a colorful exploration

[Donna T]

I felt the need for something light and bright since it has been cold and rainy where I live. I started with watercolor washes then added pen lines and glazes of acrylic. I get inspired by the work of Stan Kurth and if you look him up you'll see why. This is kind of abstract but I stopped when it tried to trick me into defining forms and losing the mystery. 9x9 on watercolor paper

 

[Enyaw]

This is really good Donna .. it holds intrigue but leaves you wandering and wondering and it has great depth a think I find missing in a lot of abstracts. I looked up Stan and can see the influence without copy. I like the use of patterns you are doing as well.

 

[Grapes]

Love the colors! It's also a happy painting!

 

[Jade]

Beautiful textures and colours Donna!

 

[Donna T]

Thanks Wayne, getting a sense of depth is a challenge for me because it’s hard to cover up areas that I like. I need to work on that.

Thank you Grapes and Jade. Those are bright colors for me - out of my comfort zone.

 

[Enyaw]

out of my comfort zone

…good place to be

 

[Terri]

Absolutely gorgeous! You achieved your goal of light and bright. This is like sitting outside on a bright sunny day by the pool, with eyes closed. Dreamy!

I love it!

 

[Donna T]

Hi Terri and thank you so much. I am still trying to find my way with abstracts and it’s fun to have no great expectations. A sunny day by the pool … I like that.

 

[Maybenartist]

Definitely light and airy colours and texture, helps when you only have grey skies. I like looking at paintings like this to see what I can make out within the shapes.

 

[snoball]

Beautiful colors and lots of interest to explore.

 

[Donna T]

Thanks Maybe and Sno, I appreciate the feedback.

 

[JennieJo]

very nice Donna, top right is a favourite spot for me. The mixture of colour, lines and textures across the image are very compelling.

 

[PaintBoss]

Yes Donna! Love the exploring and changing your usual colour palette. Abstract is so much fun to explore if you get out of the way of those tricksters trying to tighten you up, overly define that freer nature! Lol l love your description of that! It’s a marvellous feeling when you can finally loosen up enough so that other things show up. To flow. But there are also many styles of abstract, so if you want to do more defining, you still can do that. But I think you’re implying you’re trying to loosen up and so it’s fantastic that you’re listening to yourself and stop yourself before going too far. It’s a whole other way of thinking after realism, although there too when can overwork. I find it abstract incredibly satisfying in a whole other way. How to judge what is needed. Seeing what appears.
I do like the colours, texture and line.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Bright and sparkly. I can't critique abstract but this is full of action...fun!

 

[Donna T]

Thanks Jennie Jo. I’m trying to use more lines to break up big masses of color. It seems to work out best if I close my eyes so I’m not tempted to define things.

Hi Christine - it’s nice to see you again. You are right: I do want to loosen up. Sometimes the shapes insist on being defined but I try not to overdo it. I’m finding that pushing myself to make abstracts that work is helping me make better compositions in my other work. Shapes have to be balanced no matter if they are abstract or not and I have to be willing to make that happen. Most of my abstract attempts end up in the trash but I keep trying. Thanks so much for your thoughts.

Thanks Jo. Are you sure you don’t want to be “abstracty”? Just think of the reds you could use.

 

[Jade]

I really like your abstracts Donna.

 

[PaintBoss]

Thanks for the warm welcome back Donna. I almost mentioned the challenge of finding balance in abstract. I sooo agree it helps with other art we make! Also we are developing our eye, and consciously or unconsciously thinking about the rules of design, when judging what to do with a painting.

 

[Donna T]

Thanks again for the support, Jade. I never know how an abstract will be received because I never know if it works or not!

Christine, Thank you for the Principles of Design! I might have to print it and hang it where I work as a reminder that each of those principles is important. Maybe this will help when I get stuck and can't figure out what is missing or what might be too much.

 

[PaintBoss]

It actually does help when you get stuck. I think about it a lot doing a piece. When trying to decide what I’m going for, what is feeling off, what is possibly missing, and recognizing why an area is working. Looking at the elements. I keep thinking of my old art prof who was a very intimidating/scary old dude teaching us this in our first class. He was old military( very tough ex Airborne division), and his assistant would say a dry alcoholic, and that made him quite intense. But he was a very talented teacher. Final studio exam, 6 hours to complete, threw a bucket of water on the floor and growled draw this, and it better not look like a bucket of water on the floor! And then he left the room. I kept thinking whatever I do, I better check back with the elements of design of the piece! Lol

 

[Jade]

Thanks again for the support, Jade. I never know how an abstract will be received because I never know if it works or not!

Christine, Thank you for the Principles of Design! I might have to print it and hang it where I work as a reminder that each of those principles is important. Maybe this will help when I get stuck and can't figure out what is missing or what might be too much.

Donna, I like this one a lot and the blue and reds you did a while back in a slightly different abstract style. They work for me

Christine, thanks for posting that too, I'll save that for future ref.