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
GEOMETRIC and ORGANIC
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.
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.
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.
Realist to Abstract painting
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.
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.
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
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
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
Picasso 
• Cubist style of 
abstraction 
• One of the greatest and 
most influential artist of 
the 20th century
Jackson Polluck
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?
Abstracted/Distorted figure 
What are the major similarities and 
differences of these two works?
Some techniques for Abstraction 
• Geometric 
• Minimalism 
• Splatter or Dripping 
• Pixilated 
• Changing Colors 
• Cubist: Skewing proportions and shapes
Activity: 
• Can you abstract this 
image? 
• Do in sketchbook
Horses as abstract Expressionist 
• Is this art? 
• Does abstract art take 
the same amount of 
skill and cognitive 
ability as portrait 
painting?
• http://arthistory.about.com/od/glossary_a/a/ 
a_abstract_art.htm 
• http://www.abstract-art-framed.com/what-is-abstract- 
art.html

Abstract art finished

  • 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.
  • 3.
    Abstract Art •Artworkwhich 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 • Abstractart, 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.
  • 7.
    How Abstract ArtBegan: “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 • Cubiststyle of abstraction • One of the greatest and most influential artist of the 20th century
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Is that ArtDebate? • 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 Whatare the major similarities and differences of these two works?
  • 17.
    Some techniques forAbstraction • Geometric • Minimalism • Splatter or Dripping • Pixilated • Changing Colors • Cubist: Skewing proportions and shapes
  • 18.
    Activity: • Canyou abstract this image? • Do in sketchbook
  • 19.
    Horses as abstractExpressionist • 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