Sept. Abstract Challenge (1)

[Donna T]

Thank you so much, Hermes! That is a lot of very helpful information and I appreciate every bit of it!

 

[Artyczar]

Here’s one for magenta lol acrylic on paper. Didn’t take long, and added white.
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Really love the simplicity of this MississippiHippie! I also LOVE pink!

 

[Artyczar]

One more oddity from me. I used acrylics over layers of transparent watercolor and thin lines of black gesso. I was trying to get more interest with layers and not rely so much on texture. Pushing for some saturated colors is out of my comfort zone but I can find quiet areas in the neutral grays. Curves, angles, the love of color and oddity. Wait, was oddity a theme? 10 x10 acrylic, watercolor and black gesso on watercolor paper.

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Donna, this is so cool! Reminds me a little bit of a fantasy apartment complex in the deepest ocean.

 

[Artyczar]

I'm going to use that thought as a quote. This image came from the same class. Method was to take a clipart like image and make it your own. I enjoyed it. Digital edits have been fun too.View attachment 43522

Love this Jennie!!!

 

[Artyczar]

Here is my interpretation of a mixture of the two themes Angles and Curves and Magenta and Phthalo Green. I used my usual Winsor and Newton Griffin Alkyds on a 400 x 400mm hardboard panel.

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Some details:

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The scarlet-orange spots are to add some punch and variation.

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Below I am showing five of many stages to give an idea if the workflow. I used phthalo green and magenta for 99% of the painting, with touches of yellow and rose for accent areas. The glazing medium was W&N Liquin Light gel. The background looks blue, but weirdly enough, that is the result of applying magenta glaze over an under painting of phthalo green. Green areas were darkened by applying magenta glazes, and magenta areas were darkened with green glazes. The stippled textures were made by dabbing on scumbles with a pot scouring pad.

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First underpainting.
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More underpainting.
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Hermes, this is fantastic!!! You have a great eye for composition, but I feel like I've told you that before, maybe? If not, I can't stress that enough.

 

[Artyczar]

I wanted to thank those of you who commented on the pink and white I last added to my piece. I was out of town, and then when I came back, I had to get a procedure done on my back. Now I am forced to "take it easy" for the next few days. I am antsy to get back to the itty bitty abstract panel, especially because the last bit of painting is pretty dry. Today is my third day resting, so I think I can see how I feel later today or tomorrow and give it a whirl. We'll see.

Christine, I'm SO sorry to hear you took another fall! That's terrible. Please rest up and take it easy.

 

[Hermes2020]

Hermes, this is fantastic!!! You have a great eye for composition, but I feel like I've told you that before, maybe? If not, I can't stress that enough.

Thank you very much, Arty. Your comments are very encouraging.

 

[Donna T]

Thanks for looking at my piece too, Arty. I hope your back is feeling better!

 

[Artyczar]

I worked on this yesterday and this morning, but it needs a bunch of touchups. I think I have to wait for a lot of it to dry before I do that (clean it up a little), but here it is for now. It turned out...okay. Not spectacular, but okay.

 

[PaintBoss]

Thank you Arty. I hope you are recovering well too! I hope the procedure works. Oh boy I know that restless feeling, wanting to get at a project!
I like how your piece coming along. It is really starting to take shape. Now that you’ve blocked it in, you can see what you want to strengthen or change. Do you think you might put any more patterns in it? Are you leaving everything to one side of the wood? (Composition).
Definitely take it easy. You only get one chance to heal.

 

[Donna T]

I like your piece, Arty, and think it’s way more than just okay! I see some kind of vehicle moving to the left. I’ve been thinking a lot about empty spaces and trying to resist the urge to fill them up - they are shapes too and every shape plays a part.

 

[Artyczar]

Yes, it's pretty done. Keeping the composition to the right. It just needs some cleaning up really. I don't know how clean I'll make it, though. Thank you both for the compliments!

I'm antsy to get back to my other work.

 

[PaintBoss]

Well, you’ve got a lot done this month. Holy moly! I like your piece. There is something so cheerful about it and I always think that extra space when you plan to leave it there has some weight. A counterbalance. It doesn’t look like it needs cleaned up to me. Unless you’re wanting to define some areas further. I don’t see any messiness or questionable areas.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you, Christine.

Yes, I wanted to define certain areas, and now it's done. I'm titling it "Palisade Stew." Here it is:

Got it finished just in time, too.

 

[Enyaw]

The outlines put a real nice finish to the piece and the red is once again dominant .. for some reason I think of Golf or Train when I see this piece .. lovely finish ..

 

[Donna T]

I like how the outlines look too. They really tie in with the lines at the top and give the piece a stronger look. Nice finish!

 

[PaintBoss]

Looks defined with more punch with the final touches. Like the name too.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you, Wayne, Donna, and Christine. I really appreciate your feedback.

 

[laf.art]

Great piece and I love the title

 

[Hermes2020]

Arty, it was such a good move to add those outlines. They draw the eyes in nicely. Well done!