How to Compliment Someone’s Art: 15 Kind Things to Say (2024)

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Co-authored byHunter RisingReviewed bySeth Hall

Last Updated: April 13, 2024Fact Checked

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1. Artists want to know that their work stands out from the crowd. An artist wants other people to connect with their work, so they’ll love hearing that their piece caught your attention.

   • “I saw this from across the gallery and knew I needed to get a closer look.”
   • “This caught my eye on my feed and I just had to stop scrolling to see.”

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1. Even a short, simple compliment can go a long way. When you’re at a loss for anything else to say, an artist will still love hearing that you like how their piece looks. Other simple words you can use to describe their art could be:

   • Fantastic
   • Extraordinary
   • Outstanding
   • Masterful

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1. Artists love when you appreciate the effort they put into their work. The artist spent a lot of time designing and finishing the piece even if it looks effortless. Recognize their talents and perseverance going through the process to make them feel proud of what they accomplished.^[1]

   • “I’m so proud of how much you’ve worked on this!”
   • “You can really see how much care you’ve taken while painting this piece.”

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1. An artist will love hearing that their work makes you happy. If you always enjoy seeing the new pieces that the artist puts out, share your excitement with them. They’ll appreciate that they have a fan that will always like and support what they’re putting out.

   • “I get such a thrill whenever I see a new piece of yours in my feed.”
   • “I can’t stop smiling when I see your work. Great job!”

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1. Calling out the specific details shows you’ve given the piece a lot of thought. Take a moment to really sit with the art so you can focus on the techniques they used, like line, color, tone, and movement. Mention the different components of the piece that you appreciated so the artist knows you’ve sat with their work for a little while.^[2]

   • Words to describe color: cool, vibrant, vivid
   • Words to describe line: flowing, delicate, bold
   • Words to describe tone: dramatic, deep, subtle
   • Words to describe movement: rhythmic, rippling, flowing

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1. An emotional response shows the artist that their work is meaningful to you. Artists want to create pieces that express their feelings to hopefully connect with other people. If the piece puts you in a specific mood, try starting a compliment with, “This piece makes me feel…” before talking about the emotions that it brings up. ^[3]

   • “The colors in this painting make me feel at peace.”
   • “Your art makes me feel like I’ve been dropped into the scene and can’t look away.”

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1. The artist will love hearing that their art conveys their mood and feelings. Artists can feel a little vulnerable sharing their art because it’s so personal to them, but saying that it shows through their work makes them feel more comfortable.

   • “I can tell you were really trying to capture how tranquil this scene is.”
   • “Your linework has such an energy that makes the drawing leap off the page!”

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1. An artist will love that you want to dig deeper into their inspirations. Artists create their work to express a deeper meaning, so let them know that you want to understand the piece better. They’ll be excited that you’re showing an interest and be excited to talk about what led them to make their work.^[4]

   • “I’m so curious where you got your inspiration. Can you tell me more about it?”
   • “It feels like this piece symbolizes a lot of social issues. I’d love to hear your thoughts on them.”

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1. Comparing their work to a famous artist makes them feel accomplished. If you know which artists inspired the person’s style, mention a few of them by name. The artist will be impressed that you recognized the techniques or styles that they borrowed and feel like they nailed what they were trying to achieve.

   • “You’re a modern master of painting!”
   • “If you would have told me this was a van Gogh, I would have believed you!”

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1. It means a lot to an artist when you say they have a unique style. Telling the artist that you recognized their piece as theirs shows that you’ve spent time getting to know their work. Even if their piece is completely new and original, mention how you noticed some techniques carried over from the artist’s past work.

   • This works best if you’re close friends with the artist or if you’ve followed them for a long time.

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1. Mentioning the piece is their best work lets the artist know they’ve improved. If you’ve been following the artist for a little while, talk about how the piece compares to their past work. The artist will love hearing that you’ve seen their skills grow and improve over time, and they’ll stay motivated to keep creating more.^[5]

   • “You’re really hitting your stride.”
   • “You only keep getting better at your craft!”

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1. The artist will love hearing that you're finding new details to appreciate. The longer you sit with a piece of art, the more little things you’ll notice. You may recognize beautiful brushstrokes or mark-making, thematic elements, or pops of color in the background you missed at first glance that keep you coming back for more.

   • “There are so many little things I haven’t even discovered in this painting!”
   • “The closer I look at this piece, the more I’m mesmerized by it."

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1. You’ll inspire the artist to keep creating more artwork. A future-focused compliment shows that you’re eager to keep following the person on their artistic journey. The artist will feel like they have a new fan who’s always looking forward to what they have to share.^[6]

   • “You’re going to have such a big future if you keep drawing like that.”
   • “I can’t wait to see what else you’ve been working on.”

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1. Artists appreciate when you want to share their art with more people. Word of mouth is one of the best ways for an artist to get new fans, so they’ll love hearing that you want to talk about their art with your friends.

   • If you’re complimenting art on social media, tag your friend in a comment so they see the artist’s post.

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1. The artist will be flattered that you want to display and support their work. If you’re so attached to a piece you saw, make an offer to buy the artist’s work. They’ll love that you’re seriously into their style and want them to keep creating.

   • Make sure you can actually afford the piece before you make an offer since artwork can be a little expensive.

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