How to Make an Abstract Painting

See how this abstract painting develops and read what the artist was thinking as the image progresses.  An interesting visual journey into the mind of an artist.  

More information on this painting here

The "Written Picture" project began with the idea of using dashes of color to mimic the calligraphic writing in ancient texts.  It has now evolved into my own visual language of marks moving across the page to create abstract paintings that are filled with light and have both a playful and mysterious quality to them.  

This painting, called, "Diamond" began with me ruling in pencil lines to establish columns similar to a magazine article or other written document.  I then began to lay in colors to act as structural elements and to set the tone.  I tend to gravitate to the warm earthy tones of Arizona as well as the bright blues that are in our western sky. The painting was quite bright at first, but I knew it would quiet down once I began to add marks.  Gradually, I filled in dashes of color in an attempt to create a sense of diffused light as well as to mimic written marks.  

The painting grew before my eyes, but I did not have a true sense of what the final image would be.  As it filled with marks, a rectangle of unmarked space began to reveal itself.  I decided to leave this area alone.  Eventually, I felt the image was finished, but I left it on the wall for a few weeks.  Over time, I decided it wasn't quite finished and decided to add in the diamond shape in the rectangle.  This pulled the painting together.  

The final image has a balanced peaceful quality to it, similar to a mandala.  It seems to be a meditation of sorts, while still remaining completely abstract.  I am quite happy with the final results.   

​You can always find my artwork right here at: www.bruceblackart.com