How are you supposed to judge artwork?

marks

Really, what the hell are you supposed to look for? I've been invited to sit on the jury for the BAFTA (british acadamy of film & television) videogame award for artistic achievement, and I'm totally lost (this is either really good, or really, really bad).

It brings up a lot of very interesting questions that I'm not satisfied with my own opinions on, let alone objectively answering them. I mean ... what is art? How do you define artistic achievement? What is the yardstick that we are expected to use as artists to measure what is "good art" and what is "bad art" ? Is it even possible to categorise art that broadly (or at all)? Surely whatever I decide on is going to be completely subjective anyway?

What games do you think had great art - and why? What do you think constitutes an artistic achievement?
Discuss.

Dylan Brady

I think an art historian might tell you that great art immediately moves you, and says something to the viewer.
that can be hard to quantify, I know for me sometimes art that I love doesn't have a specific statement or metaphor, but just looks fucking awesome.
I used to hate that word awesome, it seemed like such a cop out. but you really have to take the awesomeness factor into account when judging art also.

sooo... either its important, or awesome, and if its neither. too me its bad art.

mLichy

It has to catch my eye/be appealing within .5 seconds to 1 second sometimes less or more. I scroll pages quickly, and can tell within that second or less if I like it.

marks

Just because you don't like it, doesnt mean that 99% of everyone else doesnt fucking love it.
edit: hell, I don't like picasso's work - thats not to say it isnt amazing.

TortillaChips

I'd say it'd be incredibly hard without getting input from many others. I wouldn't have thought about it being down to whether it moves you immediately, but sure that'd sway a decision for sure. I'd look for technical stuff, and something that looks like it took an immense amount of time always impresses me, but I know people complain about things being too busy or cluttered. I don't really have the experience to answer this.

JacqueChoi

Easiest one to comment on is is technical merit.


With our ADD/Screen Addicted generation, it has to be something that makes an immediate visually memorable impact within 1 second. Subtlety doesn't work well with gamers.

Calabi

I dont think you can decide this objectively. You can decide the quality of the art objectively I guess, but most people can do competent art, especially in mainstream games.

Games I've think have great art, Rock of Ages, for the use of monty python elements.

Trine 2 because its simply gorgeous.

The best way is to just go with your gut when judging. But the thing to remember is whatever choice you make it will be wrong(according to the audience).

MadnessImport

When i see an amazing piece of artwork i begin to cry a bit, i feel inspired to remake or mimic there work or better myself, then comes the fancrazed compliment flood.

After that i for some reason look very closely for flaws and what could have been done better even though i don't want to it just happens.
Then i sit back and explain the flaws and what could have been changed to uplift the work to myself.

Example
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2011/02/zelda25.jpg
To a die hard fan like myself one would think this is perfect in every way, flawless and beautiful. But after a good long stare you'll start to Judge/critic it without thinking. At least i do anyway
Its always a matter of opinion anyway

crazyfingers

Replace art with craft and it's far easier to judge.

Joseph Silverman

is it meaningful? Is it mechanically and philosophically well executed?

MagicSugar

To further add to the discussion, good and bad qualities can co-exist and still be profitable for the artist.

PROOF:

d1ver

Hey, buddy, congratulations on quite an honor!
It's a really, really good thing. It also is a great chance to help great games get even more recognition, that they deserve so much.
First of all don't get to caught up in trying to be objective - that's why they have a lot of judges, because they expect them to have different opinions. It's totally ok to have your own personal preference even though you can't quite explain it. That's what games do their audience:)

Also I'm sorry for some shameless self promotion, but I thought, this might come in handy: http://artisaverb.info/Purpose.html

Best of luck! I'm sure you'll make an awesome judge;)

marks

d1ver that was an interesting read, thanks