Adding More Light to a Abstract Painting

I admired the basal architecture of this abstruse painting, but hated its flatness–no ablaze or activity or breath space: 

To activate the transformation, I started painting over a lot of of the peach, azure and block with titanium white. I acclimated large, apart brush-strokes, giving added of a faculty of spontaneity. 

After abacus even added white, I bass down some of the amethyst with a anemic lavender. Then I added a few highlights in cadmium red light, which looks like a abysmal orange color. I added a blow of yellow, as well. 

I connected working, abacus aback in some of the peach, adjustment the purple, and finally, the aphotic asset which I acclimated for emphasis and contrast. Periodically I stood aback to see how the agreement was abstraction up. When I admired what I saw, I stopped.

Adding More Light to a Abstract Painting

I admired the basal architecture of this abstract painting, but hated its flatness–no ablaze or activity or breath space: 

To activate the transformation, I started painting over a lot of of the peach, azure and block with titanium white. I acclimated large, apart brush-strokes, giving added of a faculty of spontaneity.

After abacus even added white, I bass down some of the amethyst with a anemic lavender. Then I added a few highlights in cadmium red light, which looks like a abysmal orange color. I added a blow of yellow, as well.

I connected working, abacus aback in some of the peach, adjustment the purple, and finally, the aphotic asset which I acclimated for emphasis and contrast. Periodically I stood aback to see how the agreement was abstraction up. When I admired what I saw, I stopped.

Breaking a Horizontal LIne in a Painting

When I endure formed on this vertical painting, I admired how I’d revised it with added ablaze and energy. But I had created a accumbent band traveling beyond the painting about 1/3 of the way from the top. Upon added reflection, I absitively this breach in the vertical didn’t absolutely work.

So I began painting today by aboriginal breaking up that line. I started at the edges of the canvas, accoutrement over the band with titanium white. Basically, I afflicted the shapes aloft and beneath to breach through the line, except in the centermost area of the canvas, area I larboard it intact.

Of course, already I began to accomplish changes, I had to abide to add added colors and plan in a added all-embracing address to accomplish the agreement of the painting plan as a whole. I added added lavender, purple, and abysmal plum, affective from one blush to the next until I admired what I had.

In my endure step, I added some curve in mars black–both analogue shapes and creating texture.

Final Steps on Two Abstract Paintings

I had these two abstract paintings about for a while now, afterwards alive on them in several painting sessions. The aboriginal seemed to get worse the added I formed on it: 

It wasn’t bad at this point, but I wasn’t absolutely blessed with it. The next painting affair resulted in this: 

At that point I acquainted it bare something dramatic. I corrective a swath of titanium white from top to bottom, and a attenuated one from larboard to right. The white was not absolutely opaque, but accustomed shapes and arrangement from the painting below to appearance through. While the acrylic was still wet, I rubbed out a amphitheater in the center.

Next I drew curve in mars black, analogue the white appearance and abacus a atramentous bound for the architecture below it. I bedfast the atramentous to accomplish the curve thick.

I’m not abiding why I did all this, because it resulted in a painting that alone a mother could love:

So I’m not affecting this canvas afresh until 2014!

Adding Energy to New Abstract Paintings

After alive on four canvases over several weeks, I was blessed if my applicant best the two abstruse paintings she wanted. In my opinion, they were the best two. That larboard me chargeless to add activity and ablaze to the two paintings that I was not actual blessed with.

This time I formed in a added expressionist manner. I corrective with apart strokes, absolution the acrylic overlap and alloy on the canvas. I formed over the accomplished canvas at once, absolution the agreement gradually develop.

I started with titanium white because this painting was a addled connected at the end of my endure painting session. Then I added some anemic chicken and ablaze orange to accord added activity and energy.

I blocked out all the azure because I never acquainted that blush formed able-bodied with the lavenders and purples that bedeviled this painting. I both added and subtracted color, and rearranged the agreement as I did.

I was searching for an all-embracing feel of spontaneity, a apart impressionism that allows amplitude to breathe. I kept working, alteration from one blush to the next, slowing down against the end, until I admired what I had.

Will This Painting Ever Be Finished?

Some paintings appear easily, some don’t. I’ve been alive on this one always and admiration if I’ll anytime accomplishment it. At least, that’s the way it feels. I anticipate I admired it at one point, but if I looked aback over the photos of antecedent versions, I accept to disagree about that:

Since then, I’ve formed on it several times, but I am never absolutely blessed with it. In this next version, I abounding in some of the shapes with color, and afflicted the accomplishments color:

Then I afflicted the accomplishments blush again, but still wasn’t happy. Today I drew curve in cadmium red abysmal about some of the red shapes, and drew a brace of baby circles. I afresh acclimated a baby wet besom to ample in some of those shapes.

I was aggravating to get a stronger axial focus in the painting. Next, I categorical some of the shapes in veridian green, and afresh acclimated a wet besom to ample in some of them. After that, I took the aforementioned blush acrylic I’d acclimated on the accomplishments and abounding in added shapes with it. I aswell acclimated that blush to awning over some of the blatant white lines.

More Work on New Abstract Paintings

After finishing the accomplishments and a basal account of colors, I did added plan on two new abstruse paintings for a commission. I started by abacus blocks of titanium white, aggregate some of it into the background.

I added added of anniversary blush I acclimated before: peach, purple, teal, lavender, and aphotic purple. I acclimated ample brushstrokes, absolution the shapes advance loosely. I was searching for activity and spontaneity.

As I worked, I stood aback from the board often, to get an all-embracing consequence of the composition. Towards the end, I formed added slowly, abacus a atom of blush here, alteration something there.

My endure footfall was to draw coarse curve in black, analogue the shapes and abacus absorption and texture. I brushed over some of the curve to abrade and thicken them.

Next I formed on the additional canvas, abutting it in a agnate manner–first with the white, and again the added colors. I capital to do them both calm so they’d accept the aforementioned feel and style, yet still be different. 

Starting Two New Abstract Paintings

I was not blessed with the painting agency I’ve been alive on, so I began two new abstruse paintings advised to be afraid as a pair. I acquainted the aboriginal set of paintings was too bound after abundant ablaze and spontaneity.

First, I corrective some basal vertical shapes in the capital colors my applicant wanted: peach, purple, aphotic amethyst and teal. I aswell added a blow of alizarin crimson. I let these shapes float upward, about plant-like. Then I corrective the accomplishments in titanium white.

While the white was still wet, I activated a lavender admixture with a brush, aggregate it with the white as I went. Around the edges of the shapes, I aswell accustomed the acrylic colors to blend. This apart alpha will accommodate a anatomy and outline for the next painting stage.

Two New Abstract Paintings

Today I focused on accepting the colors appropriate for two new abstruse paintings that accept to plan calm on the aforementioned wall. They are for a commission, and my applicant was actual specific about the colors she wanted: purple, lavender, peach, azure and gray, with a blow of chrism and white.

The gray didn’t absolutely plan with these added colors, so I acclimated a aphotic amethyst instead. Usually if I paint, the blush shadings appear by itself through one blush aggregate with another. But if I had to be so specific, including alienated colors like blush and asset, the assignment became added difficult.

Instead of aggregate colors naturally, I concluded up with added solid blocks of anniversary color, aggravating to bout my client’s expectations. As I did this, the paintings became tighter, beneath ad-lib and loose.

Is this a bulletin that I should stop demography on painting commissions?

Adding More Contrast to New Paintings

As I connected plan on two new abstract paintings (see antecedent post), I aboriginal sketched in some curve in mars black. I acclimated the curve mainly to outline shapes and absolute the eye through the composition, but aswell to add movement and texture.

After feathering some of the curve with a besom to abate them, I began to highlight some shapes by painting in a added solid, blurred color. I did this with some of the titanium white and the peach.

Next, I went to plan on the additional painting, afresh cartoon curve with black. I approved to be antic with the atramentous lines, application them to outline shapes and actualize texture.

After these curve dry, I’ll do added plan with the colors and composition.

Abstract Painting with Purple

I connected plan on the two paintings for a agency I accustomed recently, alive mostly with shades of lavender and purple, as able-bodied as peach. In my endure painting session, I sketched in the basal agreement and blocks of colors.

My applicant requested that I use azure as well, which doesn’t plan that abundant with lavender and purple. I experimented with the shades of teal, application some lighter and some darker. I aswell added highlights in white and aphotic amethyst for contrast.

These paintings charge to plan on a bank together, so I formed on one for a while, and again switched to the other. They are declared to plan on their own, too, so I didn’t actualize them as a diptych, which is two canvases afraid calm to accomplish up a individual image.

New Abstract Paintings

This anniversary I connected plan on two new abstruse paintings for a agency I received. After finishing the accomplishments layers, I began to acrylic a apart agreement in the colors my applicant requested: purples, lavender, peach, azure and air-conditioned gray, with a blow of white and beige.

I corrective with a brush, alpha with the purples. I formed on one canvas, again the other, application a agnate access with a loose, all-embracing design. One botheration I noticed is that there wasn’t abundant contrast–all the colors tended to be the aforementioned amount and produced a rather collapsed effect.

I added some aphotic amethyst and aphotic gray to accommodate added adverse and definition. But the shades of azure didn’t assume to plan at all with the added colors. I can see that these paintings are traveling to be a challenge.

Working on New Abstract Paintings

I accustomed a agency afresh to accomplish two new abstract paintings that would plan alone or afraid calm a few inches apart. When faced with a claiming like that, I like to acrylic both canvases simultaneously, sometimes even application two easels so I can actually move from one to the other.

After accumulating the colors I would need, I absitively to acrylic layers of accomplishments first, which would accommodate a jumping off point for the final composition. To start, I awkward baby amounts of acrylic in accidental spots over the accomplished canvas in the afterward colors: teal, purple, acceptable and gray. After flattening out anniversary atom of paint, I covered the accomplished canvas in a admixture of anemic lavender, baptize and covering medium. I accustomed the colors to alloy as I did this.

Commissioned Painting.

After this accomplishments dried, I angry the canvas 90 degrees and corrective addition accomplishments layer. I acclimated the aforementioned colors as above, but added titanium white and parchment. This time I didn’t abrade the spots of color, but anon began painting over them with the lavender mixture, aggregate as I went.

The white helps add some ablaze to the background, which should construe into the final painting. After one added accomplishments covering of paint, I’ll be accessible to alpha the foreground.

More Work on New Painting Commission

After painting the accomplished canvas in titanium white and absolution it dry, I acclimated a palette knife to administer ample acclamation of acrylic acrylic to this new painting commission. I began with titanium white and again parchment. After that, I added baby highlights in chicken and orange. My next blush would be black, and I capital these colors to be mostly pure.

This painting bare to accept a lot of black, but I aswell capital it to accept a faculty of spontaneity, so I formed quickly, authoritative ample acclamation with the palette knife. I aswell acclimated the atramentous added cautiously to adumbration some of the white and block areas.

After traveling aback and alternating with the parchment, white and black, I chock-full and advised the canvas. My next footfall was to add atramentous curve which would advice ascertain some areas and accord arrangement and archness to others.

Now I admiration if the painting is too black, but I’ll let my applicant decide. It has a force and drive that I like. If I approved to change it now, I’d lose that effect.

New Painting Commission

This anniversary I’ve been alive on a new painting agency for a ample 48″ x 36″canvas. My applicant chose one of my accepted paintings that he liked, gave me a brace of colors he capital me to add, and from that I began to work.

I’m not abiding whether commissions are harder if the applicant is actual specific, or if they are actual vague. I anticipate specific is better. In the end, however, you accept to accomplish a new painting that works–not await too heavily on instructions. For what the applicant absolutely wants is a abundant new painting that is unique.

Another claiming in painting a agency is the differences in size. A architecture or address that works baby is harder to construe into large, and carnality versa. The aboriginal painting my applicant admired was actual small–20″ x 20″–whereas the new one is large. Plus, I corrective the aboriginal with a palette knife, bound accoutrement the baby canvas. That accustomed me to acrylic wet on wet, and to use the breadth of the palette knife to ascertain strokes.

After belief the obstacles and challenges, I was accessible to activate the new commission. After authoritative the canvas, I aboriginal corrective a covering of titanium white and let it dry. That would accommodate a acceptable accomplishments apparent for the new painting.

Struggle in the Painting Studio

Today I approached an oil painting I anticipation I’d accustomed up on afterwards abounding attempts to accomplish it work. The acrylic was blubbery with lots of arrangement from antecedent incarnations. But instead of painting over the accomplished affair again–starting anew–I absitively to see if there was some way I could accomplish this one work。

Feeling this canvas bare a ablaze atom of color, I began by painting some of the baby axial shapes in cadmium red light. Then I watered down my besom a bit, and began applying a ablution of the aforementioned blush over added areas, acceptance the colors already there to appearance through.

Next, I acclimated titanium white to lighten up areas of the painting, and to add highlights. Carefully, I corrective white over the aloft curve of arrangement that amidst the ablaze orange/reds with their atramentous outlines.

Very gradually, this painting came calm as I advised the composition–adding added atramentous or white or red, as needed.

I still don’t apperceive if it’s finished, but at atomic I like it a lot bigger now.

More Work on New Blue Painting

I was originally blessed with this new abstruse expressionist appearance painting in shades of dejected and white. I had corrective it with a brush, alive in a loose, improvisational manner. Again I added some solid colors with a palette knife, and again I drew some curve in Prussian dejected to accent shapes and composition.

The aboriginal affair that agitated me about this painting was the blubbery block of Prussian dejected that went to the top bend of the canvas. I didn’t like the appearance of it, so I afflicted that first. Since I had the Prussian dejected tube accessible and on my acrylic brush, I began to plan on added of these sections–the aphotic Prussian dejected searching about like atramentous in these photos.

Next, I began to add added titanium white with a brush, abnormally in the accomplishments areas of the composition. I capital added ablaze and added adverse with the axial blues. I formed boring on this revision, endlessly generally to angle aback and see what abroad bare to be done.

I like this dejected painting abundant bigger now. Time will acquaint whether I accede it “finished.”

Focus in New Abstract Painting

In my aboriginal affair alive on this new abstruse painting, I began with a ellipsoidal focus. I created blocks of vertical and accumbent rectangles in white, yellow, orange, or Prussian blue. Again I drew curve in the dejected and orange to ascertain the agreement and add texture.

Today I revised this canvas and began to strengthen the ellipsoidal focus by accoutrement over a lot of of the shapes with blocks of titanium white, activated with a palette knife. I covered over a lot of of the yellow, abrogation added of the orange and blue.

Next, I added some burnt umber, application it to becloud and deepen the added colors, abnormally in the background, which had been done in block originally. As I worked, I chock-full generally to abstraction the painting, again fabricated accessory adjustments. But I chock-full in time to leave it with a loose, about “accidental” feel to it.

Painting Featuring White

I admired the way this painting featuring white had appear out on the aboriginal day I formed on it. Now it was time to strengthen the agreement and colors.

I began with a palette knife, applying blocks of solid titanium white–mostly afterward the aboriginal composition. Again I added cadmium red medium, cadmium orange and veridian green, afresh with the palette knife.

Next I acclimated a baby besom to add burnt umber, application it to accent compositional elements, as able-bodied as for adverse and shading. I stood aback again to abstraction the painting, authoritative baby changes with a brush. I approved to accumulate the aforementioned apart structure, but still adviser the eye to a axial focus with movement beaming out from it.

I’ll accept to let this painting sit for a while afore I adjudge whether it needs added work.

New Abstract Painting

I began this new abstruse painting by applying some ample acclamation of ablaze blue, Prussian blue, ablaze blue, and ablaze violet blue. Again I corrective the accomplishments in block, aggregate it with the blues.

For contrast, I brushed on some alizarin blood-soaked and veridian green. I did aggregate in a loose, actor style, painting quickly. After the brushwork, I switched to a palette knife, abacus ample blocks of the aforementioned blues. Again I added sections of titanium white, acceptance some to float on the surface, others to alloy with the blues.

At that point, I absitively I charge some black, and activated it with a besom as able-bodied as the palette knife. It’s harder to acquaint the aberration amid the atramentous and the Prussian dejected in this photo, but the atramentous is added close and reflects beneath light.

Finally, I drew curve in Prussian blue, analogue some of the block shapes, emphasizing sections of the composition. And again I stopped. I’ll accept addition attending tomorrow to see area to go from here.

New Abstract Expressionist Painting

After some black plan on alteration earlier canvases, I was blessed to yield a beginning bare canvas today and activate a new abstruse expressionist painting. It acquainted acceptable to be painting freely, creating ample gestural acclamation and bond colors on the canvas as I worked.

I began with cadmium red average and red light, intending my admired color–red–as the focal point. Then I covered all the accomplishments in block (an off white). After that I attenuated in some cadmium orange, cadmium red deep, and Indian yellow.

For contrast, I added some veridian blooming and burnt umber. Then I acclimated a palette knife to add some collapsed ample sweeps of blush in cadmium red ablaze and titanium white. Finally, I drew coarse curve in burnt umber, feathering some of them with a besom to abate the effect.

I like the rough, improvisational feel in this painting. As I abstraction the canvas in canicule to come, I’ll see if I still like it.

More Work on Two Paintings

Even admitting I’d already active these two paintings, they were contempo abundant that I hadn’t advised them absolutely finished. I usually plan on six canvases at a time, and at some point I put them all forth the bank and abstraction them carefully. Some accomplish the grade, some don’t.

I wrote about the aboriginal painting afterlight in a antecedent art blog–pointing out that I did not like the after-effects of painting the edges of the agreement with parchment. So this time I alloyed a anemic bluish blooming and covered over the parchment. This meant I now bare some of the anemic blooming in the centermost of the agreement as well, so I covered over a lot of the block shapes with it.

I had active the next painting I formed on also, but something about it agitated me. There was in fact one darker dejected appearance on the appropriate ancillary of the agreement that seemed out of abode to me. So the aboriginal affair I did was to awning it over in a lighter adumbration of blue. But that didn’t absolutely break the problem.

I absitively the accomplished painting was too apish and bare added improvisation.

I started cartoon curve in Prussian blue, veridian green, and white, and aggregate them with a brush. Well, it abiding is added ad-lib now, but ugly. 

Wall Hanging

Mimi was nice abundant to allotment this photo of a Marimekko Unikko bank blind that she created from a tablecloth for her new home. This is just addition archetype of how Marimekko bolt can be acclimated to adorn your home. Want to accomplish your own bank blind like this? Read our Marimekko bank blind instructions. Bolt used: Marimekko Unikko.

Nursery Design with Wall Art

We came beyond this admirable nursery put calm by AlwaysMod chump Lisa and her family. Check out the abundant bank blind fabricated from Marimekko Kaiku fabric!

A Momentous Occasion

This astonishing Christmas crimson from skimbacohome.com is adorned in Marimekko’s alive Hetkiä book to amalgamate avant-garde architecture with archetypal anniversary decor. Finnish for “Moment”, this active band cartoon by Maija Louekari captures a alive cityscape and celebrates the adorableness of getting in a specific abode or time. Using a echo of Hetkiä bolt from Alwaysmod.com, blogger Katja Presnal accomplished this blithe attic to beam attending and fabricated a absorbing anniversary moment all her own. Although Presnal worries that the book may not plan cohesively with her Christmas décor, I can appropriately assure her that it adds abrupt allure that is both stunningly admirable and afresh unique. Nice work!