This document provides an overview of abstract art, including its key characteristics and history. It defines abstract art as non-representational artwork that uses shapes, forms, lines and colors without depicting a recognizable subject. The document traces the origins of abstract art to the development of photography, which reduced demand for realistic paintings. It highlights several pioneering abstract artists like Kandinsky, Mondrian, Pollock and Matisse. Examples are given of different techniques for creating abstract works, like using geometric shapes, minimalism or splatter paint.

1. Bell Art 1
1. What do you think Abstract
means?
2. Fill in the blank
(ORGANIC or GEOMETRIC)
• ______has irregular shapes that
look like they come from nature
• _______has shapes with straight
hard edges and corners

2. GEOMETRIC and ORGANIC

3. Abstract Art
•Artwork which has no
recognizable image.
• Non-representational, not
something we see in everyday
life.
•Artists use a visual language
of shapes, forms, lines and
colors to interpret a subject-matter,
without necessarily
providing the viewer with a
familiar visual reference point.

4. Abstraction
• Abstract art, nonfigurative art,
nonobjective art, and
nonrepresentational art are loosely
related terms, but they may slightly
differ.
• Abstraction indicates a departure from
reality in depiction of imagery in art.
• This departure from accurate
representation can be slight, partial, or
complete.
• Abstraction exists along a continuum.
Artwork that noticeably alters forms
and colors can be said to be partially
abstract.

5. Realist Versus Abstraction
• Abstract contrasts dramatically
with Realist forms of art, which
set out to achieve a literal
representation of subject matter
that communicate a ‘reality’ to
the viewer.
• Realistic painting attempts to
demonstrate what the eyes
actually see, including human
hardships.
• This goal of accuracy includes
color choice, subject matter, and
brush strokes. The painting
should represent the subject
clearly and viewers should know
what they are looking at.

6. Realist to Abstract painting

7. How Abstract Art Began:
“Art for Arts Sake”
• Abstract art began due to the
invention of the camera.
• Before the camera, painting
was mainly used to convey
images and people, but with
the camera the need for
realistic paintings and portraits
sharply declined.
• In this moment, abstract art
was born. Its focus was not the
subject matter, as in realism,
but rather its purpose was to
create aesthetically pleasing
and challenging works for
Untitled XII by Willem de Kooning enjoyment.

8. Abstract Art
• Really took off in the early
1900s and still is very
prevalent today!
• Romanticism, Impressionism,
and Expressionism contributed
to the development of abstract
art.
Henri Matisse, The Yellow Curtain, 1915. With
his Fauvist color and drawing Matisse comes
very close to pure abstraction.

9. Wassily Kandinsky:
• Founder of Abstract Art
• Believed that colors have
emotion and sound.
• He was Russian composer,
some people say his music
heavily influenced his
paintings.
• He started the term
composition (a musical term
to describe his piece).
Composition IV,
1911 Kandinsky

10. Georgia O Keefe
• She painted what she saw.
Some of her up close
works are considered
abstract.
• Some of it was
controversial as being
femininity paintings.
• She painted over 200
flower paintings from
1918-1932.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Blue and Green Music, 1921

11. Piet Modrian
• Founder of De Stilj Art
Movement ,Began in
Netherlands
• Abstraction that is
painted in a grid like
fashion.
• Much use of primary
colors. Very simple

12. Picasso
• Cubist style of
abstraction
• One of the greatest and
most influential artist of
the 20th century

14. Jackson Polluck

15. Is that Art Debate?
• These paintings by Chuck Close and Edouard Manet have similar subject matter.
• Which of these paintings do you like the best? Why?

16. Abstracted/Distorted figure
What are the major similarities and
differences of these two works?

17. Some techniques for Abstraction
• Geometric
• Minimalism
• Splatter or Dripping
• Pixilated
• Changing Colors
• Cubist: Skewing proportions and shapes

18. Activity:
• Can you abstract this
image?
• Do in sketchbook

19. Horses as abstract Expressionist
• Is this art?
• Does abstract art take
the same amount of
skill and cognitive
ability as portrait
painting?

21. • http://arthistory.about.com/od/glossary_a/a/
a_abstract_art.htm
• http://www.abstract-art-framed.com/what-is-abstract-
art.html