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How to Give Feedback in Creative Projects

  • Writer: AVG Guild
    AVG Guild
  • Sep 16
  • 3 min read

Why Feedback Matters in Creative Projects


In the world of animation, VFX, and gaming, creativity thrives on collaboration. No project is created in isolation, and feedback plays a crucial role in shaping ideas into polished, impactful results. However, feedback can also be sensitive—creative work is deeply personal. Knowing how to give and receive feedback in creative projects can transform the way teams collaborate, leading to stronger outcomes and healthier professional relationships.


Creative team meeting reinforcing a respectful feedback culture

Step by Step Guide: How to Give Creative Feedback


Step 1: Look, Don’t Just See


Really look at the piece that you are giving feedback for. Don’t say your first raw reaction but take note of it. You had that reaction for a reason and others might as well.



Step 2: Align on the Goal — The Purpose of the Piece


If you do not know the goal of the piece ahead of time, look at the piece and try to identify the goal. Ask yourself if the piece achieves the goal. If it does what elements are the most powerful in doing so? If it does not, why? Is there a specific element missing? Something that can be amplified to really sell the feeling.



Step 3: Diagnose Using Principles


Notes should be objective, not personal. Reflect on the principles of animation and design. Here’s a quick recap of some key principles. If you are not familiar with these, there are blogs on this site for each.

  • Animation principles: timing/spacing, arcs, squash & stretch, anticipation, follow-through/overlap, secondary action, staging, exaggeration, appeal, pose-to-pose vs. straight-ahead, solid drawing/weight.

  • Design/composition: hierarchy, contrast, balance, alignment, proximity, repetition, negative space, rule of thirds, leading lines, value structure, color temperature.

Example diagnosis: “Readability drops because staging places two high-contrast elements competing at equal size (hierarchy); The colors throughout the composition have the same level of saturation so the hero pose doesn’t pop.”



Step 4: Articulate Your Initial Notes


Now you may start your critic. Share your initial reaction in reflection with the goals of the piece. Describe the principles that are well utilized and the ones that can use more emphasis. Bullet your notes. Avoid absolutes like “this is bad.” Your analysis should drive you to use artistry-centric language. Be brief, neutral, and respectful



Step 5: Propose Clear and Testable Actions


In a critic, you want to help the artist improve the piece. With your analysis, suggest ways they may improve. A few examples are:


  • Animation: “Add 6–8 frames of anticipation before the jump and widen spacing frames 102–108 to sell the acceleration.”

  • Design: “Increase value contrast on the character by roughly 20% and shift background hue cooler to separate planes.”

  • Offer A/B options when subjective: “Try Option A (cooler palette, higher contrast) vs. Option B (warmer palette, lower contrast) to see which highlights your intent.”



Step 6: Show, Don’t Just Tell


If possible, do a draw over, attach thumbnails, or reference another art piece as a source of inspiration. This will help the person receiving feedback understand your vision and reasoning as well.



Quick Checklist


  1. Note initial reaction. Look, don’t just see.

  2. What is the goal? Does the piece achieve it?

  3. Diagnose the principles utilized in the piece.

  4. Articulate what does and doesn’t work. Things that can improve

  5. Propose possible changes.

  6. References and draw over your notes.


Building a Healthy Feedback Culture


In creative industries, feedback works best when it’s embedded into the process, not feared. Encourage open dialogue, respect different perspectives, and keep the project’s vision at the center. Teams that foster healthy feedback loops are more innovative, efficient, and resilient.



Final Thoughts


Giving feedback in creative projects takes practice, patience, and empathy. When approached with respect and clarity, feedback becomes less about criticism and more about collaboration. The goal of giving feedback should always be to elevate and help your peer, not to tear them down or showoff your knowledge of the craft.


How do you prefer to give feedback? Are there any other tips I missed? Share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your experiences!

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