Why Critical Thinking is an Important Skill for Artists
- Leia Emeera
- Jul 22, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 2
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What is Critical Thinking?
In simpler words, critical thinking in art means using reasoning to make decisions on what to create and how to express ideas through art. Artists usually engage in critical thinking when they reflect on the meaning behind their work and decide how best to convey their message to the audience. It also involves applying concepts thoughtfully to evaluate and shape the meaning of their art.
To quote Michael Scriven and Richard Paul (2003), critical thinking can be defined as “the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analysing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”
Essentially, it shapes the way you approach and do certain things. It is suggested that critical thinking is not natural but rather a discipline. Therefore, with time and effort, it can be learned and practised.
The Role of Critical Thinking in Creative Project Management
To address the main topic at hand—where does critical thinking come into play within creative project management?
Projects aren’t always linear, and often you must consider varying factors, tangible or intangible; predictable or unpredictable. Which can be a difficult task in a world as abstract as art.
Therefore, artists should apply critical thinking to make methodological guesses and thoughtful deductions, to best predict the possibilities or “hiccups” you may encounter throughout your project timeline. Besides that, by using rational thought processes, you’re able to come up with efficient solutions quicker.
More specifically, here are other ways conceptual and critical thinking is used within creative project management:
Effective Communication: People have personal biases, which is something not even the best critical thinkers are exempt from. Therefore, we should be clear and concise in our speech to ensure that what we say is not ambiguous. There should be little room for interpretation if, for example, a client your team is working with, explicitly asks for something specific in terms of artistic reasoning and direction.
Research and Analysis: Data gathered should be relevant and precise, so decisions made throughout are well-informed. In an era of digital misinformation, critical thinking helps with distinguishing fact from fiction. Gaining meaningful insight into your research can significantly enrich your art, which simultaneously aids in avoiding major risks or issues and can help you with creative problem-solving.
Evaluation and Feedback: This is a critical part of project management. It ensures that the work produced stays in line with the artistic visions planned and allows for any problems to be addressed. Evaluation and feedback must be done critically—avoid applying your own personal biases and think objectively, for the creative project’s best interest.
How Artists Have a Natural Advantage in Critical Thinking
Frankly, critical thinking can be hard to fully utilise, it takes time and experience. Before we head onto how you can develop critical thinking skills, did you know that being an artist gives you a competitive edge in practising it? Yes, artists often develop critical thinking skills through their craft. Here’s why:
Enhanced Observation
As an artist, you are likely to have sharper observational skills than most. Your craft requires you to carefully examine your subjects or your piece by analysing details, patterns, and perspectives to ensure you create an optimal result—this translates well to critical thinking.
Not all the facts will fall into your hands. More often than not, you may be required to gather information yourself, especially when a topic is as abstract and broad as art can be. To do so, artists tend to take time to observe things and to ensure they have maintained situational awareness and taken note of social cues or minor changes in a body of work.
Observational skills also aid in the communicative aspects of critical thinking. Before sharing your feedback, you should observe both the art and the artist to settle the communication approach. Then, your notes should be accurate, detailed, and critical to ensure that your observations are delivered effectively.
Embedded Creativity
Artists are creative—there is no way around it. Whether this be a practised skill or an innate trait of yours, it’s a definite card under your belt. And critical thinking calls for creativity.
The conclusions you come to are not picked out of a set box, rather they are special to the context of the situation. When you pick apart a piece of art, promptly, you start analysing and interpreting it.
This is not dissimilar to a situation where critical thinking needs to be used. Creative problem-solving and innovation are ingrained in the process. If this stays as constant practice, you'd learn to approach communication from thorough thought processes before forming a final point of view or aesthetic judgment.
Adaptability and Versatile Skills
Art is not limited to a singular form or medium. Even if you may have focused on a specific expertise, you have likely dabbled in various other types of art. This teaches you two important factors of critical thinking—adaptability and keeping an open mind.
It is important that you have considered numerous factors and possibilities before you come to a certain conclusion, and in doing so, your plans should have buffer space for any sudden change in factors.
How to Develop and Strengthen Critical Thinking as an Artist
Storytelling
Whether it be through clay, paint, or pastel, depict a story through your art, if you haven’t been doing so already. While it’s important to do so while keeping personal aesthetics and methods, it is crucial that each stroke is intentional. Give meaning to your art, and you learn to think and act with purpose. This helps with communication; if you can convey a story through your art, it’s likely that your speech can do the same.
Analytical Thinking
Take a piece or two and make careful observations. Whether analysing the piece in its historical or biographical context or simply conducting a comparative visual analysis, ask questions and seek answers.
For example, inquire about what you think is going on in a piece, and why you think so. Be specific in your personal inquisitions, because analysis translates well into the craft of critical thinking.
Reflection & Self-Evaluation
Take a step back and reflect on the pieces you have created. Why did you create it, why did you choose a particular colour, and what could you have done differently? If you can critique yourself without bias or unnecessary criticism, providing feedback to others through critical thinking becomes effortless.
Conclusion
Critical thinking comes in handy in many, if not all, situations—and if it can be applied to your project management needs, what is stopping you? Ensure the best outcome to the work you and your creative team have put their backs into by planning and thinking critically.
About TESSR
TESSR is dedicated to empowering animation studios, creatives, artists, and animators to streamline their projects, processes, and teams seamlessly. By offering real-time communication, task assignment, and collaboration tools, TESSR enables creative professionals to focus on producing outstanding results.
Our mission is to transform project management in the creative industry, by fostering a culture of collaboration and prioritising people at the heart of every process. We believe that successful teamwork stems from a supportive and people-centric approach, to ensure both our clients and teams thrive. We are here to inspire creativity, nurture effective collaboration, and drive success, helping creative professionals achieve their best work together.
Author Bio
From Malaysia, Leia Emeera is a writer at TESSR, and a published author. She has been putting pen to paper ever since she learned how to, and has an anthology to her name, titled 'Ten'. Leia loves music, games and her beloved Labrador retriever, George. She aims to further her studies in English Literature and Creative Writing the moment her gap year ends. 'Till then, you will find her sitting behind a desk, writing with TESSR.
Connect with her on LinkedIn: Leia Emeera
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