Critique #1

This piece of artwork is appropriately entitled "Giraffe" and was painted by the African wildlife artist Daniel Njoroge. It is painted with acrylics on a canvas, with the subject matter of a grazing giraffe and the vivid sky. This particular painting is very peaceful and serene. It creates a very calming atmosphere.

Njoroge does a great job of balancing the giraffe and the sky; he makes them both stand out in the painting without clashing with one another. Njoroge also puts emphasis on the giraffe by separating it from the open air in the background. In the field, the viewer can see faint trees in the background. The way the sky and the grass blend together creates a lot of harmony. Njoroge chose to highlight the grass in the foreground to give the painting a little more color and contrast. This particular painting also has a lot of realism; the trees and the bushes in the background are shaded to make them look more realistic. The subtle detail of the grass and trees also adds to the visual quality of the painting. The sky has incredible texture, and the gracefulness of the giraffe and the color and hue of the sky are an allegory of peace. By juxtaposing the giraffe and the sky, the artist adds immense contrast and emphasis to both subjects.

The focal points of the picture are definitely the giraffe and the sky. The giraffe looks incredibly graceful and beautiful with its elongated neck and great posture. The sky, also beautiful, looks serene and pleasant due to its soft warm colors. This piece of artwork is undeniably very effective. The purpose, according to the artist, was to illustrate the "colors found in Samburu. Samburu is a very nice area when colors come into consideration.” “This is the reticulated giraffe," says Njoroge about his artwork, "a very special giraffe which is only found in Samburu. I am showing the peaceful, serene atmosphere where the giraffe is comfortable munching the thorns of the thorn trees. The reticulated giraffe is one of the most beautiful giraffes we can find in the world." He achieved his purpose beautifully by using vivid but soft colors and incredible detail; however, the piece could have been much more effective if it was closer to the animal or if it had some essence of sunlight.