How To Look At Abstract Art

Art, to me, is very personal. Certain colors evoke special feelings and emotions for different people. A brush stroke applied with paint to canvas in a specific manner can relay a subtle meaning to the observer that someone else might miss. This is why art is so special, one piece has as many meanings as there are people looking at it. Because of this, when asked what to look for in a piece of abstract art, I always tell people to go with whatever pleases their senses the most. You are going to be living with and around the artwork that you choose, so choose something that, in all simplicity, you like to look at and makes you happy.

There are those, however, that want more specific guidelines. For those of you who would like a more technical explanation, this is for you:

Principles of Art:

• Movement- is your eye drawn around the canvas and not in just one spot? Do you get a sense of action or movement from the colors and brushstrokes?
  
• Unity- do you get a sense of completion? Does the painting come together full circle?
• Variety- is there a contrast between the different colors? Are there different shapes and sizes of these shapes to add depth?
• Balance- is the piece symmetrical or asymmetrical? Does one side or area overpower the others?
• Emphasis- is there a focal point that draws your attention?
• Contrast- is there diversity within the piece? Is the piece arranged so as to show contrasts between each element?
• Proportion- how do the smaller of the sizes of elements in the piece compare to those of the larger sizes?
• Pattern- this correlates to movement; is there a pattern that emerges giving the piece a sense of movement?

Although these principles of art are universal, what you see may not be what the next person would. So, even using these technical guidelines, your evaluations will be coming from a collection of your own personal experiences thus making the beauty of any piece uniquely yours.