What in the world is Abstract Art?
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Now that we know what Abstract Art is, let's look at how Abstract Art might be created in many of our studios.
Abstract Art in the Fibers studio might look like cutting fabric into lines, shapes and colors and sewing the pieces in place. The stitches can become interesting lines in the art.
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Abstract Art in the Drawing Studio can still include portraits, a still-life and landscape but they will not be true to reality but gives more of a feeling or idea of a portrait, still life or landscape.
The idea or feeling of a face. The idea or essence of the sun and mountains. The gesture of a dog. The form of a tea kettle and pitcher.
Can you tell what creature this abstracted art is trying to represent?
Abstract Art might look like this in the Printmaking Studio.
Using Stamps, bubble wrap, rollers and paint, you can create a colorful printed design by pressing shapes and colors onto the surface of your paper.
You can create abstract art like these Gelli Prints by using shapes and color.
Abstract Art in painting might look like painting large colorful shapes and areas on your paper and the following class coming back in and painting lines, dots, shapes in black paint.
Wet on Wet Watercolor circles. This young painter brushed on one color in a round shape then dabbed another color of watercolor on top of the wet paint to create blended color circles.
Draw Lines and Paint Shapes on top! Voila, Abstract Art.
We can tell this represents a landscape but it doesn't look true to reality so it is Abstract. Abstract can look like something we know such as a portrait or landscape but when it doesn't look like reality we say it's abstract.
Abstract in collage
Can you tell what creature this abstracted art is trying to represent?
Abstract Art might look like this in the Printmaking Studio.
Using Stamps, bubble wrap, rollers and paint, you can create a colorful printed design by pressing shapes and colors onto the surface of your paper.
Abstract Art in painting might look like painting large colorful shapes and areas on your paper and the following class coming back in and painting lines, dots, shapes in black paint.
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Draw Lines and Paint Shapes on top! Voila, Abstract Art.
We can tell this represents a landscape but it doesn't look true to reality so it is Abstract. Abstract can look like something we know such as a portrait or landscape but when it doesn't look like reality we say it's abstract.
Abstract in collage
Collage tends to look abstract. Torn paper, overlapping, patterned paper and paper shapes don't look like the figures and landscapes we see in the real world. Artists can create a reality that doesn't exist. How cool is that!
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Did this mini-lesson give you a better idea about Abstract Art?
Abstract art in Sculpture
Do you recognize some leaf shapes or the profile of a face? Could this be a landscape or a portrait? If so, how?
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Let's see if you can identify Abstract versus Realistic in works of art.
Can you tell which is the abstract and which is the realistic work of art?
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These artworks are by the same artist, Gerhard Richter and are in the Saint Louis Art Museum.
Did this mini-lesson give you a better idea about Abstract Art?
Do you have a preference for Abstract or Realistic Art?
Maybe you have made abstract art before and didn't even realize it!
Will you make abstract art?
