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Today, I would like to give you some guidance on dealing with your inner art critic... I have personally struggled with an out of control inner art critic, and have watched many of my students struggle as well. The inner art critic can be crippling. I get that...
But when you train your inner critic in the art of constructive criticism, this part of you can enhance the joy in your art making, not crush it.
Follow these 8 steps to develop a helpful inner art critic, not an abusive one....
1) Getting critical of your inner critic is the first step and it starts with observation... The nature of the inner critic is easily influenced by criticism. Learning how to train your inner critic is actually pretty easy once you understand this. Work with your critic with patience to train this valuable art making team member. Always come back to the question... "Is that helpful?"
2) Understand the job of the inner art critic. What exactly is the job that your inner art critic is supposed to do? Most of us think that the only job for the critic to do is to judge success or failure. This is the main misconception about the role of the inner critic, and why it can become so destructive and crippeling... The function of the critic is actually much more.... Thankfully...
3) Train your inner art critic to focus on the art elements! Examine all of your art works in terms of shape, line, placement, proportion, values, colours, texture, ect... All strengths and weaknesses are related to the art elements.
4) Encourage your inner art critic to become like Sherlock Holmes... a detective solving a visual puzzle.... To solve this mystery, the clues are always found in the art elements.
5) Your inner art critic has the capacity to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of your art. In fact, I would encourage you to start any critique with first identifying strengths... Identify weaknesses second.
6) When you identify the strengths of your artwork, always think in terms of art elements. Love the shapes, love the lines. Pay close attention to your feelings of pleasure and resonance. Celebrate your success! Consider how to include more of these successful elements in future artwork.
7) When you identify the weaknesses of your artwork, also do so in terms of art elements. Specifically focus on what will solve or resolve the weakness. The critic needs to be directed to identify specific art elements that can be improved... Say that you are drawing a portrait... The job of the internal critic is not to judge if the portrait is good or bad and by extension, that you are good or bad... The job of the critic is to identify that the nose is too big and needs to move over to the left... Now that is helpful and constructive because then, you know what... Just make the nose smaller and move it over and see if there's an improvement to the drawing... Also, consider how to develop and strengthen your art making skills for future work.
8) Thank your inner art critic for having a 'good eye' and being so devoted to your success.
That's the best way you use the critic...
Please feel free to forward this post.
Best wishes...
Peaceful happiness Judith
www.judithjewer.com
PS - I have just started a new blog
Ms. Judith's Studio Practice:
https://judithjewer.com/judiths-blog
PSS - I also have started making some videos and you can find them here: https://judithjewer.com/livestream-artpractice
