Kathie Karancz wrote:...why do I have this feeling that when I finally show you guys my first piece, it better be right, or I will be judged?? Is that just me feeling insecure, or do other people feel it too?? I think I need a shrink....
My advice would to be to skip the public critique on the forums. It's scary to be critiqued, and to be honest this isn't the best place for it. You may get criticism that isn't valid from someone who isn't capable of offering a constructive critique. You could be shot down, or be told how fabuous the work is and you wont learn a thing. Typically you don't know that the person giving the critique on the forums is even qualified. A poorly crafted critique is as harmful as unwarranted praise.
A constructive critique isn't about praise, it's about learning...and learning includes finding out about what is strong as well as what is weak in your work. A constructive critique should be offered with formal observations and geared toward making you push toward creating better work. It should be full of questions that drive you toward thinking about your work critically as well as pointing out what is weak and what is strong in your work, and why. A good critique tells you where your strengths are as well as your weaknesses. If you don't see the whole picture, you won't be able to learn how to look critically at your own work.
Only ask for a critique if you are interested in moving your work forward, rather than seeking praise. But also be sure you ask someone you know has the skills and ability to provide you with a valid critique to teach you through the process. When you post your work on the forums for input, it becomes a free for all and that doesn't usually provide you the information you need.
I feel that work is always a process that you aren't finished with until you are finished. Catharine speaks of putting her piece in the kiln for the twentieth time. If she works at all like I do, she is looking critically at her work every time she fires to see where she needs to strengthen the image, if it is getting muddy or lines are getting lost. Maybe the composition needs a little tweaking. Depth of field is wrong...whatever...it is a form of self critique that is a skill that can be developed along with cold working and firing schedules.
Wanting a crit should come from the desire to improve your work, and part of that is being willing to hear when something about the work isn't succeeding and why, just as much as you want to hear that the work is a success.