RampArts - Community Art Group

Recipe 3: Abstract entitled Autumn

The aim of this exercise is to:

  • give you the freedom to express yourselves without being constrained by the lack of drawing skills
  • understand how colours, lines and shapes can express mood, feeling, ideas and memories
  • better appreciate works by non-representational artists

 

 

Ingredients

  • A3 sheets of white card
  • poster paint
  • brushes
  • plates for mixing
  • water pots for cleaning brushes

METHOD

Autumn was chosen for the title of this picture because it was that time of teh year and we were able to collect fallen leaves to help with the analysis of colours. If you are working at a different timeof year you may prefer to change the title to Summer, Spring, or Winter. This picture is all about you and what is in your memory and imagination. Close your eyes and think about the colours. Then think about shapes and lines. Then lights and darks. Now make some small rough sketches for your picture arranging the composition carefully and deciding how you will balance the colours and shapes, Remember, this is not a representational picture, it is an interpretation of Autumn through colour, line and shape. Now paint your picture mixing the colours and using the paint thickly.

RESULTS

Despite having the same brief I'm sure you will be surprised at how different each picture has turned out. Did you enjoy producing the pictures? Do you like abstract art? Even if you do not, can you begin to see that by removing the realism from the work you can understand how line, shape, colour, tone, and composition have an importance in their own right. This will help you when you are creating representational pictures.

If you are able visit an exhibition of abstract paintings in your local art gallery. Discuss the work between yourselves.

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