Where to Begin?
Getting started on an abstract painting can seem hard at
first. After all, you're not simply going to reproduce an
object or scene in front of you. It all has to come from your
imagination. You could start with a simple vision then jot
down types of media and ways of using them:
Vision: A bright breezy summer's day.
Approach: What colors could you use to express it? Pri-
mary blue and yellow with a touch of pastel pink, perhaps.
Which media? Juicy acrylic paint, torn scraps of rice paper
in random shapes and sizes, light decorative crayon lines
might work.
Without using actual objects, brainstorm "recipes" for
some of these:
A cozy evening by an open fire (warm colors,
strong contrasts, soft shapes?)3S I CREATIVE PA I N T WO RKSHOP
A walk on a rainy night
An argument with a relative- Your favorite meal
A special piece of music (listen to it while you create!)
Dancing in a field of flowers - A migraine headache (OUChl)
- The loss of a loved one, human or pet
Farmer's market (the colors, the movement)
An arduous climb up a mountain
Swimming in a calm sea (stay with the horizontal) - Walking barefoot over broken glass (well, you don't
have to do it- just imagine!)