It's only natural to want people to like our paintings, but if we're to grow as artists, then we need statements that say a little more than simply "It's nice" or "I love it" or "I don't think this painting works" "awesome" "cool or stuff".
We need information on what specifically is nice, loved, or isn't working. Specific, constructive comments will help not only the artist whose painting it is, but also other artists reading the critique. It will also help you look at your own work with a fresh eye.

But I don't know much about art or painting, so I'm not qualified to critique
You don't need to be a professional painter commanding high prices for your work or have a degree in art history in order to critique a painting. We all have opinions and are entitled to express them. Think about what you like or dislike in the painting, focus in on why you like or dislike this and then put your reasons into everyday words. Is there anything you think could be improved or would have done differently? Is there something you wish you'd thought of doing? Don't feel you need to comment on the whole painting; even a sentence or two on a small element will be helpful to the artist.

I'm afraid I'll hurt the artist's feelings
Any artist asking for a critique takes the risk that they may not like what people say. But it's a risk worth taking to develop as an artist – and as with any opinion or advice, they're free to accept or reject it. Don't be personal; you're talking about one specific painting, not the artist. Think about how you'd feel if someone said it to you and, if necessary, rephrase it. But rather say something short than nothing; if an artist's taken the step of putting a painting out for critique, it's very disheartening to be met by silence. For me the key to critique is compassion ... show some compassion towards the artist's efforts, even if you don't think it's successful.

I don't know much about the technicalities, such as perspective
Technical "correctness" such as accurate perspective and proportions, is only one aspect of a painting that you can comment on. Don't forget the subject matter and the emotional impact; talk about how the painting made you feel, your immediate response to it, what is it in the painting that generated an emotional response? Look at the composition and elements in the painting: does it draw your eye in, does it tell a story that keeps you looking, where is the main focus of the painting? Would you change anything, and why? Is there any aspect you particularly admire, and why? Does any aspect need further work? Could an idea be developed further? Read the artist's statement, if there is one, then consider whether the artist has achieved their stated aim.

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When you're looking at a painting critically with a view to giving a critique to the artist and, equally, when you're critiquing your own paintings, here are some of the things you ought to consider:

• Size: Remember to take a look at the actual size of the painting and try to visualize it that big rather than the size of the photo on your computer screen.

• Shape: Does the shape of the canvas (landscape or portrait) suit the subject matter? For example, a very long and thin canvas can add to the drama of a landscape.

• Artist's Statement: Has the artist achieve their stated aim? Do you agree with their statement or interpretation of their painting, remembering that what the artist intends and what the viewer sees aren't always the same thing.

• Title of the Painting: What is the title of the painting? What does it tell you about the painting and how does it guide your interpretation? Think about how you might have interpreted the painting if it had been called something else.

• Subject Matter: What is the painting of? Is it unusual, unexpected, controversial or intriguing? Does it lend itself to comparison to work by a famous painter? Do you understand the symbolism in the painting?

• Emotional Response: Does the painting generate an emotional reaction in you? What is the overall mood of the painting, and is this suitable for the subject?

• Composition: How have the elements of the painting been placed? Does your eye flow across the whole painting or does one element selfishly dominate? Is the main focus of the painting slap-bang in the center of the painting (both vertically and horizontally), or off to one side? Is there anything that draws your eye into or across the painting? Also consider whether it's been slavishly copied from reality or from a photograph rather than thought put into which elements were included?

• Skill: What level of technical skill does the artist display, making allowance for someone who's just starting out and someone who's an experienced artist? A beginner may not have been technically skillful in every element of their painting, but there's usually some aspect that's worth highlighting for the way it was dealt with and the potential it demonstrates.

• Medium: What was used to create the painting? What has the artist done with the possibilities presented by their choice of medium?

• Color: Has color been used realistically or used to convey emotion? Are the colors warm or cool and do they suit the subject? Has a restricted or monochrome palette been used (see the Monochrome Painting Project)? Have complementary colors been used in the shadows and are there reflected colors (colors 'bouncing' from one object onto another)?

• Texture: It's extremely hard to see texture of a painting on a web page, but it's something that should be considered when looking at a painting in "real life".

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It can be tough knowing what to say when a friend asks you what you think about their latest painting or to give a critique. But there are some things you should never say if you value your friendship.

1. What is it? (You’re supposed to know and if you can’t tell, keep it to yourself as it might not be intended to a representation of an object.)

2. Do you paint like this because you don't know how to paint real things? (The belief that realism is the only valid form of painting was discredited over a century ago.)

3. Why don’t you use more paint? Why did you use so much [insert color]? (It’s meant to be the way it is, they didn’t run out of paint or accidentally use too much of a particular color.)

4. It looks so real, did you trace it? (You’re implying they cheated. It reduces what they’ve done to a colored-in drawing.)

5. Why didn’t you just take a photo? (Because then they’d be a photographer, not a painter.)

6. My sister or brother or mother or father or second-cousin-twice-removed also paints and their things are very beautiful. (No-one wants to be compared to a stranger.)

7. The colors will match the curtains in my living room nicely. (The context of your conversation is art, not home decorating.)

8. Can you do me one like this in [insert color]? (They’re not an artist in a sweat-shop churning out copies of paintings. Every painting is an original.)

9. Show it to me again when it's finished. What are you still planning to do with it? (Always assume it is finished unless you’ve been specifically told otherwise.)

10. Nothing at all. (No reaction is worse than a bad reaction. Practice a neutral comment such as "It's not really my kind of thing, but it looks like you had fun painting it" or "It's not really my kind of thing, but I can see why you'd be pleased with it.")

Saying something nice about a painting rather than finding fault or giving 'helpful' suggestions doesn't mean you haven't looked properly nor that you're ignorant about art nor unsophisticated. Ill-considered comments can be hurtful in ways you never intended. The person showing you their paintings is showing you something that's important to them, that they've spent time creating. Be happy for them that they're enjoying what they're doing, even if you don't like the result.

- So Stop licking our ass.