Mini Abstract attempt

MurrayG

Well-known member
Messages
756
Hi folks, as part of my daily series, I thought to try an "abstract" mainly cos I NEVER do them. I'm sure this doesn't quite fit, but it's made me think a little on just how blocks of colour movement may work. 2.5x3.5 inches on card, Rembrandt's. I'd welcome thoughts as I have no experience in "planning" or attempting this. The smudgy foreground was an attempt to disguise what I thought didn't work ......

IMG_4822.jpg
 
So glad you’re trying something new Murray. It just takes practice. Pastel in particular is tricky in such a small format. But what people don’t count on it is a wonderful thing when those little pieces are framed and put on the wall. Very impactful!! They literally jump across the room, even though they’re tiny. So if you’re going for a softer look, just keep playing with colours and looking at it from across the room. If you want detail, that’s gonna be another thing.
 
So glad you’re trying something new Murray.
Hi, thanks for the thoughts. I may try a bigger piece and different media. "abstract" is something I don´t normally do or "appreciate". While I appreciate some, I am not clear why.... But these daily exercises do force one to experiment, so maybe----- I know this piece isn't strictly abstract, but its a close as I can get just now.
 
That's a lovely little painting. I particularly like the top right blue area and the way it works next to those broken yellow and white strokes. The pastels give an effect I would love to achieve with oil paint, so I am looking for a type of oil pastel that will dry like oil paint and that does not smudge or give a powdery surface. Please let me know if you come across such a product. Christine, can you perhaps suggest something?
 
Hi Hermes, thanks for the input, I think the same area gets me somehow as well. I've never tried oil pastels so cannot suggest anything. I have managed similar textures with a dry brush with acrylic on a NOT watercolour paper though....
 
Hi Hermes, thanks for the input, I think the same area gets me somehow as well. I've never tried oil pastels so cannot suggest anything. I have managed similar textures with a dry brush with acrylic on a NOT watercolour paper though....
It is also one of my favourite effects with oil paint. I get it by scumbling with a flat brush or a palette knife over roughly textured, dry previously painted areas .
 
Well, I’m afraid I haven’t done much with oil pastels. I would go to the forum and find someone who used oil pastels regularly.
The best part about miniatures is it’s a great place to try different mediums. See what you can do with them. To practice with them instead of getting into something bigger. Where you may lose interest or get frustrated or put so much time into it that it gets a little discouraging if it’s not working out at first. And of course, working with a new medium takes a little time. We all have pieces that end up in the garbage. Especially at first.
I think you did a great job loosening up a little to make it more abstract. And if you want to even push yourself further again working small can help. And I’m sure if you want more detail it’s possible with pastel. I see people do it all the time, especially when they’re doing pet portraits. I have a hard time getting a sharp edge for detail even with pastel pencils. But that’s not oil pastel of course.
I get really excited when people try something new or try to push their usual boundaries. That’s a good thing to do. Even if you end up having some pieces that don’t quite get where you want or end up in the garbage. It can be really different going from one medium to the next, you just have to play with it enough to figure out how it works.
Have you been looking at certain abstract art as inspiration? If so, if you have a few favourite pieces you’ve seen, can you please post some? I think I know where you’re going. But there’s lots of different possibilities.
 
Back
Top