A STARTING POINT FOR ABSTRACTS

I find starting completely abstract work daunting, because, unlike realistic or work with a subject matter or theme, there are no references to guide you and it is all about you making decisions - the colours to use, the shapes and lines to create, what composition to aim for etc. I therefore find it helpful to have a starting point which provides some guidelines.

Looking through Seth Apter's book, The Mixed Media Artist, I found this tip from mixed media collage artist, Laura Lein-Svencner - "Using magazines, scissors and a glue stick, I like to give myself assignments in my collage sketchbook.  I start with ten pages torn out of a magazine and make five collages in thirty minutes.  I find that each time I do this, new compositional arrangements make themselves present, which I then use as sketches for larger works."

This tip interested me so I decided to have a go!  I managed four A5 samples - see above.  As I wanted to cover up all the white paper, it did take me 45 minutes...  I was pleased with the results but they did feel a bit busy, so I photocopied them and then cut them into smaller units - see below.

Two of the slightly more complicated samples were cut into smaller units - see the pictures below...

I feel that there is plenty of reference material here for me to create a series of abstracts. I may need to cut the samples up further.  There are pointers for composition, colour and even texture and mark making.  Once I start, things will change, as they always do, but there are some brilliant starting points...