Shapes in abstract realism paintings are important to convey the messages that the artist wants to send out to their viewers. Ever since humans inhabited the Earth drawings of shapes have been used to leave a message for others to see and understand. Abstract Realism Art uses shapes not only to send a message but also to do it in an interesting and thoughtful way. Every viewer will interpret what shapes they see differently. Often that is the intension of the artist.
Shape sizes
The size of shapes in abstract realism art vary from large to very small. The artist needs to think and possibly plan where these large and small shapes are positioned in their image. A painting quite often requires a balance to be appreciated by the viewer. Too large a shape on one side of the canvas with too small a shape on the other side will not “feel” right! It is similar in realistic art when the artist decides to paint a large tree say on the left hand side of the canvas and not have anything of significance to view on the right hand side. Every painting needs balance and shapes provide this for the viewer. When I was researching abstract art and following courses one of my tutors suggested that you need 5 to 7 large shapes in your painting surrounded by numerous smaller shapes. The tutor also said these large shapes should be interlinking and interesting in their configuration.
The Importance of Shapes in Abstract Realism Art
Abstract Realism art uses visual language of shapes, colour, values and lines to create a composition which can exist with a certain degree of independence from visual references in the world around us. However, it is the large, basic shapes that provide the building blocks for virtually any painting. How these shapes are laid out on the canvas by way of composition is simply the art of arranging abstract shapes in a manner that’s pleasing to the eye. After colour, the shapes are what attracts the eye to the image painted by the artist. Therefore it is important to have interesting shapes large and small in your painting. Some abstract artist when combining realism into their painting need to weave these shapes into the image like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Where does the realism fit? It is an important consideration. It depends on where the artist wants the viewer to look and concentrate their attention when looking at their artwork.
Abstract Realism Shapes
In the recent painting we completed, shown above, shapes are used to convey a sense of realism. For example the red shapes, are they representing distance mountains? The shoreline is represented by various colours, are they flowers? Then there are the shapes seemingly floating on the calm sea, are they boats with masts or as one viewer stated an oil rig? Finally, the small lines to represent reflections are significant in the overall image as they add to the message of a peaceful scene.
Shapes to Represent Realism
The Abstract Realism painting shown above, has the mixture of abstract shapes within the sky and realistic shapes in the form of wild flowers growing on the land. There has been little attempt to accurately paint particular flowers – only to make the shapes of flowers as imagined by the viewers. The combination of shapes and colour are used to send the message of a happy summer scene. Which was the intension of the artist.
The ability to use Abstract Realism art to convey messages to viewers is a happy medium between realistic art form and obscure abstract shapes. Very often the message within abstract art is lost because the shapes created by the artist is just too confusing. In these cases the other main factor, colour, becomes the messenger and not the shapes.
Combining these two concepts, abstract and realism, you get a new style of art that attempts to depict the emotions behind particular real-life objects and scenes that you can recognise and understand more easily.