Giving constructive feedback can be a difficult thing to learn as a creative student. It's easy to feel hurtful if you tell someone you don't like something about their work, especially if that someone doesn't take constructive feedback well. But if you just skip over telling them what you really think by being a good 'friend', then you're not really being a friend. 'Good work' doesn't really have a definition. Since creative work is opinion based it's pretty much impossible to create something everyone on the planet will like. In my time as a design student I've noticed a lot of people just responding "I like it" or "It looks good" rather than searching for something constructive. This is not helpful feedback! especially in the beginning stages of a project. Combining different people's views is the only way to find a balance, if you lean too far in one direction you're probably going to fall off balance. However this post isn't about taking feedback, it's about having the guts to give some. Be the friend that other's come to for advice on their work, be the friend who's opinion is trustworthy. You will be valued as a true friend if you stop pretending that being friendly simply means to be nice. |