How to critque

Here are some things to keep in mind while critiquing. Going by these guidelines aren't necessarily a requirement, but more an aid to help you deliver a critique that the artist can benefit from.

Most people associate critiques with merely criticism. This is not true; telling an artist what they are doing right can be just as helpful as suggestions for improvement.

Please be encouraging. Comments like "You should give up on this" or "You're terrible at drawing humans" should be avoided as they are only hurtful to the artist.

The more in detail you go and the more things you mention, the more helpful it will be to the artist. Don't be afraid if your comment gets long.

Try to be specific rather than vague. Here are some examples on how to convey your meaning:

No: The anatomy is off.
Yes: The head is a tad too big, the lower legs should be elongated a bit and the arm should be more foreshortened at that angle.

No: The color scheme doesn't work.
Yes: The purple should be muted down; it clashes with the oranges and yellows.

No: You have poor sentence structure.
Yes: "He then turned, while smiling at Marie, and gave a wave and left the room" is awkward. "Then he turned, smiled at Marie and left the room with a wave." flows much nicer.

No: Don't use Photoshop filters.
Yes: Use the Lens Flare with caution. In this case, it's clearly a default photoshop filter and many people will recognize it as such. Try painting it by hand for a more personalized look.

If you can't think of anything to say, consider these areas: composition, anatomy, color, balance, line, concept, symbolism, theme, process, style, emotion, media. Try not to focus on just one area!

How to be critiqued

Keep as much an open mind as possible! This is vital to be able to understand where your critiquers are comming from. Although you do not need to take every piece of advice that comes your way, feedback is necessary if you wish to grow as an artist.

Some crituqes may come off as harsh. Any of you that have gone to art school can identify with this! Remember the critiquer is not attacking you personally, but is pointing out the flaws in your art. Instead of being offended, use that energy to resolve to keep practicing and improve your art.

"Your art sucks" and the like is NOT critique. Be able to recognize trolls and ignore them (or make fun of them).

Ask for clarification if you don't understand a commenter's meaning. If it doesn't make sense, you won't benefit, and most people will be happy to fully explain themselves.

General advice

Many artists gets stuck drawing the same things the same way ("it's my style!"). If you're not willing to branch out and experiment, you'll never grow as an artist. Don't be afraid to try out new media, style, subject matter, etc.

Draw from both life and imagination. Photo references are really handy things as well. However, if given the choice of using a photograph or a real-life model/object/scene, go with real life. With a photo, the camera has decided the angle, lighting and colors and may not be "true to life."

Practice! When tackling a new media or style, you're not going to magically get better only by asking for help or reading tutorials (or dreaming about it).

Speaking of asking for help and reading tutorials, please do both. Use tutorials as a guide, however, and not the end-all of that particular type of art.

Seek out feedback. You never know when you'll benefit from another person's observations and ideas.