10 Easy Abstract Art Ideas To Try As A Beginner
The earliest known art by the human hand is more than 45,000 years ago, which shows a clearly drawn pig. With time, art has gone through different stages and different types have emerged. While most found art enough to display and express what was intended, some found the choreographed lines and paints incapable of expressing the complexity of the human mind and thought of leaving it to however the viewer might perceive it. And like that came what we now know as abstract art.
Abstract literally means something that only exists in the mind. Abstract art doesn’t really exist in the mind, but the idea and perception are in the mind, while the art is on canvas – obviously.
While starting as an artist, you too must have noticed that the art that you make up your mind for is so neat, colorful, and nice in your mind, but once you pick up your brush, it gets all blurry and foggy. The reason is that the human mind is not someone way road, it is a network of millions of different thoughts and, perceptions and to let out such thoughts in art is not always so simple; sometimes, it’s better to let them out the same way they’re inside your mind – intermingled, mixed and absurd.
Still don’t get it? Do not worry, here are 10 interesting abstract art ideas that you can try even as a beginner.
Watercolor-based Abstract Flower
Water itself is lifeless but is sustenance for all life. Watercolor-based abstract art can act the same way. Watercolor is one of the best ways to start your abstract art journey. Just like abstract art, water too is formless.
The technique here is using one color to draw whatever you want, and then letting it dry before drawing anything else with another color. Then after drawing the second layer, let it dry before the next one, and so on.
In the end, you will end up with a beautiful, multi-layered piece of watercolor-based abstract art.
If you liked the watercolor painting, check out these 14 easy-peasy watercolor painting ideas for beginners!
Geometric Abstractism
As the name indicates, in this type of abstract art, geometric shapes are drawn but do not make any apparent object; they’re just shapes and nothing else. However, you can give them any hidden meaning, or can just leave it to the viewers to interpret the painting.
One of the best techniques to draw neat geometric shapes is by putting tape on parts not to be painted, as shown in the video below. This way, you can paint freely without a worry in mind, just as abstract painting should be painted.
Okay, but what should I draw? Well, it’s abstract art, you can just put random shapes… or there’s a better idea. You can take inspiration from things like Google Maps, your home map, your block, etc. See your neighborhood on good maps and draw the geometric roads, and blocks but in an abstract way, not giving everything away.
This way, while it will be a beautiful piece of art for others, there can be an interesting detail for those who really have an eye for the details.
Lines And Paint Abstract Art idea
This is the type of abstract art that you’d have seen the most under the category of “abstract art”. No, it is not as difficult to draw as it appears to be. In fact, if you find it difficult to draw abstract art, then you are probably doing it wrong, because it is all about just letting it go, and how difficult can it be, right?
Draw some lines in any random fashion you’d like. Now better remember where you drew those lines. Take the color palette and stroke the paintbrush neatly from the start of that line. Repeat this for every new paint color.
Give a contrasting background color to the whole canvas. Now keep adding new colors to the lines until you feel that “that’s it” since there is no technical way of knowing when the painting is complete.
Easy-peasy Color Spills
Color spills create the most random yet beautiful patterns. Though you have control to some extent by changing the pour technique and paint amounts, in the end, the pattern is all random. So, here’s how you can do this
Take 3 100g beakers and fill each of them with 40 g of different acrylic paints. Now dilute them with water. In another beaker, add 60 grams of white paint, dilute it with water, and paint the whole canvas with it. This is done to smoothen the sheet.
Make different layers of those previously added colors in another beaker. You can make layers in any pattern you like. Now pour them using one of the pouring techniques. The technique used in the given tutorial is the paint kiss technique. This makes a beautiful amalgamated pattern.
If the paint does not spread to the whole sheet itself, move it around manually until it covers the whole canvas. Then just let it dry, and the abstract artwork is ready.
Abstract Art Ideas Using Comb
A lot of different household items are commonly used in making abstract art. Here, we will use a comb.
Take small amounts of different acrylic paints. Pour them on the same sheet but in a way that they do not mix with each other. Now, put black paint in the center of each blob of paint. In the end comes the main part, using a comb to mix all the paints making a linear comb pattern as shown in the video.
Do not think, Let it flow…
Thinking about drawing something specific? Don’t. Just use your instinctive thoughts. Do not think, just let it flow…
For abstract art, all you need is paint and canvas and then just let your instincts do the rest. Pour different paints on the canvas, spread them, mix them, use sheets to uniform them… or whatever else you like. In the end, you’d have a beautiful piece of random beauty.
Air Blowing Acrylic Paint
Start with painting the whole canvas with white acrylic paint, and then pour the colors you’d like to be in your artwork in whatever fashion you’d like. The tutorial poured them one by one in star shape.
Then simply take an air blower and blow them in different directions. Better cover the whole canvas for a more complete look.
Abstract Galaxy
Here, we will paint an abstract galaxy; more of a colorful space void. Start by choosing 2 or 3 three colors of your choice. Pour one paint into the 100g beaker, followed by a little white paint and then another color. Repeat this until the beaker is almost full, then fill it to the brim with black paint.
Now pour all of this formula onto the canvas from one diagonal straight to the opposite one. While pouring, move the hand in a swirl to make the paint more spirally, as an abstract galaxy should be. Paint the remaining portions with white paint.
Now pick up the canvas and move it to cover the whole sheet with the paint. That’s it, the abstract galaxy is ready.
Monochromatic Abstract Art
Sick of all those bright colors stinging in the eyes? Fine, let’s try something simple involving only the default colors, black and white. Dip a wall brush in white paint and give a little stroke on the canvas randomly. Do the same with black paint. Keep doing so until the whole canvas is covered with this pattern.
A Mix of All
Can’t choose from so many options now? Well, that’s normal. Here, the solution is to do it all at the same time. There are no laws or limits here. So, just get your things ready and start drawing abstract flowers, galaxies, shapes, and patterns using a comb, air blower, or wall brushes… just draw anything with any object. I’m sure you’d like the end product. If you are confused and need some practice before you start, checkout these aesthetic painting ideas for beginners!
Your thoughts are abstract, and so is perception. Even what might be the absurdest of paintings, is arguably a great piece of abstract art. The options are limitless; this is the type of art that does not bind you to follow certain styles or rules. So, pick up your brush and start painting!
