A methodology for learning to paint abstracts

By

John Dyhouse

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"Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for colours, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential." Wassily Kandinsky

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Table of contents

WHY IS PAINTING ABSTRACT ART DIFFERENT? CREATING ABSTRACT ART FROM REALISTIC SUBJECT MATTER THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:A METHODOLOGY, FOR DEVELOPING AN ABSTRACT PAINTING. THE METHODOLOGY THE INTERMEDIATE AND FOREGROUND CONCEPTS. ONE LAST PIECE OF ADVICE AN EXAMPLE CREATED USING THE METHODOLOGY? A STEP-BY-STEP METHOD FOR PAINTING ABSTRACT ART. LEARNING TO PAINT ABSTRACT ART. LEARNING TO PAINT IN AN ABSTRACT MANNER. A STEP-BY-STEP METHOD FOR ABSTRACT ART ADDING INTEREST TO THE PAINTING COMPLETING THE PAINTING MORE EXAMPLES OF ABSTRACT ART

4 5 6 7 8 10 12 14 15 15 16 17 19 20 21

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Why Is Painting Abstract Art different?

Have you tried to paint or learn to paint abstract art. Although considered by many to be easy, the reality is very, very different. Abstract art is defined as having no subject or not being based on a realistic object. This gives many amateur artists the collywobbles. When I have been painting an abstract painting at my group, I have often been asked by colleagues, " why did you choose that colour?" What does it mean? Where did you get the idea from?" Even though they are very competent artists, having nothing to "copy" leaves them feeling uncomfortable. I often think that they paint as technicians, although very able. Using techniques that they have been taught or learned to convey an image or scene on a blank paper sheet. I often ask, "what do you feel about this painting?" and the replies cover what they can see in the original. Objects rather than shapes, colours and textures, which convey a sense of reality. The answer very seldom conveys feelings unless they are badgered and led to give such an answer. To paint abstract art, you need to learn to put feelings into art, or rather making marks which convey the feelings that the subject brings to you as an artist. I will describe a technique, which an artist can use to approach learning to paint abstract paintings. In other words, how to free oneself from copying (or trying to represent) a subject. How to use colours and composition, to inject one's inner feelings into the work. Thereby creating those same feelings for the viewer.

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Creating Abstract Art From Realistic Subject Matter

Common Approaches

Many books and other sources list various ways of creating abstract art from more traditional subjects. These include:1. simplifying the original 2. extending lines from the drawn subject and using blocks of colour to create new shapes 3. working on small details such as could be seen by a magnifying glass or in a restricted area, 4. using uncharacteristic colours for emotional appeal 5. making spontaneous marks 6. colourful layering techniques 7. and so on. But never forget that composition is as important in abstract art as in realistic or figurative styles. In fact these do work, I could probably find examples of each of these by well known artists. One example is a well known series of drawings of a bull by Picasso. In eleven drawings each one being created as a simplification of its predecessor, He goes from a realistic image to a quite abstract looking figure. Which could be straight from the mind of a child. The very thing that he was looking for, I guess. To quote, "In the final print of the series, Picasso reduces the bull to a simple outline that is so carefully considered through the progressive development of each image, that it captures the absolute essence of the creature in as concise an image as possible." In fact this is modern art but not technically an abstract since it does rely on an original subject. This is debateable point but not something that should worry us here.

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Three Questions to ask yourself:1. As an artist do you want to create abstract art?

2. Do you understand abstract art?

3, Do you know where to start creating abstract art?

This methodology can help if you answered yes to the last question.

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A Methodology, For Developing An Abstract Painting.

Introduction

My methodology is based on research, which I did to lead a workshop with my art group. The objective of which was to complete the evening with at least one abstract sketch from each member. Now I could simply have found a suitable painting and taken them through this step by step so that they could follow how to do it for themselves. However I wanted them to finish the evening with a unique, personally designed and painted piece of abstract art. I read many books on the subject of abstract art and studied many paintings. I felt that the artworks could be placed into structured groupings, which could be used easily by someone used to create an abstract painting. I deconstructed many simple (and some not so simple examples) in an effort to try and understand what it took to create each of them. I was able to define a simple structure for these examples. I studied work by artists such as Malevich, Delauney, Rothko, Mondrian, Kandinsky and Miro, amongst others. I am not claiming that all abstract works would fit neatly into the structure but that the structure would make it reasonably easy for students to design/construct abstracts of several different types. Now why would they want to use this mechanistic process, when painting abstracts is supposed to be such a free process, and a way of expressing the artists' inner thoughts on canvas. Let me refer you back to the introduction in which I explained that I had found that many of my group, who I assumed were like the majority of amateur painters, could not bring themselves to paint an abstract without something to copy. This process was to give them confidence to create abstract paintings, and to practice so that they could then go away and create an abstract for themselves having taken "the plunge" once or twice. It is a temporary crutch only and not meant to be anything else. Page 7

The Methodology
The first steps

As my colleagues were familiar with the three main planes of a classical painting,

A background A middle ground A foreground

I decided to use that familiarity. They would then at least be starting with some knowledge and experience. I did not at first explain that most abstracts have only one plane, the picture plane, this comes later, but for now it helps to explain the methodology using a concept of these three planes which they can identify with. I believe that an artist, who is used to painting realistic themes, has this difficulty with abstracts because they label whatever they are painting whilst doing it. I.e. they paint a face by painting two eyes, a nose and a mouth within an outline they recognise as a head. Rather, to paint an abstract they should be painting shapes. The picture then takes care of itself. In fact this is a very good way of painting any subject but is often not learnt by amateurs. I use this idea for this methodology. Let us start with the background. This will set an overall feel to the painting, by defining the tonal key and whether it is a warm or a cool colour scheme, etc.

Maybe it is black or white a plain solid colour with a gradient or texture

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multi-coloured, think colour schemes/colour wheel does it have distinct edges to the colour areas, perhaps with thick lines or are the edges soft or "lost".

Now here, we could already be talking about some art by very famous artists. Think in terms of rectangular blocks of plain primary colours on a white ground, with thick black lines defining a grid which separates the coloured shapes. No prizes for recognising Piet Mondrian's signature works. As another example, think of a coloured rectangle with poorly defined (lost) edges on a coloured ground. Think of Mark Rothko! Can you think of any other famous artists whose work you could describe in terms similar to these; it is not a trick question as there are many to choose from.

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The Intermediate And Foreground Concepts.

Taking The Methodology A Little Further

I will tackle these together, because although I have given them different names, they are essentially the same and consist of added shapes on the background. The difference is perhaps nothing more than size or the time of inclusion in the painting. In this methodology, I decided that the intermediate shapes were relatively larger than the foreground. The sole reason being that if the intermediate plane was added after the background and before the foreground; a "scaffolding" set up for the painting. This may be sufficient to make a complete picture, obviously the artist decides when to call a halt. However if necessary more, possibly smaller shapes (the foreground), should be added to complement the initial shapes and colours already set down, or possibly simply to fill gaps or join the existing shapes to provide unity in the painting. Again the artist should use their own feelings about the painting and what it is "saying" to them. Actually we should always consider the principles of composition throughout this methodology, in fact you could say that they are needed more in a abstract painting than for a realistic image. The principles, if you need reminding are:

Balance Contrast Gradation Harmony Alliteration Variation Dominance and Unity

Basically the shapes in the intermediate and foreground layers are of three distinct types :- simple geometric shapes, compound shapes and non-geometric (or biological Page 10

as they have been called). We may also add lines to the list of possibilities, linear and non-linear (curved). These five simple options offer a multitude of possibilities. Each of the shapes and the way they are filled-in should be chosen on the basis of the elements of composition, which are listed here:

Shape Size Direction Texture Colour and Value

If you need a primer on composition then I would suggest one of the many texts available. Again you may be able to think of artists and their work which could be defined in the terms set above, one which quickly springs to my mind is Kasimir Malevich with his suprematist paintings, who along with Kandinsky is argued to be the first artist to paint a fully abstract work. Malevich's suprematist works are often simply a few simple shapes on a solid white or coloured ground. If you consider a solid colour background with amorphous biological shapes, in primary colours, sometimes linked by lines, you are not too far from a work by Joan Miro. I realise that the scope of work using this methodology is limited, but there are many famous works which would fit within its limitations, as I have indicated above. This is simply a tool to give an artist the confidence to tackle abstract works without trying to produce the very complex and subjective works which obviously do exist within this gendre. It does not guarantee, nor should you expect, to produce a masterpiece by following this methodology.

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One Last Piece Of Advice

From The Masters

When painting an abstract, paint to express your feelings, do not try to think about what it is supposed to represent. It does not have to represent anything. For example, do not paint a bunch of flowers, paint the joy you feel when seeing a bunch of flowers. Or consider hope in the morning sky, or fear of a lonely journey. This is where it becomes impossible to give instructions as each artist must work out what this means for themselves. However colour is obvious and is important, but develop the composition by showing an interplay between directions, shapes, tones, texture, etc, the elements and principles of composition given above.

Some words from the early abstract pioneers quoted by Herbert Read in his book, "A Concise History Of Modern Painting", may help to clarify this point. From Kandinsky; In order to be expressive of our inner feelings it is not necessary to be representational. A circle or an acute angle of a triangle can produce a powerful effect. But abstract forms are endlessly free and inexhaustibly evocative. The greatest mistake an artist can make is to believe that art is the precise reproduction of nature. From Klee; consider this analogy, the roots of a tree can be thought of as the life experiences of an artist, the artist takes and draws up the sap (his feelings) through the trunk and produces a body of work represented by the crown (the branches) of that tree. No one would expect the roots and the crown to be exactly the same. However the artist is accused of incompetence and deliberate distortions when they do not match on his canvas. Klee also considers that the essential formative process takes place below the level of consciousness, therefore do not force the painting to happen. Let it grow from your

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inner self. Art does not reproduce the visible, it renders visible the artists feelings towards a subject. From Malevich; reality in art is the sensational effect of colour itself, i.e. how the senses perceive colour. Feeling is the decisive factor, thus art arrives at a nonobjective representation. From Matisse; composition is the art of arranging, in a decorative manner, the various elements at the painters disposal for the expression of his feelings. A work of art equals a work of my mind. Now We Have A Method To Create Our Abstract Painting.

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An Example Created Using The Methodology?

Lets Create A New Abstract Painting?

Remember that this methodology is simply to get the student / artist thinking in terms of abstracts and to eliminate a perceived lack of ability to paint in a nonrepresentational manner. The rest will come from practice and a growing understanding of the abstraction process. 1. Take the media upon which you are going to paint. Is the size right? If rectangular, is the orientation right for your imagined composition? Now decide what colour(s) and texture you are going to use for your background. I will use a solid colour for my background and create this in a golden ochre (a yellowish colour which is not too bright) 2. Select a small but definite number of elements to be your intermediate plane. Again decide what colours and textures you will use and where you will place the shapes. I select five shapes for my intermediate plane. Two large rectangles of different sizes in a dark purple hue with possibly some texturing, I am still a little unsure about this and may delay the choice until I see them on the canvas. I will also use one large (red) and two small equilateral triangles (also red). 3. Do you need anything else to complete this painting. Perhaps to join the intermediate shapes or to balance them on the background, or simply to fill in open spaces. Select the additional elements and decide on colour and texture. I have already made small sketches of the painting to assess where I am going and decide to use three sweeping, curved lines and two deformed rectangles which will have a grid-like texture of blue and white. 4. Now decide if the painting is complete. It may be that you will only know when you can see it in front of you. In fact, I think I have made a mistake in describing it so closely before actually doing the painting. I did say however, that you should not expect a masterpiece every time with this methodology; and this is the proof. A step-by-step example using this methodology follows. Sounds easy, well of course it is and you can find out for yourself by trying it, remember do not expect a masterpiece. However, I do hope that this methodology helps you are on your way. Page 14

Part 2. A Step-By-Step Method For Painting Abstract Art.

Learning To Paint Abstract Art.

Do you baulk at painting abstract art? Can you happily create representational paintings but despair at the thought of attempting something that isn't supposed to be anything? If so, then you are not alone. Many competent artists simply don't know how or where to start. I found this out when I lead a workshop for my art group, I was asked to concentrate on letting each artist create their own abstract painting by the end of the evening. Most had difficulty because they were so used to painting from a specific reference. This tutorial has been produced to go through the process of painting an abstract in a step-by-step example. As I said quite positively in the previous page, this is not a recipe for a masterpiece but rather a methodology to encourage competent artists to create and complete an abstract painting. This "practice" will hopefully enable the artist to come to terms with the subject of non-representational art and find a certain amount of freedom in this genre and even in composing their usual style of art works.

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Learning To Paint In An Abstract Manner.

Surely It's About Freedom Of Expression?

Do you believe that abstract art is something that needs to be learnt? Or is it just kids' stuff? After all, many people think that their kids could do better. At this point I make no comment about good or bad abstract art, merely talking about non-representational art. We all "unlearn" childish behaviour as we grow and mature, and learn that some things are not considered "good" behaviour. Making random marks on paper is often driven out of our system as childish. In many ways this is what many abstract artists are trying to relearn in their different ways.

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A Step-By-Step Method For Abstract Art

Step One - The Background
I would like to reiterate that this methodology is designed to provide practice to encourage the creation of non-representational art works. I do not claim that it is a path to a masterpiece. Or even that it should be followed blindly. The whole basis of this methodology is freedom within constraints. Paint what you like/feel but the structured method is there to help you to proceed to a conclusion. First, start with a background. This is the step which covers and hides the surface of the paper, reducing the "where do I start?" moment. The background can be anything. Just get the surface covered. A simple plain colour or what ever pattern or texture is desired. A complete listing of the alternatives will be considered in a third part in this book.

For this example, I have chosen to use a stiff round brush to tamp the colour on to the paper to create a textured background. The quick drying acrylic paint is ideal with this technique as there is virtually no waiting time between the different colours.

So, firstly we can see the first colour employed, a dark purple :-

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Then two further colours :-

Finally, the paper is covered. Five irregular shapes which are part of the next step are also seen in this image :-

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Adding Interest To The Painting

Step Two - The Middle Ground

Once the background has been completed, it is time to add a little interest to the painting. This is done in this methodology by adding several elements to the image. There are a number of possible choices which will be fully listed in the next lens in the series. the choice is simply put; any number of simple geometric shapes, irregular shapes, non-geometric (often called biomorphic shapes think of Joan miro), linear shapes. All of these could be plainly coloured or textured, etc. For this example, I elected to include a group of irregular, geometric shapes, which you will already have seen above. I drew these in with a wide line around them because I had an idea to over-paint this in a different colour. My next step was to cover the interior of these shapes in a semi-transparent manner with a white / red / yellow paint :-

The next thing was to texture these shapes.

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Completing The Painting

Step Three - The Foreground

In this the last step, although it appears to be simply a case of filling in the shapes drawn and painted in the preceding step, I have added texture to the shapes by adding numerous, small shapes using a metallic paint. These are added to build up a pattern. I have also over-painted the black outlines with a thinner metallic silver line. At this point I was fairly certain that the piece was finished. As always, if unsure, leave the painting for a week or two before adding to it. It is easy to add more but not to take unnecessary marks away. This is the completed work, not what I would call a masterpiece but that was not the intention as I have intimated.

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More Examples Of Abstract Art

Created By This Methodology
I intend to show three more examples very quickly. Simply showing the background and then the completed painting. Again these are all acrylic on paper, painted specifically as examples for the methodology. 1. Simple geometric shapes The background is a simple blue wash and very loose over-painted yellow washes

Very simple triangular shapes are then painted on with black outlines and a little texturing. This being the foreground. Circular shapes joined with a black line were then added to act as contrast and add interest: -

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2. Linear Forms A slightly more worked example, again the background is a simple wash, overpainted with washes of a different colour :-

In the next stage, the vertical lines are woven between those in the horizontal direction, there are a few selected patches of contrasting colours :-

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3. More Complex Geometric Forms As with the other two examples, the background is a simple wash, this time with swirls of a semi-transparent green paint :-

The next layer is a red T-shape, transparently coloured with a white outline. This is then completed by adding various other textured elements, and silver, metallic lines on two sides :-

Very varied images from a simple methodology which again I should emphasis is purely designed to encourage the artist to learn to paint freely.

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Is There Any Value In the Methodology?

I have found my abstract art has improved greatly since developing this methodology. I have in fact found that my work is becoming closely aligned to this genre. Much of my work is now semi-abstract landscapes, an example of which can be seen here.

I would therefore claim that the methodology has been instrumental in freeing up my artwork to it's advantage. I see no reason why the skills developed in practising abstract art should not be capable of being useful to any artist. Abstract work gives a feeling for colour, shape and line and composition which is instrumental in creating great art in any genre.

I hope that using this methodology may help you to learn to create abstract art, which you will be proud of. Remember, once you feel happy with non-objective paintings you can let yourself go and start to paint your feelings towards the world and things in it.

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Making A Game Of It
Watch out for the next part of this methodology, which is made into a game of chance. The options at each stage of the methodology are presented as cards bearing the possible choices which may be selected. Throw a dice or deal yourself a hand of cards which tell you what to do in your next piece of abstract art. One set will have background options. A second set will have shapes A third will have compositional rules Etc. I will be finalising the design of the game over the next couple of weeks and trying it out to have some paintings to show.

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