Martu

Martu - watercolour - 34cm x 24.5cm

The Martu are a people of the western desert area of central Australia. They number approximately 2000 and are among the last people to have lived completely traditional tribal aboriginal lives. This painting uses the contre jour lighting that is so popular with landscape watercolourists. I found it to be a challenge to get sufficient dark tones and to simulate the pipeclay and ashes on the face.