Brief Explanation
Taste is the skill of aesthetic judgment: knowing what is good and why, distinguishing the original from the cliche, and what is enough from what overflows. It is the compass that guides every artistic decision.
Deep Explanation
Taste is not a random opinion but a trained sense built on a wide reference. It is formed by abundant exposure to fine works and their analysis: why did this composition succeed? Why does this color read as dissonant? Taste often precedes executive skill: you see that your work falls below the level of your taste, and that gap is what drives you to develop. Mature taste distinguishes "I like it" from "it is good," and knows the field's standards yet transcends them by a personal sense rather than ignorance of them.
Examples Across Several Arts
- Photography: distinguishing the honest symbol from the cliche.
- Design: sensing balance, consistency, and cleanliness.
- Music: distinguishing harmony from dissonance.
- Writing: knowing when description is enough and when it overwhelms.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing "I like it" with "artistically good."
- Imitating a prevailing taste without understanding its reasons.
- Little exposure to fine works, so the reference narrows.
Exercises
- Analyze a work you love and write three reasons for its success.
- Compare two versions of a work and decide which is better and why.
- Revisit your work after a day and judge it with a cold eye.
How It Is Measured (Levels 1-5)
- 1: an impressionistic judgment with no reasoning.
- 2: distinguishes good from poor in obvious cases.
- 3: reasons the judgment by the field's standards.
- 4: catches fine differences and balances competing criteria.
- 5: a reference-grade aesthetic sense that recognizes originality and consciously transcends the rule.
Related Tools and Labs
The comparison lab (two versions to choose the better with reasoning), an annotated reference library of works, and a composition analyzer that highlights the elements of success.