Cobalt Teal Blue – Entwined

Cobalt teal blue paired with its complement of warm red-orange in those entwining imperfect, spheres.

Acrylics. Simple Square Format.

Pure wabi sabi.

Wondering, What I am talking about?  I’ll explain!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painting…. Choices

 

What Could we learn, from this featured image?

 

 

 

wabi sabi

The idea of imperfect, unfinished, impermanent was front and center in my mind as I first gathered my materials.

No zen stroll today.

So the next best thing, of course would be a zen like approach to art.

Wabi Sabi with its depth, and beautiful sense of imperfections and character and uniqueness; and a decidedly  “non-plastic” sensibility to it, is exactly what I aim for.

 

 

 

simplicity

There is something…. about simplicity, about Less, that creates a sense of More.

This is a feeling I subconsciously strive for every time I paint.

 

How to paint the scene, create the emotion, tell the story – with the minimal amount of brushstrokes possible.

More, just clutters it all up.

Adds more noise.

I’m going for less noise, and more clarity.

 

 

 

 

 

content

Cool teal, refreshing.  Background that recedes.

It is telling you something… imparting bits of the story.

 

Entwined,  the 2 spheres in warm red orange come forward to the surface.

But they are not perfect entities.

They’re not precisely  drawn circles.

No. Both, with lumps and broken rough edges.

Oh so Imperfect.  So, Wabi Sabi. I love it.

 

Still this information seen, reveals just part of a story.  The top has been unfinished.

The top sphere not completed for the viewer to see it all.

 

And it is here, that we now must really engage and wonder, think… what,  has come before?

Why is it unfinished? What was going on up there anyway?!  Was it more of the same, or was there some oddity? Did the artist make a mistake?  The goal for the artist, the creator, is to always somehow, get the audience “Engaged.”

 

And That, is what I mean, by ‘content.’

 

 

 

An example of this was  “Its Still.. Life”

I have infused the image with a message. With ‘Content.’

 

5 Bowls all the same size and color.

But each is unique.  With their own leanings, their own patterns and traits.

 

The 5 Bowls are   Entwined.

They are linked and connected.

And where they meet, interconnect there is a change of pattern.

 

There is a stronger pattern overwriting  the individuals’ own patterns.

This effectively Unites the 5 into 1 entity.

The 5 become stronger as 1.

 

 

 

This,  is what I am suggesting to you when I speak of adding, of using, “Content”  in your art works.

 

 

 

 

complementary pairs

When I want to use a very limited palette of just 2 colors, many times I prefer to use complementary pairs.  United, they sing.

(1)  yellow and purple            (2)  blue and orange       (3)  red and green

Remembering to use these pairs is such a great way to create a powerful impact…a strong painting.

 

Ultramarine Blue Bluff illustrates the Blue/Orange pairing

 

 

Passion flower is a great example of how the Purple/Yellow combo suit each other.

 

 

 

 

square format

I think that this format works well for me in many of my paintings.  It seems to, anyway.

The square is even and its balanced on all sides.

It is solid and provides a stable foundation.  It doesn’t suit every thing,  but it does work for many images.

The square can lend an air of modernness and a contemporary feel to a painting that the traditional rectangular shapes may not.

 

 

contrasts

Believe it or not, the Feature Painting, a small and simple image is filled with contrasts!

At first glance, it seems a very simple design with not a lot going on.

But, when you look closer at the weave, at the textures, at the brokenness  of the spheres… you start to see how the contrasts are playing a role.

I had to make sure there were enough contrasts, as this image was one of the more simplified designs.

 

• Cool and warm.
• Light and dark.
• Smooth and rough.
• Closed solid lines and broken lines with ‘gaps’.
• Flat and raised surfaces.
• Separate individual shapes and entwined shapes.

 

 

 

 

Finally…

Some abstracts do have an intended meaning that the artist meant to instill.

Some, were just plain fun splashes of random color and shapes and tones.

 

Both are valid expressions of art.

I always like to ask the artist directly, if… there was something on their mind or if, they were playing a particular song, etc.  when they were creating the painting.

Not just with abstracts either. Any painting that has spark, atmosphere, passion and emotion running through it – has a story to tell.

There’s nothing wrong with guessing what the artist was thinking.

Sometimes just allowing the painting to take over and being immersed into it provides you with the information that you need and suits you at that time.

Many times, the artist is happy with just that outcome.

 

 

Its great though,  if the artist has documented their thoughts and ideas while they were painting.

Useful information right from the horse’s mouth, for art critics, docents, lecturers to go by when talking about an artist’s work.

But most of us artists, do not record, nor document via the pen.

We usually, leave that for the brush and paints to do.