How to Make Homemade Abstract Art
Abstract art refers to a painting style that explores creativity without rules. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko exemplify colorful techniques that, for some, define the movement. Since the style is based on free expression, making your own abstract art to decorate your home is easy with a little preparation. When you choose colors that coordinate well together and provide some geometric structures to enhance the abstract design, you make art that will fascinate and impress viewers.
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Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Large pre-stretched, primed artist canvas
- Acrylic paints
- Plastic mixing containers
- Large paintbrush
- Medium paintbrush
- Blue painters tape
- Small utility knife
- Water
Instructions
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1
Cover a large floor area with newspaper. Place the pre-stretched canvas in the middle of the newspaper.
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2
Dispense a half-dollar sized dollop of black acrylic paint into a plastic bowl. Add small amounts of water to the paint until it becomes more fluid, but still opaque.
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3
Use a large, wide paintbrush to paint the entire canvas with the black paint. The paint may appear lighter in some areas and darker in others. Allow to dry completely.
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4
Tape over the entire black canvas with blue painter's tape. Overlap each piece slightly to fully cover the canvas.
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5
Cut a number of geometric shapes into the tape by pressing down lightly with a utility knife. These are areas that the tape will be removed from. Use a mix of sizes and shapes to cover the majority of the canvas.
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6
Carefully lift the blue painters tape from the geometric shapes and remove from the canvas. You will now see a variety of black shapes with the blue painters tape surrounding them.
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Choose two or three colors to work with. Purples, greens and dark red work well.
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Dispense a quarter-sized dollop of each color into separate plastic bowls. Add a small amount of water to make it just a little more fluid.
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Dip a medium-sized paintbrush into one color and use a flicking or shaking motion to apply the paint to the black canvas. Paint will also land on the blue tape.
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Apply the other two colors selected in the same way. Allow all the paint to dry completely.
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11
Carefully remove the remainder of the blue painters tape. Touch up any black paint that has been removed from the canvas.
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12
Hang, unframed, to display the colorful abstract art.
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Tips & Warnings
Find inspiration for good color combinations in nature. Use colors you find in flowering plants, fruits or vegetables.
Do not apply paints too thickly. Acrylic paints may become rubbery on the canvas and peel away if applied too thickly.
Do not remove the remaining blue painters tape until the painted areas are completely dry. This will help to preserve the hard geometric lines that separate the painted areas.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit NA/Photos.com/Getty Images
