Abstract Exercise

I've got to say, I'm really enjoying my Abstractify course. It always challenges me to think about how I approach a picture, or drawing. Although, the optional abstract exercise, recently, didn't exactly lead to enticing pictures.

I decided to merge my photo of gum nuts, and a magazine cover I quite liked - involving brightly coloured, Chinese lanterns. Although it sounded like a good idea in my head, I wasn't quite able to master the exercise in practice.

Not in oil pastels...

Nor in acrylic paints - the first attempt...

Or even the second and final attempt, in acrylic!

But the exercise, no matter how unsatisfactory the end pictures were, brought about some really valuable discoveries for me.

1. I don't like harsh lines when painting. It works with sketches only.
2. I really suck at making abstract art!

I dealt with the harsh lines, by trying to paint the whole picture with my fingers instead.

Some aspects of the final picture, worked in isolation. It seemed impressionistic, and got rid of those nasty, harsh lines. But as a whole, the final picture, was really quite unappealing.

Compared to the gum-nuts I painted earlier, it just didn't work. After some feedback from the course creator, I came to understand, I'm navigating between representational and abstract - I have to find the level which most appeals, to me.

On a spectrum, I lean more towards realism (representational) and less towards abstract. But as I practice more and more, that may change. I'm happy to accept realism for now, as it gives me a direction. Something I'm already connected to. Abstract will come more, later. I don't have to go full-abstract now. 

Which really helped, when I completed my final exercise for the week. More on that tomorrow.