Abstract Art

Painting With A Palette Knife

Before I began painting with a palette knife, I first used a brush to paint the background of this small canvas with unbleached titanium.  Then I began adding wide strokes of color with the palette knife, beginning with cadmium red deep, raw sienna, and burnt sienna. 

I left spaces for the titanium white, which I added next.  I allowed the white to blend somewhat with the other colors, but not too much.  I then added a bit of parchment, and finally some burnt umber.

Once I got the basic blocks of color in, I continued to add more of one here, more of another there--always being careful to control the amount of blending with the background.  When I wanted a more solid color, I added another layer with the knife.  I also added some of the darker colors  gingerly to the background to give it more texture and interest.

My final step was to draw lines in burn tumber outlining some of the shapes and guiding the eye through the composition. The lines added emphasis as well as texture. 

  Canvas #223, 20" x 20" acrylic on canvas.

 

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Featured Abstract Artist Doug Baird

Doug Baird is an Ithaca artist with a great sensibility for the drawn line as well as digital collage.  He often starts with a photograph he's taken of something that speaks to him, and then begins to add layers of drawings and digital manipulations.

  GLASSWARE 20121 by Doug Baird

His work ranges from images that look completely abstract to those that still delineate clearly the underlying photographic image. 

  BIRD FEEDERS L by Doug Baird

  LOWLANDS LANDSCAPE G by Doug Baird

Some of his work is strictly line drawing, or line drawings imposed on line drawings, like this one:

    BIG IDEA 18TH B by Doug Baird

Doug says that his images "do not deny representational means, but give weight to all the perceptions in an attempt to reach a closer approximation to the experience of seeing."

Doug has a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and has exhibited original drawings and prints of his images in a variety of venues in Ithaca, NY.  You can see more of his work at DougBairdArt.com.

 

 

Making Art During Open Studio Weekends Soothes the Nerves

If you are not comfortable working in retail sales (how many artists are?), opening your studio to the public for two weekends can be a stressful experience.  One thing I do to help calm my nerves is to make art while people are browsing.  Otherwise it is awkward standing there or following them around.

Here's an abstract drawing I made at the last open studio weekend: