Am I an artist? 

"I guess no because I don't understand a thing when looking at a piece of art." That was the answer I gave myself every time I entered a museum.

Does that mean I was insecure? Well, not exactly. I was overwhelmed. So many techniques, periods, movements, and terms made me feel sick and weak.

Art is hard! I didn't study art history or anything related, but I wanted to enjoy random sculptures and artworks.

Then I thought, "that had to change." I needed a guide easy to read, but I wanted to create it from scratch.

One day, I took my laptop, a bunch of white sheets and started asking questions to myself. Yes, from the basics like: 

• What is this? 
• What do you represent? 
• How many people painted you?
• What is the title? 

Then, I questioned myself about the moment being there (in the Museum or Gallery). This is what I found:

• Do the shoes I use when visiting influence my experience? 
• Should I know the artist beforehand?
• Can I be disrespectful with this artwork?
  
• How do I read this painting, from left to right?
   

After three months of looking for answers throughout books, libraries, online, and museums, the following prompts were born.

Next mission? Share them with all of you. Here you have a wonderful PDF (it's free) where you can find them all.

Use them! I challenge you. Let me know if they helped you!

Here you can take a look at the actual process, notes, and my little notebook.

Can't you download the PDF?

Don't worry; here you have all the prompts to Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V them.

1. What is it? What is this made of? Materials. (Saying: "I don't know" is also valid.)

2. How was it made? Was it made by hand? Was part of the process automated or entrusted to a fabricator? Does that bother you a little? What choices were made to get the result in front of you? Am I the target audience? How many people painted it?

3. How is it presented? Is it framed or not? Where is it placed in the museum? Is it behind glass? And how does that change the way you look at it? How might you present it differently if you were in charge of it?

Remember to respond to every question, in a low voice or in your mind.

4. What is the title? Figure it out by yourself. Does it help you understand the work? If the title is not helpful or there's no title at all. What would you title it?

5. What's the context? How does the art relate to what's in the room around it? And to the world outside of it? Any color in particular in the room or any paint on the frames chosen? How many colors are in this piece of art? 

6. Consider bias. How does it impact your read to know the artist's gender, nationality (country they were born in), or birth year? What puts you off about this piece of art? Tip: Study the artist, movement they were in, and language they spoke. 

7. How is it read? From left to right? From top to bottom? Are there people? If yes, how many? Where are the people looking at? How many patterns can I find? Do you see any photographic rule (like the 3x3 grid)?

8. Ask this to the painting: What do you represent? What did the artist think when they created you? Why are you in this place and not in another museum? Are you taking my energy away, or are you inspiring me?

9. Give thanks. If you have already read all the questions. The painting is now part of you. Say thanks to it and to the artist.

Do you have any feedback to give? 

I'm wide open to listening to it.

Reach me on LinkedIn, and Behance: @castacu0 or send me an email to the following address: cesar.castanon.a@gmail.com

Looking for something else to read? Check out my latest blog. ✍