Abstract painting is a type of painting where there is no figurative definition to what one can see or interpret from. It is compositionally usually constituted of colour, form, shape, line, dot, distortion, exaggeration, dynamism and so on to convey feelings or concepts. Abstract paintings create worlds of their own with no peripheries in meaning or interpretation; thus, each to their own. The abstract painting processes generally involve transfer of organic feeling, powerful energy, conceptual depth, whether spontaneous creation, or premeditated composition either way intense or light enough to pump into an abstract painting.
Some abstract paintings have concepts as their base while others don’t. It is a question of what and how the artist feels and what the artist wishes to say or not through the paintings.
Using elements like shape, form, line, dot, colour and texture, one can explore infinite possibilities with abstract paintings to express anything. Ways to perceive can be as many or more than the ways to create abstract paintings. As abstract (non-figurative) painting provides for further subjectivity and openness than normal, viewers are free to feel and internalize what they feel and look for, therefore what they see and consequentially how they feel about the abstract painting as an experience of their own.
Using the various elements, abstract paintings can extract the essence of feelings, frames of mind, states of the heart, frames from real domestic life, opulence from elite royal life and anything in the horizonal spectrum of things in between and beyond.
There is no barrier in terms of representational boundaries for subjects to be looked at objectively in this scheme of things. For Example : A painting such as Guernica by Pablo Picasso (1937).
It is about how that feeling is conveyed in the abstract paintings through the elements with a medium upon a surface by the artist. For example, Symbolism ; Lines can symbolize weight, lightness, beginnings, endings and so on in abstract paintings, while shapes can symbolize building of form, balance, and visual casings for our eyes to travel and compose a feeling through the abstract painting.
Same way even form is constructed, and the thickness, thinness, heaviness, or lightness would determine visual weight or seamlessness through elemental construct that viewers feel when they see the paintings. For example the understanding and interpretation of Georges Seurat’s ‘A Sunday on La Grande Jatte’, created between 1884 and 1886.
Colour is one of the dominant, crucial elements that sets the tangible and intangible tone (mood) for the creation as well as perception of abstract paintings, moreover when they are based on a spontaneous frame of mind, being visually translated onto the surface, or in premeditated concept-based works too. Colour symbolism and colour theory are core skills which can enrich the naure and depth of abstract paintings to delve deeper into the technical and thereby consequential value of the abstract stature of paintings. Colour encompasses and brings all the above stated elements together in abstract paintings whether multi-colored or monochromatic in colour scheme. In abstract paintings, all comes together in harmony or contrast using colour with visual elemental qualities. Even in an abstract painting such as JMW Turner’s ‘Sun Setting over a Lake’, created in 1840, there is so much soul!
Combining or choosing from all these elements to use in abstract paintings, the ways, and forms in which they will be incorporated and what that will mean for the painting to work, as far as a potential impact is concerned is the skilled, challenging job of an abstract artist.
An abstract artist (abstract painter) is the artistic force behind the abstract painting. The heart and mind behind constructing the visual composition, qualitative ramifications and conveying the feeling through abstract paintings stays at the core of being an abstract artist. Deciding on painting a feeling or a concept is always a version it. An abstract artist needs to be aware of what the general surface consequences in impact could be, of this version of a feeling or concept or anything through their art going out could be.
Way forward would be unpredictable entirely, in terms of response. But can be predictable for responses to abstract paintings on a general level if the target audience(s) is(are) studied and backgrounds are of shared, common contexts.
Abstract artists have an advantage of context to explore with respect to reception and perception of their abstract paintings being taken in the spirit they were created with. Well, the beauty of it is that abstract paintings have no common contexts themselves. Very rarely will we see a commonality there. Each painting holds its own ground in terms of diversity in context, content, perception, memory, impact, everything. The very nature of individuality and singularity in uniqueness is what makes abstract paintings so special. Each painting has its own visual construct, creatively perceived meaning, generally perceived feeling, diversely specific ramifications, and its own intangible world of abstraction. Each person has their own lenses into abstract paintings and that lack of definition or quantitative endlessness is what makes abstract painting a never-ending avenue for both an abstract artist and an art viewer.
Therefore, abstract paintings have their soul in the elemental nature of their colour, line, shape, form, dot and so on and express what is felt or feel what is expressed thereof. The abstract artist is a channel to make the journey between feeling and abstract painting or concept and abstract painting happen. To make that journey successfully (again subjective definitions), an abstract artist needs to be aware of the abstract paintings’ content, context of presentation, multifold ramifications, and nature of abstraction. There are types of abstraction as well: Optical Abstraction, Geometric Abstraction, Action Abstraction, Colour Field Abstraction, Distorted Abstraction and so much more that an abstract artist must explore with abstract paintings.
It is about making that journey with authenticity, genuine investment, technical prowess, and undiluted energy for maximized impact not only for now but also for the future, for generations to come. The relationship between the abstract artist and abstract painting is inherently very different from the relationship between viewer or buyer and abstract painting. But it is all one single thread with respect to one abstract painting. The inevitable nature of abstract paintings is to be expressive, honest, transparent, and dynamic with their visual dialogue as well as visual elements. Whether the feeling itself is transparent or mysteriously opaque, that itself is meticulously conveyed depending on the skill and intent of the abstract artist through abstract paintings.
The essence of abstract paintings and being an abstract artist therefore lie in the intricacies of the process at every step of the way. From the intangible maze of things to the tangible translation, the nature if abstract painting itself closes no doors for an artist to fear not getting entry into or exit out of, respectively. Abstract paintings therefore are a wonderful, profound way to express, feel and reflect about everything in our lives.
About Sparsha By Radhika
Exploring possibilities through a variety of these artistic doors, at Sparsha by Radhika, we explore possibilities with concept and feeling to embed memorable experiences for our clients’ spaces to be energized in the most effective and special ways with our abstract paintings in Bengaluru. We work Pan India and Abroad.
Get in touch with Radhika to get going with your very own abstract painting!
Radhika is an abstract artist creating abstract paintings based in Bengaluru, servicing abstract art requirements for HNI homes and Commercial Spaces.
Check out her abstract paintings here.
