Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI)

FATHER JOHN KARASH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF DIPACULAO, INC.

North Poblacion, Dipaculao, Aurora, 3203

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

NAME: ________________________________________
GRADE & SECTION: ____________________________

CONTENT STANDARD
The learner understands the principles and uses of a reaction paper/ review/ critique.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner produces an objective assessment of an event, a person, a place or a thing. Writes a
comprehensive review /reaction paper.
• Performance Arts, Play, Dance, Sports, etc.
• Film
• Participation in a religious or community festival
• Art Exhibit critiques designs such as industrial design objects or craft objects, furniture, fashion
designs based on a set criteria critiques graphic design
Uses appropriate critical writing a critique such as formalism, feminism, etc.
Writes an objective/balanced review or critique of a work of art, an event or a program
communication materials such as posters, billboards, commercials, and digital.

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY

Writes an objective/balanced review or critique of a work of art, an event or a program.

LESSON 2: Balanced/Objective Review or Criticism

A. What is balanced/objective review or criticism?
It is a system of interpreting, judging, and assessing a person, thing, or any work of art not influenced by feelings or
opinions in considering and presenting facts. It is a systematic way of considering the truthfulness of a piece of work.

B. To have balanced/objective review of any piece of work, the following are considered:
1. Description. Pure description of the object, piece of work, art, event, etc. It answers the questions:
a. Artwork - "What do you see?" (description constitutes form of art, medium, size and scale, elements or general
shapes, color, texture of surface, and context of object).
b. piece of writing - "What do you see?" (form, structure, choice of words, length, genre, etc)

2. Analysis. Determining what the features suggest and deciding why the artist or writers used such features to convey
specific ideas. It answers the questions:
a. artwork - "How did the artist do it?"
b. piece of writing-"How did the writer write it?"

The analysis constitutes the following: determination of subject matter, analysis of the principles of design or
composition, use of symbol and other elements, portrayal of movement and how it is achieved, effect of particular
medium, relationships of each part of the composition to the whole and to each other part, and reaction to object.

3. Interpretation. Establishing the broader context for this type of art. It answers the questions:
a. artwork - "Why did the artist create it and what does it mean?
b. piece of writing - "Why did the write create it and what does it mean?
 Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI)
FATHER JOHN KARASH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF DIPACULAO, INC.
North Poblacion, Dipaculao, Aurora, 3203

Remember: you shouldn’t make your interpretation too arbitrary! Provide evidence and point out what exactly influenced
your understanding of the artwork. Here are the elements that you can include in your interpretation:

 How does this art object make you feel?

 What do you think of when you’re looking at the artwork?
 What did the artist want to tell you as a viewer?
 What do you think about the title of the work? Does it influence your interpretation?
 If you can’t understand a painting or a sculpture, don’t hurry to give a negative response to it. Think of other
critics who have provided a positive evaluation of the examined artwork. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have
your opinion! All you need is to find a good way to express it.

E.g., in this painting, the artist wanted to show us the king’s personality and achievements. The interpretation constitutes:
(a) Main idea (overall meaning of the work), (b) Interpretive Statement (Can I express what I think the artwork is about in
one sentence), and (c) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork supports my interpretation?).

4. Judgment. Judging a piece of work means giving it rank in relation to other works and of course considering a very
important aspect of the visual arts; its originality. It answers the questions: “Is it a good artwork?” Is it a good
composition?

Here are some points that can help you write your judgment:
 How do you think: is the work successful or not?
 Does this art object seem original or not?
 What do you feel when looking at this piece of artwork?
 Go back to your first impression. Has anything changed? What did you learn?
 If nothing changed, explain your first reaction to the work.
 What have you learned from this work that you might apply to your own artwork or your thinking?

In judging the piece of work, there must be:

(a) Criteria (What criteria do I think are most appropriate for judging the artwork or writing?);
(b) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork or piece of writing relate to each criterion?);
and (c) Judgment (Based on the criteria and evidence, what is my judgment about the quality of the artwork or piece of
writing?).

E.g., the artwork successfully conveys the atmosphere of a battle through its composition and color scheme. Learning
about its backstory helped me to appreciate the painting even more.

C. How to Critique Different Art Forms

As you can imagine, all kinds of masterpieces are subject to art criticism. For example, you can choose to write about
paintings, drawings, sculptures, or even buildings. And, naturally, all these forms of art have their specific features!

These tips will provide you with an art critique template for anything, be it an oil painting or a cathedral.
1. Painting Critique. Paint is a medium that emphasizes light, colors, and space. for example:
 What school of painting does it belong to? Is it typical or unusual for this particular school?
E.g. Monet’s Water Lilies is a typical Impressionist painting.
 Describe how the light is depicted. Where does the light come from? Is there a strong value contrast? In what
way does the shadow function? What in your opinion does it evoke?
E.g. strong contrast makes the central figures stand out.
 Speak about the handling of space in the picture. Does it look flat or three-dimensional? What kind of perspective
is used? (e.g., one-point perspective, or bird’s eye view?)
E.g. in this painting, Picasso uses multi-dimensional geometrical shapes
2. Sculpture Critique. Similarly, many specific factors influence the overall impression of a sculpture.
Here are some things to pay attention to:
 Say if the material gives a particular texture to the statue. Is the surface smooth, or is it uneven?
E.g. Rodin’s sculpture has an unusual earthy texture.
 Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI)
FATHER JOHN KARASH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF DIPACULAO, INC.
North Poblacion, Dipaculao, Aurora, 3203

 The surrounding space is just as important as the sculpture itself. Describe the place (in the museum, in a park, in
front of a building) where it is situated. What does it add to the sculpture?
E.g. the statue appears to walk along the road.
 Speak about the color of the sculpture. Is it painted? Does it rely on natural lights and shadows?
E.g. the statue is white. A museum floodlight lights it from above, creating expressive shadows.
 Describe the composition of the sculpture. What does it look like when you approach it? Did the sculptor provide
any instructions on how to position it?
E.g. the statue is enormous and can be viewed from all sides.

3. Architecture Critique. You can write art critiques on architecture, too!

Just bear in mind the following points:
 What architectural style does it belong to?
E.g. the cathedral is a typical Gothic building.
 Was it built with a purpose? Did a specific person request it?
E.g. the Palace of Versailles was requested by Louis IV as a symbol of his monarchy.
 Did one architect complete the building, or were there any alterations? Why were they made?
E.g. the spire was added to the cathedral much later. It became the integral part of its image.
 What do the exterior and the interior look like? What effect do they produce? Is there a contrast between them?
E.g. the building has a high ceiling painted like the sky. It also makes the organ music sound louder.
 Are there statues or paintings on the walls? Discuss them as well!
E.g. statues on the cathedral’s facade illustrate scenes from the Bible.

4. Photography Critique. Analyzing a photograph is a lot like critiquing a painting. Still, there are some unique features
to consider:
 How does the photographer use focus? Is any part of the image blurry? What effect does it produce?
E.g. the background is out-of-focus, which has a dreamy effect.
 Is the picture monochrome? If yes, describe its tone, contrast, and shadows. If no, describe the use of color.
E.g. the picture is in black and white, with stark contrasts.
 If it’s a photo of a face, pay extra attention to the emotion it expresses. If it’s dynamic, discuss the sense of
motion. E.g. the photograph conveys a sense of cheerfulness through the girl’s expression and the use of light.

Example of Review of Artwork: The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso in France, 1937

Description: The Weeping Woman is a painting finished by Pablo Picasso in France, 1937. This type of artwork can be
considered to be expressionism. There isn’t an actual background scene in the painting. The background is completed with
different lines and colors. The woman is the focus point of this painting. She is wearing an accessory on top of her head
which demonstrates her elegance. My first impression of the artwork is that the face of the woman is not proportionate
 Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI)
FATHER JOHN KARASH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF DIPACULAO, INC.
North Poblacion, Dipaculao, Aurora, 3203

and is only painted with lines, no curves. The main colors that are used in this painting are green, yellow, blue, purple, red
and black. The painting is set mainly of lined and little curves. The mood and visual effect that this painting portrays can
be considered to be suffering, and sadness.

Analyze: The colors that the author uses can be considered to be quite different as each color conveys a separate
impression. The light purple that begins at the bottom top of the woman’s eyes can convey sadness. The other half of the
face is mainly covered in green and yellow; these can be said to interpret other solid emotions that the painter must have
towards this woman as she was a vital character in Picasso’s life. The painting is created with mainly lines which can
mean that the woman had strong physical features or that her different emotions were felt passionately as lines are usually
seen as strong technical elements. The only curves that are being used are for her hair and eyes. The eyes look quite down
or depressive. This is because the woman is crying, which goes back to the main mood which is suffering.

Interpretation: I believe that Picasso wanted the audience to feel pain and provide a statement that explains how all
women feel and the agony that they are consistently in. The audience can see that the woman has peeled away her flesh by
corrosive tears to reveal her white bones. The handkerchief she tries to stuff in her mouth seems as a shard of glass. This
vivid image can convey pain and hurting. Picasso has expressed the behavior of this woman several times and often
describes the constant tears that fall off her eyes. So, the feeling conveyed by the artwork is definitely suffering. Picasso
wanted us to feel her and understand the pain that she was going through. It was not easy to be a woman during that time
since females where often frowned upon. Picasso demonstrates the appreciation that he has for her through this painting as
he wants the audience to understand her.

Judge: Finally, the artist’s value may be to evoke pain, as mentioned previously. This is due to the colors that Picasso
used and the shapes that he draws; not only these technical elements but also the images that the painter uses within the
actual face of the woman. The painting relates to the entire female community. This community can understand the
painting and know what Picasso was trying to portray. Every woman is able understand and comprehend the message
behind this painting as we all feel the same way at one point in our lives. I believe that this is a strong value in the
painting. The weak value lies in the different colors that the painter chooses. I found it confusing to interpret other areas of
the face as the colors that were used didn’t seem to match other locations of the face.

Activity 1
One of the Filipino cultures that we continuously preserved and practiced is “Bayanihan”. It is an expression of spirit of
communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective.

Directions: Below is the painting of “Bayanihan”; take a look at this, study, analyze, and write a balanced/objective
review of the painting considering the elements discussed. Use the diagram to put your answers.
 Catholic Association of Schools in the Prelature of Infanta (CASPI)
FATHER JOHN KARASH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OF DIPACULAO, INC.
North Poblacion, Dipaculao, Aurora, 3203

DESCRIPTION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION JUDGEMENT

Activity 2
PONDER TIME
Directions: Complete the paragraph with the necessary words or sentences that best describe what you have learned,
realized and wish to know more.

Follow the format below:

I understand that ___________________________________________________________________________________.
I realize that _______________________________________________________________________________________.
I wish to know more about ___________________________________________________________________________.

Prepared by: Checked and Reviewed by: Recommending Approval by: Approved by:

Samiel L. Esteves, LPT Melody C. Naveros, LPT John Michael G. Gutierrez, LPT Marlon Jr. G. Candelario, MAN, MAED, RN, LPT

Allyza G. Marzan, LPT Area Subject Coordinator JHS Academic Coordinator School Principal
Subject Teachers