The difference between commentary and evaluation

Sketchbook with drawings of faces and beetles and annotations — Figure caption,
Use artistic terminology when writing about your work and the work of others.

Evaluating your own work can be challenging. Instead of evaluating their work, many students will provide a commentary that describes what they did.

Commentary

Commentary can be useful if you think an important aspect of what you did is unclear. For example you might inlude it to explain an unusual expressive technique or to explain how a concept model was created.

Evaluation

Evaluation may include some of the same information as commentary but it will also include critical comment. To evaluate you need to reflect on your work and make judgements about its effectiveness or success.

Read through the examples below to help you understand the difference between commentary and evaluation.

Commentary	Evaluation
I completed several different studies using different materials such as coloured pencil, oil pastel and acrylic paint.	I completed several different studies using different materials such as coloured pencil, oil pastel and acrylic paint. This helped me to decide on which materials worked best. The acrylic paint was the most effective for creating the Scottish Colourist style, as it has most visual impact and I could create the bold brushstrokes typical of their work.
I made a few thumbnail studies of different compositions.	I made a few thumbnail studies of different compositions. I liked the linear compositions as they were more unusual. I decided to develop more of these organised and ‘set up’ arrangements and try them in colour.
I used the computer to make different repeat patterns. I changed the scale of the motifs and tried different colour combinations.	I used the computer to make different repeat patterns. I changed the scale of the motifs and tried different colour combinations. This was a quick way of seeing which developments were most effective and which had most visual impact. I decided to develop the large scale, half-drop repeat in the cool colour scheme as I felt this was most appropriate for a wallpaper design for a new boutique hotel.

Commentary	I completed several different studies using different materials such as coloured pencil, oil pastel and acrylic paint.
Evaluation	I completed several different studies using different materials such as coloured pencil, oil pastel and acrylic paint. This helped me to decide on which materials worked best. The acrylic paint was the most effective for creating the Scottish Colourist style, as it has most visual impact and I could create the bold brushstrokes typical of their work.

Commentary	I made a few thumbnail studies of different compositions.
Evaluation	I made a few thumbnail studies of different compositions. I liked the linear compositions as they were more unusual. I decided to develop more of these organised and ‘set up’ arrangements and try them in colour.

Commentary	I used the computer to make different repeat patterns. I changed the scale of the motifs and tried different colour combinations.
Evaluation	I used the computer to make different repeat patterns. I changed the scale of the motifs and tried different colour combinations. This was a quick way of seeing which developments were most effective and which had most visual impact. I decided to develop the large scale, half-drop repeat in the cool colour scheme as I felt this was most appropriate for a wallpaper design for a new boutique hotel.

Question

What is the difference between commentary and evaluation?

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Analysing and evaluating - AQAThe difference between commentary and evaluation