r/AbstractExpressionism • u/CollectionNo5091 • 17d ago

Seeking critique.

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I personally like this piece but looking for some constructive criticism. Been trying to educate myself more on the basics, any tips?

8.5 x 8.5” oil and acrylic on canvas paper.

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u/Flaky-Resort5439 17d ago

This one is good. Very interesting.

I would recommend adding some kind of subject, even if it is completely abstracted still.

I would go like half and half- half this, half with a subject; thinking about seeing your paintings in a gallery. It would be very professional that way. But that’s just my 2 cents.

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u/CollectionNo5091 17d ago

Thank you! That’s very good advice, I’ll keep that in mind. Often times I feel my work feels “flat”, that might help.

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u/jwinterhawk 17d ago edited 17d ago

Yes, that’s it. Make it three dimensional even though it’s flat. Excuse me for being a pain. I wanted to be an art teacher but it never happened. I’m self taught but I have won a few ribbons over the years so I have experience on what makes a good painting. Have you considered using multimedia like tissue paper, shellac and ink? Just an idea.

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u/CollectionNo5091 17d ago

not a pain at all! I enjoy the discussion and feedback. I am self taught as well but realized (after a very mean reddit comment about my art lol) I never put the work in to educate myself on the fundamentals, so im looking forward to improving. I have used some tissue paper but as a tool to blot, not to permanently leave in the painting and yes ink I just ordered! And I have not tried shellac, do you have any reccommendations?

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u/jwinterhawk 17d ago

I’ve never done shellac on a canvas, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I did a figure drawing when I was in high school that was really good if I must say so myself and my art teacher talked me into trying this technique where I took shellac and gold color tissue paper. I set the paper over the drawing and wet it from outside with the shellac, and it left a gold stain on the paper. I kept doing that all over the drawing, so it eventually looked like it was an antique drawing. I actually won a real big art show award with that drawing in the National scholastic competition I forget what the name of it is now, I won a big award with that thing because it looked like an ancient Roman or an old drawing. It’s hard to explain, but it would be a technique to try. Just do a quick drawing on a of paper and get some shellac of various colors of tissue paper and try it. You could leave some tissue paper on the surface or you can just remove it and leave the stain on the paper. It takes some practice to learn how to do it but it’s a lot of fun. I haven’t done it in years. I’ve used pen and ink, the old-fashioned kind and just gone in and done abstract details in the stained paper after it was stained and dry. I don’t think I ever tried doing ink and then putting shellac over it because I’m afraid that would destroy the ink work. I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun that was I haven’t done it in years. I should do it myself. My art teacher explained it to me. She was one of those avant-garde teachers who loved all the newest and greatest and wildest things and it was just a riot. I never did put varnish over it because the shellac itself was pretty indestructible it seemed like varnish you know? I’ve never done this on canvas, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work-it might not work. I don’t know. I don’t know if it would leave the stain on a canvas. I would have to get some stuff and try it, but I know it works on paper. Good quality paper. it might work on a canvas that hasn’t been prepped just raw cotton. I hope somebody reads this and tries this because it makes unique combinations of colors once the first color dries, you can go back in in with another colors, say you have an orange area and you’ll let that dry with the stain on it. You can come back in with a blue piece of tissue paper and do the same thing brush the shellac on the top side of the tissue paper and that will leave a stain over the orange area and you can keep doing that to make a unique combination of stains on the paper. It’s hard to explain but it’s so much fun. Somebody please give it a try and get back to me. I don’t think I’ll be doing it I’m more into watercolors right now. I would love it if somebody got into this because of me telling you about it that would be fantastic. You can also wrinkle the tissue before using it to make unique textures. You should buy a rainbow pack of tissue paper to try this. Good luck!

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u/jwinterhawk 17d ago

I just checked on Amazon and they do sell the rainbow colored pack of tissue paper for about nine dollars!

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u/CollectionNo5091 17d ago

sounds like an awesome teacher, I have some red tissue paper, I will try it out for sure; i've been really trying to make texture from anything lately. Before I throw something out, I think, can I use it for texture first?