Abstract Painting Ideas
Art students often struggle to create realistic-looking images, but abstract art can also be a struggle. Many techniques and ideas can inspire students as they approach the creation of abstract art.
Free Form
Free form painting is done by a brush into any color and then painting on your canvas by moving the brush around at random. There is no plan or direction for the painting. Painters let their minds wander and see what develops.
Paint Dripping and Splatter Paint
Paint dripping and splatter paint are techniques that allow paint to land on the canvas without actually touching the brush to the canvas. To drip paint, artists can either drip it from the end of a brush or drip the paint directly from its container. To splatter paint, artists can dip a large paint brush or even a toothbrush into the paint and run their fingers over the bristles to make the paint splatter onto the canvas. Artists can also use a straw by pouring some paint into it and blowing the paint out of the straw onto the canvas.
Geometric Shapes
An abstract painting can be made by combining geometric shapes such as squares and triangles. They can be painted free hand or with stencils. Shapes can also be made by using strips of masking tape to create the outline of the shape, painting the space between the strips of tape and then removing the tape as the paint dries.
Using Mixed Media
There are other ways to make abstract art without paint. Using objects such as ribbon, wire and other pieces of paper and adhering them to a canvas can also inspire an abstract work of art.
