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How to Cold Read Any Artwork with 4 Questions
When taking a look at artwork for the first time, most people can only tell if they like something or not, and don’t even know why. At the end of the day, anything you say about the artwork says more about you than the artwork itself, so you just need to know what buttons the artwork is pushing in you.
1. What’s your Gut Reaction?
Our first impressions are often just as accurate as ones we mull over because our subconscious processes more information than our conscious mind does. Malcom Gladwell calls this thin-slicing. Trust your gut!
2. Where does your eye stick? What do you notice?
Sometimes an incongruity will make your eye stop to figure out what’s happening. Or it may be the focal point, in which case the artist has carefully directed your focus successfully.
3. What does it remind you of?
This is where people get stuck- they think this is where they need an encyclopedic knowledge of art history, when in reality, these kind of free associations tell the artist if the artwork is communicating it’s purpose. If it’s supposed to remind you of delicious pies, like Wayne Thiebaud, that’s great. If it really reminds you of Fisher Price foo.
4. What materials were used? How was it made?
The materials can say as much about an artwork as the subject matter does- just like being able to tell the difference between a book and a magazine will tell you what kind of reading material you’re getting.
These four simple questions will endear you to all artists, as honest opinions are far more valuable than blanket praise. You will be able to talk knowledgeable about artwork you own, and give a cold read that’s well-articulated for any piece of artwork.