Best of Show and How to Handle a Critique

So “Ohana Hands” won Best of Show at the Utah Watercolor Societies Small Works Show. It is hanging with the show at the Ogden Depot. I hope you get a chance to go up and check out the show. It hangs until February 26th. I’m throwing up a bit of confetti.

Also below is the list of things that I talked about at the Utah Watercolor Society’s Monthly Meeting. I had a great time critiquing paintings with Kristi Grussendorf. Here are some things to think about when you are getting a critique, whether it’s for your illustrating, writing or paintings.

How to handle a Critique Without losing your Cool

Whether you are a writer, illustrator or artist critiques can be beneficial for your progress and improvement. They can help you see things that you wouldn’t see otherwise. Here are a few hints.

Spend more time listening than commenting. Don’t spend so much time making excuses that you lose the benefits of the critiquers comments.Take notes so you can go over the comments later when the emotions are not so high.Be prepared that the comments might bring up something that you were not aware of.Be prepared that the comments might bring up something that you were aware of but didn’t want to address.Be prepared for more work and ideas to use on future paintings.Do not let the critique discourage you from future painting and creating. Use it as a trampoline to bounce you positively into the next project.Be prepared that you might not agree with the critique but they might be seeing something that is wrong with your painting that if you take the time to look carefully, will lead you to see something that needs to be fixed that might effect what they are seeing and saying.Go over you notes later. Don’t just leave them in your sketchbook but bring them out and go over them. Learn from them.
9, Take joy in creating and don’t listen to your inner critic that can tell you the negative things about the creative process and your ability. Improvement comes from diving in and continuing to paint and create.
10. Number 10 because you don’t want to end up on number 9.

Utah Watercolor Society