15 ways to compliment a piece of art

Looking for something perfect to compliment when viewing a beautiful work of art? If you really love an artist’s work and want to encourage them, give them a sincere compliment – they’ll be happy. You can simply call an artist “talented,” but there are many other meaningful compliments that will help keep them inspired to keep writing!

Table of Contents

“I was drawn to this painting from the very beginning.”

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Artists want to know that their work stands out from the crowd. They want their work to connect with viewers, so they’ll love to know you’re paying attention to their work.

“I saw this painting while standing across the gallery and had to take a closer look.”
“I came across this picture on the bulletin board and had to stop to see it.”

“This work is gorgeous.”

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Even a short and simple compliment can be effective. When you’re confused about what to say, artists still love to be told how much you like their work. You can also use other simple words to describe a work of art, such as:

Marvelous
Excellent
Outstanding
Excellent

“Seeing this work, I know you put a lot of effort into it!”

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Artists will appreciate it when you appreciate the effort they put into their work. The artist spent a lot of time designing and perfecting their work, even when it looked easy. Acknowledge their talent and perseverance throughout the writing process so that they feel proud of their achievement. ^{[1] X Research Source}

“I really admire the effort you put into this piece!”
“I can see how much care you put into this painting.”

“Every time I see your paintings, I am very happy.”

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That artist will be happy to know that their work brings joy to the viewer. If you always enjoy every time you see the artist’s paintings, share with them your excitement. They will be grateful to know that they have a fan who loves and supports their newly released works.

“I get excited every time I see a new picture of you on my feed.”
“I keep smiling the whole time when I look at your paintings. Great!”

“I love your use of color in this painting.”

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Comments on small details show that you are very attentive to their work. Take time to look at the work and focus on the techniques they use, such as lines, colors, shades and movement. Mention different elements of your work that you appreciate so that the artist knows you’ve looked closely at their work. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Color description words: cool, vibrant, vivid
Line description words: smooth, delicate, bold
Words to describe the nuance: intense, deep, fanciful
Words describing movement: rhythmic, moving, fluid

“Your style evokes a lot of emotions.”

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An emotional response will let the artist know how much their work means to you. Artists aspire to create works that express their emotions in hopes of connecting with viewers. If their work evokes a certain emotion in you, try starting the compliment with “this work makes me feel…” before talking about the feelings it evoked. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

“The colors in this painting give me a sense of peace.”
“Your paintings make me feel like I’m immersed in the scene and can’t take my eyes off it.”

“This piece is very inspiring.”

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The artist will love hearing that their work conveys their mood and emotions. Artists may feel a little shy about sharing their work because it’s so private, but they’ll be more comfortable hearing you say their work captures it.

“I can see you have tried to capture the peaceful atmosphere of the scene.”
“The lines in the picture are so vivid that they seem to come out of the frame!”

“I want to know what inspired your work.”

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Artists will be happy you want to dig deeper into their inspirations. Artists create works to express a deeper meaning, so let them know that you want to know more about their work. They will be excited to see that you care and will be excited to talk about the inspiration that helped them create the piece. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

“I’m curious where you get your inspiration from. Can you tell me more about that?”
“I feel like this piece symbolizes many social issues. I’d love to hear your thoughts on those issues.”

“Your paintings remind me of Picasso!”

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Comparing their painting with a masterpiece by a famous artist will give them a sense of accomplishment. If you know of artists who inspired an author’s style, mention the names of a few of them. They’ll be impressed to see you recognize the techniques or styles they’ve borrowed and feel like they’ve succeeded in expressing what they want to achieve.

“You are a genius of modern painting!”
“If you told me this was a van Gogh painting, I would believe it!”

“Looking at this work, I know it’s yours!”

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Complimenting an artist with a unique style means a lot to them. When you say you recognize them as the author, you’re also implicitly letting them know you’ve spent time researching their work. Even if it’s brand new work, you can let them know that you recognize techniques they’ve used in previous works.

This compliment works best when you are close friends with the artist or have been following them for a long time.

“This is your most impressive work ever!”

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To say that this is their best work implies that they are making progress. If you’ve been following the artist for a while, you can compare the work on display with their previous work. They’ll be happy to know you’ve noticed their skills improve over time, and they’ll stay motivated to keep composing. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

“You’ve taken a big step forward.”
“Your works are getting more beautiful every day!”

“Every time I see this painting, I discover something new to love.”

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The artist will love to hear that you are looking for new details in their work. The longer you look, the more you will notice the spots that you love. You may spot fine brush strokes, imprints, thematic elements, or subtle splashes of color in the background that you didn’t see at first and want to revisit.

“There are so many small details that I haven’t discovered yet in this picture!”
“The more I look at the painting, the more captivating it becomes.”

“I can’t wait to see your new work.”

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You will inspire the artist to keep creating. A future-focused compliment shows that you’re excited to continue following their art-making journey. The artist will feel like they have a new fan waiting for the works they will share. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

“You will have a bright future if you keep drawing like that.”
“I look forward to seeing the work you are creating.”

“I would highly recommend your work to my friends.”

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Artists will appreciate it when you want to share their work with others. Word of mouth recommendations are one of the most effective ways for an artist to gain fans, so they’ll be delighted to hear that you want to tell your friends about their work.

If you’re complimenting a painting on social media, tag your friends in the comments so they can see the artist’s post.

“My house has the perfect spot to hang this picture. Are your paintings for sale?”

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Creators will feel flattered when you want to showcase and support their work. If you feel attached to a piece of work, tell the author you want to buy it. They will be delighted that you really like their style and want them to keep composing.

Make sure you can afford it before asking, as artwork can be a bit expensive.

Advice

Sometimes the silence of looking at an artist’s artwork is a compliment, because you’re taking the time to study it. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Avoid comparing your skills to that of the artist and asking how long it took them to complete the work, as such a compliment may not sound real. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Steps