Abstraction finds its roots in 'intuition' (of the artist) and 'freedom' (for the artist as well as for the viewer). Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect. (https://www.art-mine.com/collectorscorner/understanding-abstract-art/).

What people don't realize is that the best abstract artists have excellent drawing skills, a finely honed sense of composition, and a deep understanding of the workings of color. Most abstract artists have the ability to draw a perfectly rendered rose or a realistic portrait, but they choose not to. Instead they choose to express their creativity by creating a visual experience that is more free and unencumbered by the weight of objects.

At its basis, it is about form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition and process. These are the formal qualities of artwork, because they describe what the art looks like and how it is created. Abstract art is an exploration of these formal qualities.

In this class, we will explore abstract painting as well as figuring out the tonal values. We will use a simple monochromatic color scheme to make this easier.

What tone means in a painting context is simple. It's how light or dark a color is, rather than what the actual color or hue is. Yet implementing tone in painting is often bothersome to artists because we get distracted by the strong appeal of color. Tonal values occur in nearly every piece of drawing or painting that is created, and getting them spot on is crucial to the success of the artwork. Artists must navigate various light effects and quirks of perception, which can be frustrating. However, the principles are the same whether you are creating a figure drawing, painting a still life or tackling landscapes, so the same challenges will crop up regardless of subject or medium. Just as we have a way to describe different colours, there are ways that name or quantify tonal values.