A Beginner's Guide to Making Abstract Art

Book excerpt: A practical and inspirational resource for any visual artist who wants to paint in a less figurative way and take their first steps into the realm of abstract art. Through practical projects and easy-to-follow demonstrations, renowned artist Laura Reiter shows you how to create beautiful and unique abstracts in mixed media. Whether you want to simplify a subject into its abstract elements, or experiment with colour, line and form to make something completely new, this book will help you find an approach that works for you. It covers how to use materials creatively, focusing on watercolour, acrylics and combining different paint media, and how to have fun with colour and composition to create something unique. The author explains how to find sources of inspiration and build up a mark-making repertoire, bringing in texture and collage, and includes a wealth of playful exercises to help you develop your own individual abstract painting style. Beautifully illustrated with the author's vibrant abstract compositions, the book also features stunning examples from other leading artists whose work is partly or wholly abstract. This fascinating book is all any artist needs to successfully make the move into abstract painting.