How to Paint an Abstract Guitar

A guitar has inspired many abstract paintings in the past.

Abstract art, by its very nature, is not a detailed representation of an object. Instead, it is a figurative abstraction of the general shape and essence of the object. Exact shape, proportion and detail are not necessary in abstract paintings. The curves of a guitar can be used to inspire a work of abstract art, but you may or may not want the guitar to be immediately recognizable in the finished canvas. You can paint an abstract guitar using almost any media and on almost any surface.

Things You'll Need

• Canvas, artboard or masonite
• Gesso
• Water-soluble pencil or chalk
• Paint
• Paint brushes

Instructions

1. Cover the canvas, artboard or masonite with three to four coats of acrylic gesso. Allow to dry to the touch before continuing. This may take up to four hours.

2. Use the curves and the shape of the guitar for inspiration, and draw the outline of your image on the primed surface using a water-soluble pencil or chalk. Sketch in geometric-inspired details around the outline and inside the guitar shape itself, if you want.

3. Using opaque paint, fill in the sketch you've just drawn. While any colors can be used, abstract art is often filled with bright contrasting colors or many colors from the same color family.

4. Allow to dry. This may take several hours for watercolors. Acrylic paints should be dry within three hours and completely cured overnight. Oil paints may take several weeks to cure, if a lot of paint has been applied.

References

• Paintings: Abstract art paintings, famous artists
• Paintings: How to Paint Abstract Art