Tag Archives: Drawing

Abstract Expressionism Art

Abstract Expressionism developed in the context of diverse, overlapping sources and inspirations. Abstract Expressionism’s physicality comes from explorations of inner turmoil and anxiety. Some of this distress came from exposure to the disturbing reports of horrors and pain endured during World War II. Some of the distress came from the threat of a nuclear holocaust as the Cold War heated up. Their unbridled approach to making art mirrored James Dean (1931-1955) in Rebel Without a Cause, contemporary jazz and the free verse of the Beat Generation poets, such as Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) and Gary Snyder (born 1930).

Abstract Expressionism has in recent years gained huge popularity in the art world. Modern art continues at a pace to develop in new directions, separating art fans into those who prefer the more traditional art styles and those who find the more modern approaches fresher and innovative.

Abstract Expressionism can be divided into two tendencies: Action Painting (Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Tobey, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell and Grace Hartigan, among many, many others) and Color Field Painting (Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Kenneth Noland and Adolph Gottlieb and so forth).

- Color Field Painting is part of the Abstract Expressionist family of artists. Color Field Painting is less about the process of making the work, which is at the heart of Action Painting. Color Field is about the tension created by overlapping and interacting areas of flat color. These areas of color can be amorphous or clearly geometric. This tension is the “action” or the content. It’s more subtle and cerebral than Action Painting.

- Action Painting emphasizes the process of making art, often through a variety of techniques that include dripping, dabbing, smearing, and even flinging paint on to the surface of the canvas. These energetic techniques depend on broad gestures directed by the artist’s sense of control interacting with chance or random occurrences

The expressiveness of this art method was believed to thoroughly release the imagination and ability of an abstract artist and therefore the thoughts and emotions behind each abstract expressionist painting were deemed as being just as important as the actual final painted work.

History of Figurative Art

Figurative art, alternatively known as figurativism, is a style in art forms -predominantly in paintings and sculptures. Figurative paintings and sculptures are evidently replica of real objects. Hence these creations can be defined as representational art. Human figures and even animal figures are quite commonly found as examples of works of this kind. Yet the scope of this style is not confined to the geometric replicas of living beings. In conjunction with abstract forms and styles, any modern art replicating the real world has been referred to this form by the authors of Tate Institute Glossary. According to this viewpoint any figurative works is also representational and abstract creation is a special derivative of the representational art. Moreover, this opinion continues to project that non-representational or non-objective art is certainly not abstract.

The constituents of figurative paintings are truly geometric in nature. The beauty emerges out of this kind of drawings as sole consequence of proper use of lines, shades – light and dark, color, texture, mass, volume and perspective. However, all kinds of drawings are the outcome of all these elements. An implicit conception of shapes derived from natural objects is essential for creating these kinds of paintings. Thus it excludes ancient drawings from Egypt or Greek sculptures for their geometry and unrealistic imaginary forms. According to Ernst Gomrich, Egyptian methods to be figurative as they lack in relevant shape and style and as actually they are depictions of images brought out of memory. Yet around fifth century B.C, the sculptures initiated to adopt both reality and geometry. Visual observation began to gain weightage wit h respect to this style of painting. This style, in past, had sought to join other branches of painting till Impressionism came in vogue. Manet and Courbet created drastic reactions in with their realistic styles against the Neoclassical styles Poussin and Jacques Louis David.