Who needs Still Life, a Nude or a Landscape when you can create a painting from your thoughts and dreams? In this demonstration I build a painting by using colours, imagery, words and shapes that come straight from my subconscious. It results in a strange world, yet is somehow familiar to me and includes my pets, favourite colours and patterns. It also includes a lot which makes no sense but is somehow pleasing to me.
Watch the video and then create your strange and beautiful world.
How do you know when your abstract painting is finished? In this video, I take you through the process with one of my paintings, showing you what I didn’t like about it and how I fixed it and finished the work. I talk about what I focus on and what questions I ask the painting in order to gain clarity around what steps to take next.
1. Make a big move to disrupt the work and make a big change
2. Rotate the work so you see it differently
3. Ask: What have I got?
4. Look for repetition and ask: Do I need this? Have I already got this somewhere else?
5. Is my eye led around the composition?
When you have worked through these questions, and you’re happy with the work, stand back and walk away. Look at it again after a few days to see if you still feel the same.
The contrast of two opposites - Simplicity and Complexity always fascinates me. In this video I demonstrate how I create a complex surface and then create a composition by using simple shapes.
Using Collage, Paint, Acrylic Ink, and Paint pens, I build the surface in layers and then go about finding a composition made of simple shapes. Once the complex surface is created in this demonstration, the focus switches to simplifying to create an interesting and integrated composition.
Getting clear around what your abstract painting is about is vital if you want to make it stand out and attract attention. So often abstract art can be overwhelming and confusing becuase the artist hasn’t decided what the painting is REALLY about. In this video I talk you through what to look for in your work to discover where it’s strengths lie and how to make it stronger and more powerful. How to make it stand out from all the other work on the Gallery wall.
Don’t miss out on my upcoming Workshop. I’ll be demonstrating through guided painting videos and Live Calls, how you can make art you love consistently with a process you can trust. June 24 - 28, 2024 register here: https://www.judywoodsart.com/starts-wkshp-reg-june-2024-soc
I’ve recently experimented with Masking Fluid which is traditionally used in Watercolour Painting. But as a mixed media artist, I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to create new marks and surface effects in my acrylic paintings. Watch this demonstration as I explore using Masking Fluid as a drawing tool and then have a go in your own work.
Using acrylic paint, ink and drawing media in this video I demonstrate how to create an abstract landscape painting. This technique can be used to create a painting of a place from your memory or to create a landscape you’ve only imagined. Watch as the painting emerges from building layers of colour and then by adding suggestive details at the end the landscape is found. This is an exciting way to paint!
This is ideal if you want to move towards abstract art but don’t want to let go of a representational element altogether. In this video, I demonstrate how I build a painting in layers using acrylic paint and line. The drawn line refers to botanicals in this case, but you can combine any subject matter into your abstract work using this method. You could draw from life, photos, or even include collage - which I also demonstrate in many of my other videos.
You may not want to go entirely abstract so by following these 3 simple methods you can explore 3 very different styles of abstract art. I show you how to start with drawing and then by combining drawing with simple shapes, collage, and easy paint effects you can easily abstract your still life with exciting results.
Combining plant forms or representational elements in an abstract painting requires a balancing act where one element doesn’t dominate the composition.
In this demonstration, I’ll show you an effective technique to combine botanical forms with a beautiful abstract paint surface. You’ll see how to integrate various elements and combinations of marks and forms to create a successful strong abstract painting.
I've recorded this video to show you my process for painting and making a finished piece in my sketchbook. I create my work, big or small by building in layers, and in this demonstration you will see the full process reduced down to creating an artwork in less than an hour. Don’t forget to download my Markmaking & Painting Promptsheet to bring over 50+ ideas into your studio.
In the early stages of a painting I focus on building a beautiful surface with lots of texture, markmaking and a variety of paint effects. In this video I demonstrate how to do this using only black and white paint over the top of a collage base.
Following this process offers so many opportunities and directions and ensures your work will be rich with surprises for the viewer.
Artists often feel like they have to find `The Idea' for a painting before they paint. This video shows how studying design (the fundamental principles of design that apply across all mediums) can help you generate many ideas, starting with an old calendar. I’ll show you how to find great design, what to look for and then how to look for more design ideas within the work you’ve created.
In this video, I demonstrate 2 methods of using Collage in the early stages of an abstract painting. And then how to develop an integrated composition full of surface interest, gorgeous shapes, and a variety of lines. This is all done in my sketchbook and gives you ideas for a quick and effective painting exercise to try yourself.
To ensure my finished paintings have a luscious surface full of surprising paint effects I have found that working in multiples and laying down a foundation of experimenting with different materials and techniques delivers the effects I want in the finished painting.
In this video I demonstrate these techniques as I begin to create 10 abstract paintings at one time. By working in multiples and using glazes and solid paint effects I am able to create a series of work that are unique, all different and yet share the same language.
The best way to find ideas for paintings is through play. Playing with materials and discovering new effects and then responding to what you see developing in front of you is my painting process. Watch this video as I demonstrate this intuitive process of finding a painting through play. See how long it takes before an idea starts to emerge and I find my direction, and then watch as I fine-tune the painting to finish it.
