Art Appreciation

There is more to art appreciation than the name suggests. It is about "critically" appreciating art. So you don't just pick an artist and praise his works.

How to Be a Critic

The process of art appreciation follows four steps.

1. Describe
   
   You simply have to look at a painting and describe exactly what you see on the face of it.
   
   
2. Analyse
   
   You analyse the colour, texture, space and proportions of a work of art and understand how they have been used to create emphasis or achieve balance.
   
   
3. Interpret
   
   The symbolic meaning of a painting is far more important than the obvious. For example, a dove in a painting stands for peace. So you need to interpret symbols and understand how they relate to the entire picture.
   
   
4. Judge
   
   Lastly, you need to arrive at a conclusion as to whether the artist was successful in conveying a theme or a message through his work.

Join an Art Class
 
If you wish to take up art appreciation as a hobby, a regular art class or even a summer workshop would work for you. The fees vary anywhere from Rs.1000 onwards depending on who your teacher is and the duration of your class.

Typically, a few chosen works by artists like Van Gogh and Picasso are shown to you with the help of slide shows, films, photographs and more. You would also have organised visits to art galleries.

If you already have knowledge of art, you could enrol yourself for a more advanced level.

What You Need

• If you are pursuing art appreciation as a hobby, then all you require is a passion for art.
  
  
• Knowledge of the history of art and various artists would help you appreciate works better.
  
  
• You do not need to be a painter/ artist yourself.

(With inputs from Purnima Sampat, Art Educator and Lecturer at Thinc College and Artist, Lili Menon)