Abstraction

Description

Limited Edition – 5 only

The abandonment of reality and narrative as a basis for composition is challenging but fun. To help me embark on an abstract image I used randomly torn and sometimes curled pieces of thick watercolour paper – photographed – as elements of composition and set these in a strict grid. The result was pleasant and gentle but I was after energy. The application of a bold colour scheme and blurs to some shapes instantly did this along with a layer of blurred white shapes. I arranged the composition into two distinct horizontal colour zones to stabilise the image. The energy was still disorienting so I added thick grid adherent lines enlivened by finer scribbly black line work to direct the eye around the composition. A final flourish was the addition of shapes composed of concentric lines. The big challenge was to balance the dominance of the various elements with transparency and embossing.