The Development of Artique - Independent Artists and Online Art Criticism

Learning art online breaks the geographical barriers and frontiers between art students, artists, galleries, and museums. Studio critique can now be performed beyond the brick walls of a physical room through the virtual platform. This research studies on the impact of art criticism in an online gallery for independent artists which was developed through the design and development method (DDR) while Visual Culture Model was employed for Phase One in the Needs Analysis. The positive feedback obtained from five independent artists who participated in the research revealed that it is common for artists to use social networking sites as avenues for art criticism. The use of social networking sites is common among artists and regarded as valuable in their field. The respondents are supportive in the development of an online group for art criticism that could fortify their creativity and ultimately their artworks. Hence, the findings of the interview suggest that a social networking site like ARTIQUE would be a progressive platform for artists’ professional development.