Communicative Art Writing
Critical Writing - October 4th, 2022
The following is an critical analysis of a fellow classmate's artistic work. The piece in question is very striking. It is an acrylic portrait of two faces done in monochrome pink and black. The portrait itself is very small, painted with a fine brush on a tiny canvas. So many small details such as the earrings or necklace are reduced to nothing more than a single brushstroke, or a few specks of light in order to create the illusion of shape.
While the characters are painted from a reference (see below) and done in a fairly realistic style, many aspects of the image are given exaggerated or stylistic elements that really make it stand out. The colors and dramatic light are almost reminiscent of something out of a cyberpunk film or other retro sci-fi art.
Other individual aspects are slightly exaggerated as well, such as the highlights on the cheekbones, the colorful aura in the background, as well as the shape of the mouth of the figure on the right, who almost appears to be smiling.
According to the artist interviewed, the two subjects in the original image are actually twins. While they did work from a reference, in their own words, they see the reference "more as a guideline", and not a law. Which allows them to draw inspiration from the original reference, but also gives room for them to experiment and take liberties, to add their own personal touch.
This shows the importance of art, even in the era of digital photography and AI. While both can be expressive in their own way, having the unique human touch of an artist allows them to add their own perspective and vision, which can influence the work in a powerful way that other mediums may not.
