The inspiration behind this study came from my revisiting the visual diaries I have kept over the years. In 1980 I put down my thoughts on colour and ideas for developing my own style of abstract art.
In A Colour Study I formed a gradient with three colours - all high key. I set about creating what I'd hope would be an interesting visual image using this very restrictive palette and minimal shapes.
From my visual diary notes written in March 1980
1. Placement organization of areas of colours - linking - giving a time/space movement throughout and keeping a balance within spaced areas of colour. Areas can be removed and connections be in thought.
2. Area of colour equal proportions of colour lead to fragmentation of work making appreciation difficult. Larger expanses of one colour seem to make more meaning in the painting.Canvas a palette – each used to move paint around – cloth soaked in spirits to move and wash colour seems to be close to achieve varied and satisfying surface (circus) (?)
3. Colour for Palette - establishing 3 colours then making up a ‘wheel’ to get their resultant mixes in a pure colour form give a clear indication of the end ‘colour’ of the painting. Slight adjustments being made to the ‘Primary ‘colour choice to change the end schema - White and black appear to be vital in achieving a FULL feeling to the schema of any painting.
Summary
Composing in colour appears to be this key to my abstract painting in the future – however it demands a greater use of resources in order to achieve variety/interest/depth …therefore research must be done in composition - simple and complex - melodic and symphonic – surface, colour, marks arrangements tonal intervals.
