What is a Crit-ism?

During a critique, those participating can say some really obscure things. Sometimes it is lack of sleep or ego, other times the piece of art in discussion is so outrageous and edgy a normal comment or descriptive word just wouldn't do. This page of "crit-isms" hopes to capture those art and design school moments.

CritQuotes

Profound statements made during critiques from professors, students, guest critics, and others.

CritCode

Design lingo used in critiques so often that you begin to forget the definition.
Type * CritQuote CritCode
Entry *
Name * (first name, last initial)
College *
Course
  * denotes required fields

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Submitted CritQuotes

"You're exceptionally attractive, so I'm going to talk some bullshit about how wonderful your creative vision is, but will fail to mention that you completely ripped off everything you saw in the Tate Modern on your semester abroad in London. Please don't read between the lines, but your art sucks - you'll still probably go far."
Josh M. (Skidmore)
"Those flanges look like shit."
Raj A. (UC Berkeley)
"How it is, what it is, is what it is."
Joe G. (RISD)
"This is a caricature of an emerging indiocy in humans."
Donald P. (Seneca College Toronto)
"Your color sense is raw."
Patt W. (GSU)
"Designer's are here to just draw smooth edges of our products."
Brian C. (MIT)
"I've worked with a bench pin that's more of a designer than you are."
Nyein C. (University of Technology Sydney)
"You should burn this [pause] I mean I don't want to see this reincarnated. I don't want to see this brought back to life. Just burn it."
Kelly B. (West Virginia University)
"I wish I had a dog so I could go home and kick it." (Said by Graphic Design prof. after being upset with students work)
Jeff D. (Old Dominion University)
"That color palette is so dark, it makes me want to slit my wrists."
Mitch P. (ECU SOaD)
"You are a god [pause] a goddamn idiot."
Tom D. (MIAD)
"This is basiclly the worst application of paint I have ever seen on paper..."
Tyler W. (Rochester Institute of Technology)
"You think that looks appetizing? Maybe you should take up a job in drycleaning!"
Meredith W. (SCAD)
"Nostalgia is a liar."
Dietmar W. (University of Illinois)
"Looks like a serial killer's crawlspace". (In reference to a student's still life)
Carolyn C. (UCLArts)
"You should be a writer" - said to me after my freshman drawing teacher did my numerology chart.
Geoffrey N. (RISD)
"Your work is really conceptually shallow." (this followed a one hour discussion on the concept of, yes, hot sauce)
Kelly S. (SCAD)
"I don't want to imply anything, or burst your bubble. But there is a very obvious vagina in the center of your composition and I think everyone sees it but you."
Loren W. (RISD)
"You could have blown your nose on this and it would have looked better."
Ash A. (SCAD)
"This isn't worth the paper it's printed on."
Henry J. (Carnegie Mellon School of Design)
"I cut myself with the x-acto while doing this, and I decided to incorporate my blood into the design. I think it turned out well."
Maristella G. (SCAD)
"Now we are going to burn all the work you did all summer; you will learn to detach from your art... say what!!!???"
Marivi G. (RISD)
"There is a difference between plagerism and appropriation...who can tell me the difference?"
Corinne M. (RISD)
"So what drugs made this alright?"
Joe G. (RISD) 2-D Design

Submitted CritCode

Didactic
Angela S. (U of Colorado at Boulder)
Paradigm
Erin W. (USC)
Techtonically
Andrew T. (RISD)
Vernacular
Emily F. (West Virginia University)
Modernity
Andy H. (Kansas City Art Institute)
Postmodern
Josh M. (Skidmore)
Synergy
Ian H. (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee)
Rectilinear
Patt W. (GSU)
Juxtaposition
Nathalie W. (MICA)
Stylized
Whitney W. (University of N. Texas)
Modularity
Jason Q. (Georgia Tech)
Geometricize
Luis A. (RISD)
Quintessential
Joe G. (RISD)