You can get similar effects from other straight edges like cardboard, palette knives, scrapers, and really anything with a hard straight edge. That said, the rubber edge of the squeegee does have an aspect to it none of those other alternatives have.
Five Ways To Start An Abstract Painting
Looking to get started in abstract painting? Wondering how to begin? Check out these tips from a seasoned pro. I’ve been an abstract painter (both digital and traditional) for decades. Take it from me… having a plan helps, a lot! For more great tips, check out my book Acrylic Painting With Passion available in hardback and on Kindle.
- Color exploration: Start by selecting a color palette that inspires you and experiment with layering and blending colors on the canvas. You can use a variety of tools such as brushes, palette knives, sponges, or your hands to apply the paint and create interesting textures. Check out this palette of SoFlat colors by Golden. Six colors that allow you to make a huge variety of tints, mutes, and shades. Add to that the fact that these have the most delicious matte surface, and you’ve got a winning set.
- Gestural mark-making: Start by making loose, expressive marks on the canvas using charcoal, graphite, or paint. Allow your intuition and body movements to guide the process, focusing on the energy and rhythm of the marks rather than any specific representation. One of my favorite tools for mark making is a big chunky piece of graphite. These Lyra sticks are water-soluble so they work great with acrylic.
- Collage: Start by creating a textured surface on the canvas using torn pieces of paper, fabric, or other materials. Once you have a base layer, you can start layering and blending paint to create an abstract composition that integrates the collaged elements. Use Golden Soft Gel Gloss to adhere collage elements to canvas. Compatible with acrylic paint, of course!
- Experiment with different techniques: Try using unconventional tools or techniques to create marks on the canvas, such as pouring, splattering, dripping, or scraping paint. You can also experiment with different mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, or oil paints to create unique effects. I love the Catalyst Blades made by Princeton for scraping. They’re sturdy, clean easily and make a variety of marks.
- Start with a concept or emotion: Begin by brainstorming a concept or emotion that you want to convey through your painting. This could be something abstract like love, joy, or loneliness, or something more concrete like a landscape or cityscape. Use the concept as a starting point to guide your color choices, composition, and mark-making. For instance, what color would you say love is? What texture do you associate with loneliness? What shape do you see when you think of the word joy?
These are just a few of the ways you can get started in abstract painting. One more tip – find an abstract artist you love and spend some time reinterpreting their work. You’ll learn a lot!
Abstract Painting with Masking Tape
Palette knives are another fantastic tool in the abstract painter’s arsenal.
In abstract painting, they are a great tool for getting textures to your painting. While there are a variety of ways to add texture to your painting you can get an interesting result just through paint and palette knife alone.
Some artists, like Leonid Afremov, use the palette knife as adeptly as a brush. Creating vibrant abstract images with just the tip of their knife. He did most of his work in the oils medium though.
Others use it to apply the paint to the canvas in a uniquely textured way and then brush out the edges like what can see the artist Ray Grimes doing on YouTube.
To get a better idea of how one can use palette knives better check out this page I wrote on palette knife artists here!
That said, palette knives are pretty much as essential to an artists supplies as paint brushes are. The cheap plastic ones are just as good as the fancy metal ones too.
Abstract Acrylic Painting with Texture
Abstract acrylic painting with texture is done in a variety of ways. We already discussed how palette knives can be used with thick paint to accomplish various textures but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Using your brushes themselves are a great place to start! Whatever brushes you have you can use to get different types of brushstroke textures into your paintings.
Thick coarse brushes are really good for this. You can load multiple colors on to one brush and then leave a thick multicolored brush stroke.
Better than brushes and palette knives though we have a variety of options to add texture to the canvas.
When it comes to prepping the canvas with texture gesso is a great place to start as it is something a lot of artists generally have on hand. While it’s primary purpose is as a primer if you add it thick enough you can get textures out of it.
There are also mediums specifically designed to give you a variety of textured results. That is going to take a whole different page to cover in the appropriate depth but something like the Liquitex Texture Gels are a great way to get additional textures into your painting.
There are many options to choose from as well as a number of homemade concoctions we can try as well. I certainly want to take some time to explore them all thoroughly!
The Dry Brush Technique
This technique is used in acrylic paintings of all kinds but is especially useful in abstract works.
This is when you take a dry brush and barely put any paint on it at all then you work it on to the canvas. This applies the paint in a very very thin and transparent coat.
The dry brush technique is often used in combination with various masking techniques such as using masking tape or stencils.
It is a great way to add shadows and various other effects to your abstract painting.
Another way to use it is if you have already applied paint to your canvas that you want to have a softer look you can take a dry brush to it to help spread and soften it up.
This is a method you can even find Bob Ross using to create clouds!
Acrylic abstract painting Guide For Beginners
- Choose the right canvas – Start with thick canvas that is sturdy and watercolor suitable. This will ease out the process for you.
- Choose the right grade of color – We would suggest starting up with amateur or craft paint grade and the move to professional or artist’s level paints when you start mastering the art.
- Use dry brush – For beginners, it is advisable to use a dry brush and not dilute the color. Dilution needs perfection and right idea of the amount of water to be used. This comes with practice.
- Try using it as watercolor – Acrylic paint is very similar to watercolor on the addition of water. So try mixing both types to create more patterns and textures. However one must keep in mind that acrylic paints dry much faster than watercolors.
- Try various techniques – Explore more and more with the technique of application of paint. Do not restrict yourself only to your brush strokes. Try dabbing, splattering, stippling variations to add vibrancy and create new textures and patterns. This will help you understand your strengths and drawbacks.
- Mix and match your colors right – it is very important that you do not mix your colors thoroughly on the palette. Mix it partially and keep the rest for mixing on the canvas. By this, you can create beautiful hues and color strokes on the canvas.
- Glide your Palette knife – Learn to glide your palette knife to apply the masterstroke. The smoother you glide the richer, the color will develop.
- Keep a brush set handy – pay attention to details. Keep ready and use various kind of brushes to bring out various features of your painting. Once you master the above-mentioned basics, you can go forward with some more advanced techniques of acrylic painting such as:
- Underpainting, glazing and block painting – layer your painting time and again using contrasting hues, different paints or coloring a light background. All these techniques help you create unique patterns and layering of colors.
All these and many more methods are there to help you begin with your acrylic abstract painting. However, the most important aspect is to practice. The more you practice the better your concept and strokes will become. So dive into the world of colors and paint the world in your hue.
Tags: Acrylic Abstract Painting for Beginners Step By Step
