Abstract Art

More Color in New Abstract Drawings

2010-02-09T12:06:30-05:00

Here's the second abstract drawing I made with colors galore:

2010 Abstract Drawing #8

Again, I used Zig calligraphy pens, with the double tips for fine and broad strokes.

Abstract Art: Color Galore in New Drawings

2010-02-08T11:23:59-05:00

My most recent abstract art has consisted of colored ink drawings made with Zig calligraphy pens. I had been using colors in the same family, but this time I tried to use them all: blues, yellows, reds, orange, greens and blues:

2010 Drawing #8, 9" x 11 1/2"

New Brown Abstract Drawing

2010-02-05T10:44:32-05:00

I did another abstract drawing in browns, accenting with black and adding interest with a soft peach:

2010 Drawing #6

I am still waiting for canvases to arrive. Signature Canvas said they had so many orders on one of their sale promotions that they were having trouble filling them all. I'm looking forward to applying paint to canvas again.

New Abstract Drawing in Browns

2010-02-04T11:55:23-05:00

I'm still waiting for new canvases to arrive, and drawing with colored Zig calligraphy pens in the meantime. In my latest abstract drawing I used several shades of brown, a pale peach, and black:

2010 Drawing #5

Small Abstract Drawings on Etsy

2010-02-03T10:29:25-05:00

As an experiment, I've been putting up some small (6" x 8") original drawings on Etsy.com. In these tough economic times, artists need to try a variety of avenues to market their art. Here are a few of the drawings I've recently put up:

Abstract Ink Drawing 31

Abstract Ink Drawing 30

Abstract Ink Drawing 28

I understand it is best to put up low-priced items, so that's what I've done. These small drawings are not available on my main abstract art website. Etsy charges only 20 cents per item for a 40 day listing, so it seemed like an inexpensive way to test the market.

I wonder how many of you have tried Etsy and what you think of it?

Fourth Abstract Drawing for 2010 + More on Haiti Art Auction

2010-02-02T10:39:49-05:00

Here's my fourth abstract drawing for 2010, done with acid free Zigg calligraphy pens:

Drawing 4, 9" x 12"

Yesterday I wrote about contributing a 5" x 7" drawing to an art auction to benefit Haiti. If you are interested in donating art, please contact marina@monkdogz.com. If you are interested in bidding on the art auction, check out the Haiti Art Auction.

Art Auction for Haiti: Donating an Abstract Drawing

2010-02-01T10:56:09-05:00

Monkdogz Urban Art is holding a silent art auction to benefit the people of Haiti: "100% of all proceeds will go directly to UNICEF, Partners in Health and Oxfam." Monkdogz is asking artists to donate a 5" x 7" (13 cms x 18 cms) piece of flat art that can easily be mailed (a drawing, collage, print, painting without stretchers, etc.). All the art will be displayed on their Haiti Art Fund website.

I made two abstract drawings this week for the auction:

5 x 7 Drawing #1

5 x 7 drawing #2

Which one do you think I should send them?

My Third Abstract Drawing for 2010

2010-01-29T11:32:37-05:00

After not drawing for quite a while, it's taking me some time to get back into the rhythm. Where do I start? What kind of mark do I make? I try to stay as relaxed as possible, letting the lines flow, but the beginnings still feel awkward. Once I've got something started, then I can intuitively develop the colors, shapes, lines and composition. Here's my third abstract drawing of 2010:

Second Abstract Drawing of 2010

2010-01-28T11:23:46-05:00

A while back I spent a year making a drawing a day and posting it on this blog. It was a lot of pressure, but it also revived the pleasure of drawing for me. I love using colored ink pens, especially calligraphy pens. Sometimes I make a broad sweep, other times carefully drawn fine lines to add texture and interest. Here's my second abstract drawing of 2010:

Abstract Drawings: New Series for 2010

2010-01-27T10:35:49-05:00

While waiting for new canvases to arrive, I decided to work on some abstract drawings. I am still using ZIG calligraphy pens with archival inks with their huge variety of colors:

2010 Drawing #1

I made the thin black lines with a Koh-I-Noor Nexus fine point pen. This drawing was actually started in 2009, but left unfinished on my drawing table until recently. Maybe that's why it doesn't feel as cohesive as it could be.

Contemporary Japanese Art beyond Anime and Manga

2010-01-26T11:51:03-05:00

If you want to check out what contemporary artists are doing in Japan other than anime and manga, read this article on "25 must-see Japanese artists." Among them, you'll find internationally recognized sculptor and painter Leiko Ikemura, eclectic artist Yayoi Kusama, and Shinoda Toko, who blends eastern and western ideas to create paintings and prints with ink.

It is always stimulating to get away from one's own art to explore other cultures, techniques, and visions from time to time. All that we see enters our brains and hearts and eventually influences our own practice.

Abstract Painting on Paper: Quirk Two

2010-01-25T11:11:51-05:00

In my latest abstract painting on paper, I used the same color palette as Quirk One: blues and violet with lemon yellow, set off with white and blended. Final accents were made with Prussian Blue lines.

Quirk Two, 24" x 18" acrylic on paper.

I was going to continue painting on paper, but Signature Canvas had a sale on canvases, so I ordered some. As much as I enjoy working with acrylic on paper, I miss painting on canvas.

Our snow is gone--raining for two days with a high temperature today over 50!

New Abstract Painting on Paper: Quirk

2010-01-22T12:04:29-05:00

I let a lot of light into this new abstract painting on paper by using white to surround the colors. White is still what I see outside my window (it's been like that for over a month). The blues and lemon yellow keep everything bright and upbeat. In my usual manner, I accented the composition with lines, this time in a Prussian Blue.

Quirk, 24" x 18" acrylic on paper

Visit 100 Great Blogs for Art Students and Enthusiasts

2010-01-21T11:26:49-05:00

Recently I was notified that my Abstract Art blog was just listed at 100 Great Blogs for Art Students and Enthusiasts. I was pleased to be listed, but also found the list valuable for me as a professional artist. I found some great blogs that I hadn't seen before.

Here's one: Art Biz Blog - for the business of being an artist. Scanning it, I immediately picked up a good tip: put your own name on the front of your postcards, note cards, etc., so that it will always be associated with the image. If someone puts it on their fridge, for example, your name will be right there along with the image of the art.

The list of 100 blogs is divided into topics: Art History and Museums; Art News; Collecting and Selling; Art Education; Nature and Art; For Artists; By Artists; Medium Specific; Images; and Region Specific. I'm not endorsing this list as the top 100 art sites--I'm sure we'd all have our own list--but if you're interested in any of the topics, this isn't a bad place to start.

New Abstract Painting on Paper: Climbing Tree

2010-01-20T12:27:52-05:00

In this new abstract painting on paper, I worked with a deep red and alizarin crimson, countering the dark reds with an emerald green and cadmium orange. At one point the painting became too dark, so I added more white, and finally, alizarin crimson lines:

Climbing Tree, 24" x 18" acrylic on paper.