How to Evaluate Your Own Artwork

On the Cape
12" x 16"
Available

I loved the Artists Helping Artists show this week. It's all about how you can evaluate your own artwork. I think it's a really great show as we all need to have a way to evaluate our work. 
On the show we talked about a check list that was written by Greg Manchess on his blog. It's an excellent list that you can use to evaluate your work. And here it is.
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Some of the ways you can evaluate your work include:
Line
- Are there elements that help move your eye through the painting? The last thing you want is for the viewers eye to be lead right off of the canvas.
- Do the lines of the composition move you from the main design elements to the minor elements?
- Do those lines add a sense of rhythm or a lyrical quality?
- Does the painting have a dimensional quality?

- Is there a foreground, middle ground, and background?
- Does the perspective work? Do the lines of perspective all fade to one horizon line?
Area, Space
- Is there a coherent quality throughout the painting? Harmony makes for consistency. 

- Have you painted anything that isn’t really necessary for the success of the painting? If it’s too busy, the main point of the painting could be lost. 

- Ask yourself if you can add, or subtract, anything from the painting.

Value
 
- Does the value range from light to dark?

​- Have you determined the “key” of the painting, and stayed consistent with it?
- Are the darks dark enough? Often this can improve a weak painting. 

Light 

- Light can be the most challenging and interesting part of a painting. Have you used it effectively? 

- Does the light source make sense? Have you correctly and consistency placed the shadows? 

- With the use of different colors, you have the opportunity to ask your self the classic questions: lighter or darker, warmer or cooler? 
Form and Shape
• Have you used different and unique shapes in your painting? • Can you add interest with shapes, edges, subjects...? 
• Can you use contrast (light, color, texture) to add interest or direction of design.
Cropping
- Consider cropping some objects for interest. Use the positive and negative spaces to create interest. Think about how the scale of the objects can change your perception.
Color
- Have you varied the colors? 

- Be sure you have effectively used neutrals (grays) to contract with pure and bright colors. 

- Remember that the contrast of dull neutrals will brighten the colors placed beside it. 
Your Point of View 

- Does the painting represent your point of view as the artist? 

- Does it look consistent with your work? Ot doesn’t have to “match” but within the other paintings in it’s style, does this one “fit”? 

-Do you need to adjust anything? Values, colors, pops of color? How can you make it sing? 

Focus

- Ask yourself where your eye is drawn to in the painting?

- Is the overall composition pleasing or confusing to the viewer?
Texture

- Is the piece too flat or too busy? 

- Is there a contrast between flat and smooth textures?
Above all else, is the painting as good as it can be? You began with an idea, an inspiration, a desire to create something where there was only a white canvas. Sometimes the best thing you can do is turn the painting away for a while, be it hours or days, you will return to it with fresh eyes and a better objective point of view.