How to Paint like Famous Artist Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko: Magenta, Black, Green on Orange

Mark Rothko was an American painter in the abstract expressionist school. He is best known for his geometric and bold paintings that are immediately recognizable as part of art of the 1960's. Love his work but can't afford an original? No problem. Creating something of your own inspired by Mark Rothko is easier than you might think. Get some samples to work from and get painting!

Things You'll Need

• Pre-stretched Canvas
• Bold Acrylic Paints
• Paint Brushes
• Samples of Rothko's Work (for inspiration)

Instructions

1. Cover the entire canvas with a solid application of paint. Choose your colors to fit your home or area for the work to be displayed. Let the canvas dry completely.

2. Using a larger flat brush, take a complimentary color and paint a rectangle on the top half of the page. Don't worry about getting the lines perfect, the rougher the better.

3. Paint another rectangle in another complimentary color on the bottom half of the page. Let dry completely.

4. Take a third color of paint and paint a thick roughly-drawn line between the two rectangles.

5. Let dry and display.

Tips & Warnings

• The above project gives you just one look of a Rothko piece, but look at other samples and try your hand at a few different configurations.

• Take your time and let paint dry between applications so that colors don't blend.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish