abstract art in all studios

 What in the world is Abstract Art?

Key stage 1

Abstract art is a way for artists to be creative and not worry about making things look exactly as they do in real life. You can think of abstract art as a visual puzzle where you look at the shapes and colors and decide what it makes you feel or think of.

Keystage 2

Now that we know that Abstract Art is a modern style of art that uses lines, shapes and colors to express feelings or ideas instead of showing real things, 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.

Fibers tends to be abstract. 

Do you notice Lines, Shapes and Colors?

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

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!

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?

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?

A.                                                                                               B.

Portraits in Abstract and Realistic styles.

A.                                                                                                        B.

Both are swimmers.  One is Abstract and one is Realistic.

A.                                                                            B. 

Both are still-life artworks.  One is Abstract and one is Realistic.

A.                                                                                                                      B.

Abstract and Realistic Landscapes.

A.                                                                                                     B.

Cityscapes in realistic and abstract styles.

A.                                                                                                     B.

A.                                                                                                        B.

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?

ARTIST AND MATH

MATH AND ART

Some artists think about and use MATH when making art, especially when they plan their composition.  Composition is a fancy art way of saying where an artist arranges and places objects and elements in their art.  Let's look at how artists use Symmetry, Parallel Lines and Perpendicular Lines in art.

Symmetry in Math

That imaginary line that seems to divide a symmetrical shape in half is called a LINE OF SYMMETRY.  Picture it as the line where the shape could be folded in half.  Why does the triangle have more than one?

Symmetry in Nature

Symmetry can be found in nature.  From flowers and seashells to bodies of animals.

Radial Symmetry

SYMMETRY around an axis.  Think of a bike wheel or a starfish.

 

Rose Stained Glass Window

Symmetry in Art

Symmetry in art can create balance and harmony and make the art visual nice to look at.  

Heather Hanson is both artist and dancer.  She combines both to create symmetrical artworks.  Her kinetic drawings are part dance, part performance art using her body as a drawing tool and ending up as large scale pieces in charcoal or pastels.  

Do you notice SYMMETRY in her art?

Let's look at a few other works of art that use symmetrical compositions.  

Pantheon in the Acropolis.

Aztec mosaic ornament

Parallel Lines

PARALLEL LINES are lines that never intersect (cross) or touch and stay the same distance apart  (equidistant).

Op artist Bridget Riley filled her art with lines.  Here are some ways she used PARALLEL LINES.

Perpendicular Lines: 

Lines that intersect or cross at a 90 degree angles.  A square has four, 90 degree angles. 

Let's look at some perpendicular lines in art.  

Piet Mondrian's Geometric art is a great place to view PERPENDICULAR LINES.  The black lines criss cross at 90 degree angles.

Here are a few more examples of PERPENDICULAR LINES!

Is it symmetrical?  

Raise your hand when you see PARALLEL LINES.  Can you find PERPENDICULAR LINES?

This is the same artist, Sol Lewitt.  Are These lines Parallel?  or Perpendicular?