harmonized? Do the texture and decoration make sense
with the form?
● Proportion & size
How would you describe the size of the object? Think of length, height,
width, volume, weight, thickness. Do the proportions of the vessel make
sense considering its function? If a sculpture is representational, does it
accurately copy the proportions of a model? Are the proportions unusual,
and how does this affect the overall object?

5. Steps in a Critique
2) Describe the object's formal qualities.
● Movement and Rhythm
Are any designs or shapes repeated? Are they repeated in the same way
each time, or do they vary? How? Do the designs or textures feel fast or
slow?
● Emphasis
Does one area grab your attention more than others? Why? How did the
artist emphasize that part?
● Pattern
Are the patterns random or planned? Are they because of repeated lines,
colours, shapes, or textures? Think of words like radial (radiating from a
centre point), grid, alternating, border or band.

6. Steps in a Critique
3) Describe the object's expressive
qualities.
● Mood
happy, witty, whimsical, playful, clumsy, mysterious, reflective,
calm, quiet, sad...
● Tension
What kind of energy does the object have:
tranquil, dynamic, powerful, relaxed, conflicted, heavy...
● Ideals/concepts
Does the work represent an ideal or concept?
Heroism, nobility, villainy, ...

7. Reflection: Unit 3
1) Do you think you were successful in using
slab building? Explain.
2) What areas of your project are the most
successful? Explain.
3) What would you change about your project?

8. By Richard Notkin
1. Sensory properties
Shape, form, line, colour,
space, texture
2. Formal properties
Balance, unity, proportion/
size, movement/rhythm,
emphasis, pattern
3. Expressive properties
Mood, tension, idea/concept

9. 1. Sensory properties
Shape, form, line, colour,
space, texture
2. Formal properties
Balance, unity, proportion/
size, movement/rhythm,
emphasis, pattern
3. Expressive properties
Mood, tension, idea/concept
By Claire Palastanga

10. 1. Sensory properties
Shape, form, line, colour, space, texture
2. Formal properties
Balance, unity, proportion/ size, movement/rhythm, emphasis, pattern
3. Expressive properties
Mood, tension, idea/concept
By Magda Gluszek

11. 1. Sensory properties
Shape, form, line, colour,
space, texture
2. Formal properties
Balance, unity, proportion/
size, movement/rhythm,
emphasis, pattern
3. Expressive properties
Mood, tension, idea/concept
Fernand Leger

12. Eva Hild
1. Sensory properties
Shape, form, line, colour,
space, texture
2. Formal properties
Balance, unity, proportion/
size, movement/rhythm,
emphasis, pattern
3. Expressive properties
Mood, tension, idea/concept

13. Debra Fritts

14. REFLECTION: UNIT 3
1) Do you think you were successful in using
slab building? Explain.
2) What areas of your project are the most
successful? Explain.
3) What would you change about your project?