How to Write About Art: What to Pay Attention to in Critique

How to Write About Art: What to Pay Attention to In Critique

People enjoy reading about art, keeping up with current events, and attending cultural events all around the world. It is for this reason why journalism exists. The interested reader will have all the information they require after reading a fresh interview with a director, screenwriter, writer, or conductor.

But in order to write about art objectively and without bias, a journalist must have some specific skills. They have to learn how to criticize.

Criticism is not the easiest way to fame. Witty remarks are rare, and everyone is good at saying trivial things. That’s why aspiring critics first educate themselves, study the literature, build up their vocabulary, read other writers’ critiques, and seek essay writing help and advice from professionals. But simply saying that a movie is good and a book is worth reading is not enough to become a critic. It is an art to tell a really interesting story.

5 Tips on How to Write a Good Critique about Art

1. Critics should not only understand but also appreciate the field in which they work. It’s better to avoid writing a review for a film you don’t understand. You do not have to like all works of art, but you should only discuss them when you have a broad understanding of the subject and can approach it without prejudice.

2. It is not necessary to reveal the plot in every detail. The reader should only be aware of information that will assist them in deciding whether or not to read the work. If you reveal everything, the audience will simply lose interest in the subject of your critique. You can mention that the book, movie, or play has funny moments, but leave it up to the reader to decide if they want to learn more about them.

3. The key to a successful review is to include specific details. They will also assist you in avoiding generic, uninspiring sentences (filler words). Give some examples to back up your overall point of view. Tell the reader why the play was fascinating while keeping in mind rule #2 (don’t tell too much).

4. The author of the work can answer themselves. Cite a few quotations if you believe the language is unusually pretentious. The same goes for special effects or scenery. Tell what was invented and how it was invented to capture the audience’s attention. Make a word image for your reader by describing all you’ve experienced yourself.

5. Avoid enthusiastic epithets, don’t say that the scene was “delightful” or “marvelous.” Everyone has a different understanding of what was good and what was bad. After reading that the book was “marvelous,” readers may be seriously disappointed in it simply because they meant by that word something really out of the ordinary. It is better to compare the work with similar works of art. By focusing on context, you will be able to point out to the reader the strengths and weaknesses of the artwork being described.