Drawing Abstract Paintings - How Can I Start?!
Breakdown
- It's not that hard!
- How do some people treat abstract art/ and how I used to think of abstract art?
- My approach!
- Choosing your color schemes.
- Picking styles, text, and textures.
- Final thoughts!
It's Not as Hard as You Might Think!
I know when I first thought about drawing some cool abstract art, I had no clue where to start. Over time, I've figured out a few things that will hopefully give you enough to start their own pieces. I've broken down some things I've noticed from others' work and my work, so by all means try these tips or none at all. This isn't the only way to go about this, there are plenty of other ways you'll discover over time. Just have fun with it, some people might not find it appealing, and some will! I didn't at first! Keep reading for the tips and tricks!
How Do Some People Treat Abstract Art?
Abstract art can be a hit or miss, especially when some pieces don’t look like much! Have you seen the banana in 2019 that was taped on the wall and sold for $120 thousand dollars or so? While that’s technically a conceptual art piece, many abstract pieces garner some controversial debates, much like how a single line stroke on a white canvas can sell plenty and cause outrage. So, abstract and conceptual pieces have always amassed a bad rep.
When I was younger, I never understood the appeal of abstract art either. Not. One. BIT! Not a single part in my body, or brain could comprehend it. All I could see was just some random lines and shapes, how were people seeing anything from it?! You're telling me they painting red and black blotches and called it "Window to the World"? But, it really wasn’t until I started to make them myself that I understood much more about it. I’ll run you through my thought process in creating my abstract pieces!
Brief pause:
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My Approach
The approach that I have goes sort of something like this. I wake up and think, "I want to make an abstract piece today!" So, I open up my iPad, go to Procreate and have no idea if it really would be good or not, but that’s usually the way it goes. If you don't know what Procreate is, it's a great drawing app on the iPad. As of writing this, it costs $12.99. Then I start with a few different strokes and repetitions to see if something feels/looks nice. Experiment with brushes, think of color schemes and also different techniques.
Brushes
For digital and physical paintings, your brush, or lack thereof is your secret weapon. Lately, I’ve found two brushes that I like on Procreate. The first one is called Kynanyi in the Calligraphy brush library.
and the second is called Quoll which you can find in the Artistic brush library all within Procreate.
I love those two brushes a lot, with the first one, I can make the stroke of the shape with some nice textured edged. The second one also has some texture to it, but it also has its opacity controlled by pressure AND it can blend two colors together quite nicely. So, I can do some layering like this.
But try out all the brushes you want, make your own, and have fun with it. I tried every single brush on Procreate before landing on these two, and I don't only use these two, I mix and match.
Color Scheme
The next thing is figuring out the general color that I want. For this let’s do pink and blue to give this ethereal feeling. Soft and warm at the same time.
Going back to color theory is always a plus, you get to add to what you’ve learned over time. When you pick the colors, it’s just a matter of making the shapes and blends, and erase whatever you want. This is the part where you can get really creative! Here are a few examples of a few things you could play with.
Circles and Sizes
Lines
Repetition (my favorite)
Styles, Text, Texture
As you work through the process you want to explore different styles and techniques, adding text, trying out canvas textures, and more. I normally like to take my finished pieces from Procreate onto Photoshop where I have more control over the overall textures (The filter gallery is a godsend). The point is to find what suits you the most! Do you want to tell a story within a spread of pieces? Do you just want to make fun and cool-looking art? Absolutely go for it. The best part is the process to get to the result. Your art is allowed to look differently every time. I've had pieces like my "Journey" collection where I used specific brushes and colors to keep a cohesive style, but everything else is always changing and evolving.
You can buy this piece soon!
Last thoughts
I think as I started to make my own abstract art, I’ve realized what draws people to them, they’re unique, intriguing, and sometimes the process it takes to get to the finished product is simply breathtaking. I’ve learned not to judge it as harshly as I used to as a kid because the person creating it had a purpose. Whether it was to have fun, or to ridicule the viewers, there’s a purpose nonetheless! So, find out what makes your art unique and maybe it’ll translate towards other aspect of your art! I’d love to experiment with abstract and portraits. We’ll see how that goes!
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And check out some of the apparel here with the abstract piece (Ebb and Flow)
Have fun making some abstract pieces, see you next Saturday. I post as often as I can on Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok, Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest, so feel free to tag me on any of these platforms!