Going Abstract!

After Raena's last exciting contribution, I just wanted to keep the book open to the "diorama" page.  And I did just that, for a while.  In the studio I kept the sketchbook open on the shelf I have in the studio for displaying art and works-in-process, so I could enjoy and gape every time I walked by.  What a wonderful page it turned out to be!  Raena did something I hadn't thought of - she expanded the scope beyond the dimensions of the page.  Now that's what I'm talking about!!

Where could I go from there?

I was thinking of Raena's words, in response to my comment on the last post:  "This is supposed to challenge us, push us, make us better than before!"

So that got me thinking.  All of Raena's talent and creativity and I've never seen her do nonrepresentational work.

Not that I do so much either.  I always lean towards the representational.   But I've been infected a bit by the abstract bug, from scanning the internet.  Honestly, it has really thrown me, because it is difficult for me to be satisfied anymore with a purely representational portrayal.  Not that I am throwing it to the wind.

Except for now - I am doing just that!  Abstract for page 4 of our sketchbook!


For this I used a dip pen and some waterproof india ink.  It looked mighty good as a black & white, and then I added the watercolor.  I've tried things like this before, and this is the most successful to date, I think.


So what will Raena do?  It doesn't have to be the same - maybe it is better if it is not - too busy.  I'm interested to see!

(By the way Raena, here is my advice, don't think too hard.  Instead as Thom Yorke suggested - paint to the spot in the middle of your head.  If you want to get exactly in the frame of mind that I was in when I did this (maybe you don't!), go to Grooveshark and listen to the album "Amok" by the band, Atoms for Peace, Thom Yorke's other band (the one I prefer) - it's quite different - unbounded creativity there, for sure.)