Using Palette Knives to Paint An Abstract Tree

Abstract art is not to everyone's taste and it certainly isn't my regular style, yet I love to dabble in it from time to time. Today's blog is really a further lesson in the use of palette knives, but I share some ideas for abstract art in the blog.

This is a very small painting that I start on a pre-primed canvas. The canvas is A6 size, or 10,5 x 15 cm.

I choose the primary colours for my canvas. I settle on Periwinkle Blue, Yellow Ochre and Yellow Green.

These colours can be found next to each other on the colour wheel and create a very soothing impression.

I start with the green, making short sideways strokes with my palette knife.

I add the blue.

I will now fill the gaps with Titanium White, leaving the yellow as my focal colour.

I do a bit of blending with the white.

For the trunk of the tree, I choose Raw Umber.

This is applied very thickly on top of the other colours. I work alla prima, or wet on wet, and need to make sure the brown does not mix with the other colours.

I now add the yellow in the same choppy strokes, but in a downward motion.

I touch the brown to the yellow an tiny splashes of colour, almost creating the impression of cubist flowers.

Abstract Tree is available from Marietjie Uys at uys.marietjie@gmail.com. Oil on stretched canvas, A6 size, or 10,5 x 15 cm. R120 Unframed. Artist: Miekie.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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