What is the proper amount of time to look at a painting?

Question

( if there was such a thing as proper amount of time )

I heard the average person does not give it more then 6 seconds to most artist's dismay!

Answer 1

there are thousands of answers to this question.

Answer 2

I study Art History and there's no proper amount of time in which to view. Just a proper way of viewing. I always view works through an adjustable frame of grey card until I can see nothing but the work, no frame, no wall, just the painting. It's like opening your eyes for the first time. The clarity is superb as your peripheral vision is not picking up any distractions.

Also try and consider the works that the artist put into his creation,perhaps a little background history etc.

You don't have to like all art, I happen to hate modern art but art demands to be seen whether you like it or not and the least you can do is consider it before coming to a decision about it.

The golden rules, view properly, consider the creation/background and then decide if you like it!!

Answer 3

Depends on how much time you have to spend upon said painting and how the painting speaks to you. When I paint something, or view the works of others I let myself go into it and be open to different aspects of it and it just takes me in a place where my soul rests. My most favor'd topic of art is portraits of the old Masters and important to me is the 'feeling' of the subject and the emotion that is expressed. My eyes dance between the soul of the painting and the background, foreground, picking up the detail that forms the whole. Then I might walk very closely to the work and 'study' how the Artist transitioned objects next to eachother, used shading, technique, tone, etc. I only give 6 seconds to work I do not like...otherwise if I like something and I am in a museum setting I will take advantage of the benches and drink them in. At the end of the tour I go back to my favorites and study them in greater depth, trying to make an imprint upon my mind to remember them by.

Answer 4

There is not a proper amount of time - or times - to look at a painting. Some paintings do not catch your attention. Some you can look at forever. Some you can only look at once, others you would like to look at many many times and each time you can find something new in them.

Looking is not the same as seeing. We do not always see when we look. Just as we don't always listen when we hear.

Don't fret, you just look at that painting until you see what the artist intended you to see. Do not set a limit to your seeing and your listening.

Good luck, God Speed!

Lourdes

Answer 5

An artist spends hours of time and energy to produce a work that will sometimes only get 6 seconds of attention. If the artist is present...then that is almost a smack in the face - if the artist is not... then who's watching? Maybe give the art a chance is all..there is no set time. :-) It's a matter of etiquette I suppose.

Answer 6

Take as long as you like.
Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Some folks can look for about 6 seconds... others can look at the same painting for years and see something different each time.

Answer 7

There is no proper amount of time to look at a painting. You can look at it for as long as it takes for you to study it and enjoy it.
Average time constraints are useful for testing the effectivity of visual communication pieces used in advertisement.

Answer 8

depends on where I am And whos looking at me lloking at the painting.
If it catches my eye more than 6 seconds.
I once sat and looked at a painting for......20 minutes in a museum.
In my home, years.

Answer 9

as long as you want....for me, it depends on the work. if i look at it and it sucks in my opinion, i have no reason to look any further. if its an amazing painting, i can start for 10 minutes straight.

Answer 10

Look until you see.

Answer 11

There isn't one.Look and Look and Look all that you want.