Easy DIY Abstract Art

"My daughter recently asked me to create some art for her bare apartment walls. We decided on a big abstract that would have some texture and gold leaf. Using acrylic paints made it a quick project as acrylics dry quickly between coats. I used some drywall tape to give some texture to the painting. The gold leaf, which is one of my favorite mediums to use, really adds that special something to the painting. My daughter was very happy with her painting and now I'm thinking where I could put a similar painting in my own home."

Materials List

• Large Canvas. I think you need a largish canvas for this painting…I used a 30 by 40 inch. (Don’t forget to get your Michael’s app…40% of any item everyday)
• Acrylic paint in your desired colors. I used Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic in Ultramarine, Liquitex Acyrlic in Ivory Black and Liquitex Acrylic in White
• Gold Leaf Sheets
• Leaf Adhesive Size
• Pallet Knife, Putty Knife, Large 2″ paint brush
• Something for texture. I found an old roll of drywall repair mesh in the garage. My sweet hubby drives me a little crazy in that he really hates to throw anything away…’you just never know when we’ll need it’. This is one of those cases where I was glad for his ‘hoarding’ tendency.

NotesThis painting ended up with a moody, brooding feel to it…which is fine. Almost reminds me of a thunder storm, with the gold being lightening flashes. Do you see anything in it? If I wanted to make this less moody, I would add less black to the blue that I originally laid down.

With the acrylics, this painting could be made from start to finish in a couple of hours. If you need to fill up a large wall space, an abstract painting is an easy remedy. There’s no right or wrong, just so it’s pleasing to your eye. I always find it helpful to stand far back from the painting, checking on it several times in different lighting to make sure I like what I see.