How to Critique Your Sketches

How to critique your sketches

Assessment is part of designing. A designer needs to determine the value or significance of what he or she has created. In design, there is a bottom line: design must communicate an intended message to an audience, usually a mass audience. For this reason, it is imperative that a designer’s work is on track, intelligible, and communicative. Here are six simple critique checkpoints to follow 

1. 

Define the problem.

•  Restate the problem in your own words. Namely, what are you being asked to do? 

•  Did you solve the problem? 

•  Did you go astray? If so, how and you get back on track? 

•  What is your concept(s)?

•  Explain how you solved the problem.

2. 
How many sketches did you complete?

Try to push your ideas. Perhaps your first sketch in intelligent; however, the point of doing many sketches is to push you design-mind further — to stretch your imagination and problem-solving capabilities. There is always more than one great solution. 

3. 
Are your sketches clear enough for someone else to be able to “read” them? 

Thumbnail sketches are crude indications of your visual ideas. The key word is visual. A sketch isn’t a finish/ although, it should have enough visual information — be delineated clearly enough — for someone else to know what you mean, to visually interpret it. 

4. 
Did you explore the possibilities? 

Do you have more than one idea or are your sketches variations on one answer?

It is absolutely plays to have more than one idea. In practical terms, if this were a real job, the client may not like your one idea and then you would be stuck without a backup solution. Besides, it’s challenging to push oneself to come up with many ideas. 

5. 
Are you design sketches visually interesting? 

Would your design capture someone’s attention and hold it long enough to communicate the intended message? 

Creating graphic impact is necessary. Graphic impact is achieved when the elements and principles of the design language are utilized and serve the design concept. Graphic impact can be loud or soft, classic or unconventional. Ask yourself: Is the design compelling?