“You could learn more about yourself from studying your own work than by looking at anyone else’s.” — Robert Henri, Artist
To look, and to do so with honesty and clarity, at our own work is one of the trickiest things to do as an artist. With our minds so easily preoccupied with our ambitions and expectations, it is quite difficult to be truly objective in our analysis. We are often “too close” to the work. That said, it is absolutely essential that we do so. Like taking stock with our lives, it is good and proper to periodically see where our work is in its level of clarity and execution as well as where we’re at in terms of our own creative development.
Of course, as has been mentioned here before, the most obvious way to get immediate feedback is to get it from other people — colleagues, supervisors, teachers, coaches etc. If we want our work to read to others, and this is most certainly true working in a commercial field or on a project where the work needs to trigger a response from a larger audience, then that is by far the best option (we only have to be mindful that all opinions are biased). However, if the work is more personal, or even innovative, feedback from others isn’t always best or appropriate. Trends and methods come and go in art as they do in everything else in a market economy. Common people, including your typical work colleague, can often have common minds — minds stuck on set ways of seeing. And sometimes, it isn’t even possible to find feedback from others. For a fresher perspective, sometimes we have to look elsewhere or try something else. But the first thing we must do is to stop and move away from the work. Afterwards, we can begin to look to more creative ways to self-critique.
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosopher
Ways of Self-Critique:
Here are some suggestions (and I apologize again making another list but it is the simplest way to present options). Some are more technical while others are more ethereal:
1) Look at your work from a different perspective. Flip the horizontal (or use a mirror). Or look at it from a distance. If you’re an animator, check other camera views: perspective, side, front and top views. Consider changing the lighting/rendering to silhouete or toon shade option. Flaws in work are often revealed this way with striking obviousness.
2) Look at it as if it’s not yours. Does it make any sense if you didn’t know the vision, story or ideas involved? Never forget that your default state is that you know what it’s about and that this knowledge blinds you to seeing the truth. Breakdown aspects of it and critique that element exclusively and objectively as possible. For example, if animating dialogue, take the sound away and just look at the images and movement. Does the acting still read?
3) Go thru the checklists. Does it meet your goals and all the requirements you need to make it work? Does it hit all the director’s notes/concerns? Did you ACE the shot? And what about the flaws? Has the checklist of errors — and you should always make one for each shot — been addressed?
4) Compare your work to something similar (in style or idea) that is really good. How does your work hold up next to it? How does it compare to that of your colleagues who consistently do good work? Consider also comparing it to the works of old masters. This has been a time-tested method for artists who would become new masters in their own era. When I joined the 3D animation world, there were few if any established 3D animators of note. Besides pushing each other, me and most of my colleagues had to compare our work with the higher standards of long-established classical 2D masters. Time-tested art is often far superior to that of contemporary work and trendy tastes.
5) Compare your work to your older work. When it comes to development, nothing is as important. There should be marked improvement. If there hasn’t been, again, ask why? When this happens, the problems are usually more deep-seated and possibly environment-induced — seek professional coaching advice if so. Bad thinking not only inhibits growth, it can reverse it. Otherwise, if you’re better today than you were yesterday, you’re off to a good start.
Conclusion:
It’s important to self-assess. To do good art requires honest reflection on the work and ourselves personally. It’s not about ambition or even about getting better. It’s far simpler than that. It’s the acknowledgement of the present, where we are and where our art stands. If we make mistakes and learn from them, it’s a good day. Then we move on to the next piece, idea or dream. We keep working.
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” ― Søren Kierkegaard, Philosopher