Introduction
In this work, the goal was to produce an abstract painting that would ascribe to the rules of design. This work was intended as a geometric piece that would be a demonstration of techical knowledge of composition, rather than a personally expressive work.
Preparation
Thanks to the simple nature of the project, preparation was as simple as measuring out the canvas thirds and marking them on the newsprint that the canvas was lain atop of, laying out the two brushes used, and mixing together a pleasing shade of gray from black and white gouache.
Experimentation
The experimentation for this piece, since it was a simple matter of painting a canvas in its entireity, was mainly made up of concept work to determine the best method to move forward- done on plain cartridge paper with a mechanical pencil. The second design was chosen for its strong lines on a single-colour background, as well as for having its composition broken down along the rule of thirds.
Final Work
This final work was completed by simply brushing out the gray over the whole of the canvas, waiting for it to dry, then filling in with the black foreground.
Final Thoughts
Thanks to mistakes made, the final piece actually came out slightly different than intended. Due to the fast-drying nature of gouache, the gray had to be mixed as the work continued, resulting in a slightly uneven tone- as well, the lines were slightly uneven from the shaking of hands, and uneven distribution of paint upon the brush. This led to a piece that, rather than being a primarily technical work, characterised myself more than I had intended.
