Abstraction Short Course

Course overview

Abstraction is an approach to painting that reduces, distills, or transforms visual information into its essential elements; colour, form, shape, line, gesture, scale, texture, and composition to create meaning beyond direct depiction.

Rather than representing a recognisable subject, abstraction explores how these elements interact to generate mood, rhythm, structure, and sensation.

This course consists of practical demonstrations and individual practice - encouraging you to let go of traditional visual references and subject matter to create your own pieces of abstract art.

We’ll explore Abstraction as a discipline and learn the principles, methods, and decision-making processes that underpin non-representational and semi-reductive practices; whether your work ends up purely non-objective or draws lightly from observed sources.

We’ll observe and respond to the work of Abstract Expressionist action painters such as Jackson Pollock; Colour Field painters including Mark Rothko; the colour theory of Josef Albers; the experimental techniques of Helen Frankenthaler; and the distinctive mark-making of Cy Twombly, alongside contemporary artists such as Jadé Fadojutimi and Rachel Jones. There will also be references to contemporary and historical examples of abstract art and abstract artists throughout the course.

You’ll work on developing your own visual language to improve your understanding of the principles of painting through experimentation.

Who this course is for

This course is suitable for anyone interested in this area of Painting, from beginners through to practicing artists. It's ideal for those who want to develop their own visual language and improve their understanding of the principles of painting through experimentation.

If unsure of your level or where to start, you might also like to review our other short courses in Beginners Painting or Painting with Acrylics Short Course to get started on your journey.