How to Make 6 Quick, Intuitive Abstract Paintings
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How to Make 6 Quick, Intuitive Abstract Paintings
I have made these studies for a long time, but never thought anyone would be interested in seeing me paint them until recently. So, I thought I’d share a little bit about them.
I don’t paint these to make masterpieces - I paint these for practice. That’s right, after 30 years of painting I still practice. The more you paint, the better you’ll be (given of course, that you have learned the fundamentals and know how to apply them). These little paintings help me stay loose and they help me practice using spontaneity and intuition while I paint. I don’t plan anything but the colors I use.
Here’s what I do. I buy a 10 pack of Fabriano Artistico 140lb cold press watercolor paper. Since I’m cutting these into smaller pieces, I can use the lighter 140lb paper. I cover the sheets with gesso then cut them into 10x10” pieces. I get (6) 10x10’s from a 22x30 sheet of paper. I lay the pieces out on my corrugated plastic backing board and tape them down using artists’s tape. The tape holds them in place and provides a nice white edge on each that acts like a mini mat.
I then determine the colors I want to use. For this series I am using a yellow monochromatic combo. Unlike a typical monochromatic painting, I am using black, white and gray separately without mixing them with the yellow paint. I do this because I want to see the black, white, yellow and gray separately. For this painting I am using (Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint) Indian Yellow Hue, Naples Yellow Hue, Neutral Gray 6, Mars Black and Titanium White. It’s best to keep the color combo simple and the paint colors to a minimum so that you can move quickly without lots of thinking or color mixing. For the linework I am using Marabu Art Crayons.
As you see from the video I begin with the art crayons adding random lines across all 6 pieces. I then take my main color, which is the most intense, and begin a simple composition on each piece. I use this as my accent color. I then add some black mixed with gray for my darkest value, placed in close proximity to my most intense yellow. I also add some gray by itself just for fun. I follow that up with the addition of white paint to each piece, trying to add a bit of breathing room or spaciousness into the pieces. While the white is the lightest value, it can’t compete with the intensity of the yellow. I finish the pieces with some more simple lines in dark yellow and black and I’m done. 16 minutes total painting time.
In just over 15 minutes I paint 6 beautiful studies for painting practice. While these are not generally meant to be for sale, they can be sold just as they are, or matted and framed. Remember, I am doing these for fun and for practice.
If you’ve never done anything like this before, you should give it a try. It takes a minimum amount of time, but you receive a lot for the time spent. These can even be used as studies for larger paintings if that is your intent. Give these a go and let me know what you think of the process.
If you'd like to learn about abstract painting and making your own authentic work, then please join me for a painting workshop: (You can view a list of workshops HERE)
May 25, 2021 Interactive (Zoom) Mini-Workshop: Bigger, faster, Fresher, Looser Abstract Painting, 6 hours. Click Here for Registration and Information
May 27, 2021 Interactive (Zoom) Mini-Workshop: Abstracting the Landscape, 6 hrs. Click Here for Registration and Information.
June 9-11, 2021 David M. Kessler Fine Art Studio, Winston-Salem, NC. This is a Studio Workshop in Abstract Painting. Click Here for Information and Registration.
August 4-6, 2021 David M. Kessler Fine Art Studio, Winston-Salem, NC. This is a Studio Workshop in Abstract Painting. Click Here for Information and Registration.
August 22-26, 2021 “Abstracting the Landscape”, Glastonbury, CT. Click Here for Registration and Information.
As always, thanks for your support!
David
NEW! Interactive (Zoom) Mini Workshops
I have just added 6 new Interactive Mini Workshops (on the Zoom platform) to my website. Most are 3 to 6 hours long and are a great opportunity for learning a lot in a short amount of time. You’ll be online and onscreen with me as I instruct, demonstrate, paint, and critique your work.
Simple Color System Colorwheel
If you have seen my videos on YouTube or taken one of my workshops, you have seen me use my Simple Color System Colorwheel. My Simple Color System is easy to use and assures that the color in your paintings will be harmonious. Proudly made in North Carolina.
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Abstract Painting Academy is an online workshop experience specifically designed to teach you how to paint Abstract Paintings (like only you can!), Loosen Up your painting style, and use Design Fundamentals to give your paintings Dynamic Visual Impact. You get David’s personal attention and feedback on all of your work during the course. Now On Sale for $100 Off!
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The Painting Insider (formerly Abstract Painting Insider) now has a new format and is not abstract painting specific. Weekly lessons provide an abundance of information to painters at any level. I have poured information about everything I have learned about painting over the last 30 years into one course!
