Critique #3

Portrait of the Young Artist At Work [1179]

Orig. Size 14" x 17" Completed March, 2007 Painted on Borden & Riley 108lb Paper for Pens using Dr. PH Martins 'Radiant CONCENTRATED Watercolors' Original concept and design by Lucas Anderson.

This watercolor painting by PH Martins has a strong aesthetic beauty to it because of the unique mix of colors and textures it contains. The composition consists of a symmetriacal balance between the easel on the left and the girl on the right. While the colors on the easel are more promienemt and portray the greatest emphasis on the left side, the shadows and texture making up the girls body and clothing allow a harmony between the two and mixing them in perfect proportion. Using watercolors creates smooth transitions between colors and a sense of movement particularly in the girls painting. The variety of colors is also very unique and not seen in many paintings which usually use one specific type of color pallet such as warm or cool. This unique splash of colors has a modern rhythm that all ages can relate to and enjoy. The contrast apparent in the girls body makes the painting more realistic, using different tones in the jeans and shirt to apply subtle shadows portraying the feeling of a sunny summer afternoon. This girl is obviously devoted to her painting, spending much time and energy making sure it is perfect. She does not care how much paint stains her clothes or the room around her, as long as her painting is suitable for her.