We’re going to explore abstract painting a bit today
I have been commissioned to do a lot of abstract paintings in my career
Any commission is a little scary
because you want to make sure your client loves it,
but when it is commissioned by your own daughter,
that is the scariest of all!
This painting, “Cool Calm and Collected”
migrated from DD’s old living room to her new powder room
after they renovated their house in 2019
Because they loved their lot and their location,
when they began to out grow their house ,
they decided to rebuild instead
Now they have a huge great room with walls begging for art!
Life’s Layers is on the left wall
and she asked me to paint a large canvas
to go on the opposite wall near the stairs
DD and I have a lot in common,
but our taste in decor runs very different!
I love color and lots going on,
while she is very plain Jane,
her whole house is neutrals,
gray and white with gold fixtures and accents
She gave me the photo below from Pottery Barn
and said it was exactly what she wanted…
she plans to hang family photos around the painting
forming a small gallery wall
so she wanted the painting to be simple and serene,
to add a pop of color to the space,
but not cause distractions
Azure Patchwork Hand Embellished Canvas Print
Here we go!
She requested a 48″ x 48″ canvas
which actually looks small in her great room
but it sure looked big in my kitchen!
I printed out a photo of the Pottery Barn canvas for reference
and set up my Sta-Wet palette
A Sta-Wet palette is so handy for acrylics,
the paint stays wet because the palette paper
sits atop a wet sponge in a plastic box
When you’re finished painting for the day
you put the lid on and it seals tightly
and the paint will stay fresh for days
I made a grayish blue by mixing Prussian Blue,
Titanium White, a touch of Cad Yellow and Ultramarine blue
then varied the proportions of the mixed paint
to slightly vary the different blocks of color
I used a 2 1/2″ house painting brush for the large areas
to spread the paint quickly
and mixed in a medium gel to thicken the paint
for texture in some areas
To finish and help it tie in to her decor I added some gold streaks
It’s really hard to see in the photograph,
but it looks much better in person
and most importantly she said she loves it
which is all that matters to me!
They haven’t a chance to hang it yet
so I will post an update of the whole wall
once it’s hung and you can get a better feel
for how it looks in the room
How do you feel about abstract paintings?
Here are some of my favorites
If you think you’re not a painter try an abstract~
Abstract painting is not as easy as it looks,
but here are a few tips to keep in mind
- Find a photo or object to use as a model, then break it down into simple shapes
- Make sure your composition has an off center focal point where the eye is drawn
- Use a limited palette, it will keep your painting harmonious. Too many colors can make it look like a hot mess!
Be Fearless!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado Love Your Creativity
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Turn About Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday Centerpiece Wednesday Creative Crafts