Ugly Painting?

I would try to be honest, but nice at the same time. Every artist needs to learn to take criticism, but it doesn't mean that they don't have feelings. And even if I did think it was ugly, I'm sure I could find something nice to say about it. If you can say something nice too, then saying something bad about it won't be so rough.

It would depend on the artist and the situation. Actually, being told that a work is ugly is a POSITIVE reaction - sometimes more telling than being told that someone 'likes' a painting. Art is not always there to be 'liked'. It is there to move and sometimes to disturb. It is there to make one think and remember and connect. Not all art touches everyone and some people will completely pass over a painting that others will stand for minutes in front of - and often return to stand for more minutes. Thinking back to pictures I have seen, they have either 'done something for me' or not. Often I don't realise until I have left the gallery and one or more of the works comes to mind unbidden - even ones which I thought ugly. If the artist were there and there were no way out of commenting on his paintings, I would probably either pick out and comment on those that I liked better or, if pressed, I would say that it 'did nothing for me' (if it didn't). In other circumstances (if I thought all of his work ugly, perhaps, or if he was clearly a competent and established artist), I might ask what was the story behind the painting.

You bet. I'll say the painting is ugly and say why I think so. Yes, I want to talk to the painter. They might just have a view that I'm completely blind to. Who knows, after our talk, I might see why the painting really is beautiful!!

I think that it depends on the painting. If you can tell that the painting is supposed to look like something I probably wouldn't insult it. But, if the painting was one of those ones that looked like the artist just threw the paint at the canvas, I would definitely tell them that the painting was ugly because it doesn't even look like art.

Honesty is the best policy in my opinion. Most people appreciate being told someone's honest feelings about something. While they may not want to hear what you have to say, it may still be possible to learn from it. Besides, two people can look at a painting and see different things. Not everyone will like everything all the time.