Firstly, stand by your immediate emotional response. Secondly, study the art of the same artist.
Explanation:
Artists' works evolve over a period of time. An artist might be doing only sketches at a preliminary stage, but becomes a master of oil within years. So, there is always a change that occurs in not only the medium used but also the concept he/she experiments with.
Artworks are transparent in their emotions/essence provided if the artist has rendered it with honest intention. So the viewer's emotional response will connect immediately. Studying the artist's background helps in evaluating the complete oeuvre of the artist and his/ her caliber.
