Peter’s approach to abstract painting......

The first technique is simplification of real forms. Below is the original painting; this painting has a limited palette and was painted on site, sticking in bits of detritus from the site. The result a grim industrial scene.

I later focussed in on one small area indicated.

I looked for pattern and shape and further developed the painting by playing with colour but within the same range. One of the aims is to introduce ambiguity leaving something for the viewer to read into the painting.

The result....

The next example of this is easier to see....

The original painting

The focus

The result

The other approach I use is more from within using my sub conscious and looking for pictures within pictures.

In this example I started with a live model and the feeling I wanted to exorcise inner doubts and anxiety.

Once I had done the basic painting of the body (just the body minus head/hands/feet) and before the paint fully dries I set about rubbing the surface. Sometimes I will treat the surface with glue in specific areas before painting to get different degrees of resistance on the surface.

At this stage I look for images that echo the feelings inside. You have to let go and drift into the painting like looking into the flames of a fire and seeing pictures. I have to let my inner self go with the only constraint being the theme. Sometimes it is only at this stage the real painting will emerge and always at this time , and only this time, the title will emerge. The technique is called frottage and was exensively used by Max Ernst the Surrealist.

The painting..

Can you see the screaming face, running man, standing man, pecking bird?

The other way I use is to move things through 90 degrees. I use this mainly in landscape work with the focus being the patterns/shapes of fields and features. So a flat landscape is lifted to the vertical through 90 degrees. In simple terms ignore perspective!!!!

Example

Peter Appleton