Four Core Components of Abstract Expressionism

For a moment, set aside preconceived notions of art. Abstract Expressionism prioritizes feeling, dynamic movement, and translating your inner landscape onto the canvas. Consider this as your guide to understanding the core components that shape compelling abstract art.

1. The Basic Tools: Medium, Materials, Substrate

Think of these as the foundational elements, the instruments through which your artistic voice can emerge.

• Mediums: This refers to the type of paint or pigment you use.

  • Acrylics: A versatile choice, particularly for those starting out. They dry quickly, clean up with water, and offer a wide spectrum of vibrant colors, making them excellent for layering.

  • Oils: Known for their longer drying time, allowing for extensive blending and a rich, luminous quality.

  • Inks, Pastels, Charcoal: Don't hesitate to incorporate other mediums. A fluid ink wash or a bold charcoal mark can introduce unique textures and depths.

• Materials: These are the implements you use to apply your chosen medium.

  • Brushes: Available in diverse shapes and sizes, from broad flat brushes for expansive gestures to fine-tipped ones for nuanced details.

  • Palette Knives: Flat, flexible tools ideal for impasto (thick paint application), scraping, and creating distinctive textured surfaces.

  • Sponges, Scrapers, Your Hands: Embrace experimentation. Everyday objects can yield unexpected and compelling marks.

    
    

• Substrates: This is the surface upon which you create your artwork.

  • Canvas: A traditional and popular choice, offering a responsive surface that holds paint well.

  • Wood Panels: Provide a rigid and smooth surface, suitable for building substantial layers.

  • Paper: Heavier watercolor or mixed-media paper is excellent for studies, experiments, and quick explorations.

Consideration: Begin with a foundational set of acrylics, a varied selection of brushes, and a palette knife. Your toolkit can expand organically as your practice evolves.

2. The Basic Elements: Marks, Layers, Form, Texture

These elements are the building blocks of your visual language, forming the structure and character of your abstract composition.

• Marks: These are the unique imprints of your gesture and intention on the surface. They can be bold, delicate, sweeping, fragmented, or dripped. Each mark inherently carries energy and contributes to the narrative of the piece. Think of them as your spontaneous signature.

• Layers: This refers to the successive application of paint or other materials, creating depth and a sense of history within the artwork. Layers can be opaque, obscuring previous applications, or transparent, allowing underlying elements to show through, creating complex interactions of color and form.

• Form: Even without depicting recognizable objects, abstract art often presents discernible "forms" or shapes. These might be amorphous blobs, geometric constructs, or dynamic swirling patterns. They provide visual anchors and guide the viewer's eye through the composition.

• Texture: This refers to the perceived tactile quality of the surface. Texture can be achieved through thick applications of paint (impasto), the inclusion of various materials, or by manipulating wet paint with tools. It adds a tangible dimension, inviting engagement beyond the purely visual.

3. The Color: Color, Value, Contrast

Color is a potent force in abstract art, capable of conveying emotion, establishing mood, and creating visual harmony or tension.

• Color: Experiment broadly with the emotional resonance of different hues.

  • Warm colors (reds, yellows, oranges): Often evoke energy, passion, or warmth.

  • Cool colors (blues, greens, purples): Can suggest tranquility, introspection, or coolness.

• Value: This refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.

  • Light values (tints): Achieved by adding white, these can create a sense of spaciousness or delicacy.

  • Dark values (shades): Created by adding black, these can convey depth, drama, or intensity.

• Contrast: This is the degree of difference between opposing elements, such as light and dark values, or complementary colors. High contrast can create visual excitement and clarity, while low contrast tends to produce a softer, more subtle effect.

4. The Story: Your Visual Voice, Emotion, and Intent

This is arguably the most crucial component, as it imbues your artwork with meaning and individuality. In abstract expressionism, the "story" is not a literal narrative but the direct expression of your internal state—your feeling, energy, and soul.

• Your Visual Voice: This is the unique way you express yourself through your chosen elements. Are your gestures bold and sweeping, or controlled and nuanced? Do your colors lean towards vibrancy or muted harmony? Your unique approach will naturally emerge.

• Emotion on the Canvas: Rather than attempting to depict a specific emotion, aim to feel that emotion as you create. Let that internal energy translate directly through your movements, your choice of colors, and the marks you make. If you are feeling frustration, for example, allow that energy to inform a powerful, decisive stroke.

• What Do You Want to Say? Consider the underlying intention or feeling you wish to communicate. Is it joy, chaos, serenity, or perhaps a complex inner dialogue? Don’t overthink this. Begin painting, and observe what emerges. The authentic feeling and raw energy are far more significant than a pre-defined outcome.

SUMMARY: The objective is to utilize the technical aspects (tools, elements, color) with proficiency, but more importantly, with profound feeling, to tell your unique story.

When you allow yourself this genuine expression, your art becomes a direct reflection of your inner self, a powerful and original statement.

Beverly Todd, 2025