If you don't understand what Critic's Picks are and you only followed the link because it looked interesting, then please look at this news article, and then take a look.

Here is the much awaited first round of my new award scheme, Critics Picks. Lots of people sent me notes with suggestions, and I'm really proud of the selections and the good taste that people showed here. I selected the five best, and I've tried to do it from as broad a range as possible. I hope that you add each and every one to your favourites.


1.

White Punk is not dead by ~GoncaloBorgesDias is a masterpiece of humourous photography. The composition, expression, lighting and background make this photo absolutely superb. While this one wasn't suggested by anyone in particular, I've wanted to give this photo the credit it deserves for a long time.


2.

Love again by *MeadowCress is literature at its simplest and most effective. I've really started to appreciate literature like this recently, and it's lovely that DeviantART allows authors like *MeadowCress to express themselves so beautifully. It's simple and easy to read, and needs no explaining.

suggested by *theunknownartists


3.

Deciduous by ~unreconstructed is a perfect flash animation that is cute, easy and artistic all rolled into one. It received a DD, and I want to reiterate that fact that this is one of the best short animations on the web.

suggested by =GalaxyDancer


4.

Divine Natalie inQueen Amidala by ~emalterre is a wonder watercolour portrait. It's rich, and the darkness and contrast, along with the 'recisely messy' brushwork gives the piece a rich texture on which a solid charcterisation has been built. It's not from life, but the colours and the composition give it a sense of fragility that I think would be missed in a life-drawing. I'm not normally a painting person, but this is wonderful.

suggested by ~etincelle


5.

02 by ~noahlee is a really subtle fashion photograph. Because the saturation of the piece has been played down, the shadows are brought into relief, and the lighting has much more of an effect. Not something that I'd usually add to my favourites, but the slight sexual appeal from the raised nipples (I can't believe that I'm talking about this) just changes the persepctive enough for this to become a lot more powerful.

suggested by ~mymamiya

That's all for this week folks, sorry if your suggestions didn't get featured, but I'm looking for only the very best. If you want to suggest a deviation, or even more than one, as long as they're not your own, if you could send them to me in a note entitled Critic's Picks that would be wonderful. I'm still after deviations, because if you don't suggest it then I have to go through all my favourites, and that's boring and unoriginal!

Please send me your suggestions, and, as usual, if you add this article to your favourites that would mean a lot to me.

Until next week,

*TheEmptyWhiteRoom