UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #34

“Vast”

(Mixed Media) 

Size:  120x90cm

THE IDEA BEHIND THE PAINTING:

“Vast” is the complete opposite to my last week’s post which was purely abstract with no perspective at all. This painting is of Mooloolaba Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Australia near where I live.  It is an exercise in perspective and the composition was carefully planned before painting.  However you will note that the surf in the mid-ground is dribbled across the canvas to flatten out the painting and to keep it from getting too geometrical or realistic. 

Art Techniques used to achieve this:

This painting is an exercise to demonstrate perspective – the rear, middle and forward fields rocket off the canvas into the space inhabited by the viewer outside the picture plane.  The point of focus is the trawler on the horizon. The rectangle shape of the canvas also emphasises the horizontal line and exaggerates the perspective.

Yellow always represents joy for me and my palette here is yellow and blue and their compliments, violet and orange.  The painting is neither cold nor hot but tends to give a feeling of neutrality.  

Collage was used at the point of focus to depict a trawler and the paper was cut to repeat the geometry used in the overall painting.  No attempt is made to make the trawler look realistic – just its shape is shown.

The texture is moderately rough which adds to the feeling that the sea and the beach are natural and still able to dictate their moods.

I don’t enjoy doing such a structured painting, but from time to time, it is good to step outside of ones usual painting style and try something different.  I took my inspiration from Lawrence Daws.

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