The importance of abstract thought as a bridge when devising artistic concepts.
Ever found yourself pondering how to transform your endless thoughts into art while glancing at a blank canvas? You’re not alone.
The creative process can often feel daunting, but this is precisely where abstract thinking comes to the rescue.
Abstract thinking, putting it simply, is like a hidden power that all artists possess. It gives us a chance to create ideas that are sometimes too difficult to grasp in the form of tangible objects.
Consider it as a sort of competition of sorts, in which our brains are worked out, so to speak. Rather than extracting what is simply there, we go above and beyond what we are given in order to establish a new feeling, a new experience that can be ‘felt’ though is plain not visible.
Over the length of this post we shall see the relationship between such a unique mental process and the creativity required to come up with new ways of expressed art that are keenly relatable to others.
So, pick up your mug of coffee, and come along with me into the world where abstract thoughts rule supreme!
Abstract Thinking
What is abstract thinking?
So, what an abstract thought is supposed to be?
Simply put, it is the ability to think of things that are not directly related to physical things or events.
To put it differently, when we think of a concept in an abstract manner, we are not only thinking of its superficial aspects but also its deeper aspects in essence its meaning and its relevance in a particular situation.
In other words, it can be, for example, transforming the experience of joy into an abstraction as swirling of color or pieces then converting experiences of sadness into shapes that evoke feelings rather than literal shapes of the sadness.
Importance in the World of Art
So why is this vital?
If you have asked why is this essential, this concept might be the reason niether it is an activity to get ourselves resolution revolves around problem due to a defect in perspective of a social context.
It’s clear however that we would be missing out on amazing works of art that push the boundaries of perception and inspire new feelings to broaden the horizons of human psychology imagine if all artists simply painted everything they saw it would be a bleak world filled with the same images over and over again.
For example, let’s consider Vincent van Gogh. His famous “Starry Night” is not simply a portrayal of a night sky and its beauty, but a combination of thoughts and feeling catered towards a night sky.
He captures a sense of chaos and wonder with brilliant colors and exaggerated forms,and that’s the essence of abstract thinking.
Abstract Thinking in Psychology
Let’s examine the psychology behind abstract thinking even further.
The mechanisms of cognition are of considerable importance in this case.
While thinking abstractly, we are engaging in activities that involve many types of the brain such as interpreting, synthesizing and even composing.
The mind is able to combine unrelated ideas, and in so doing, it is able to derive from a plethora of information and sources.
Practical Illustrations
Let us consider some illustrations from real life.
Let’s take the contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, for example.
Much of her art is deeply personal and often centers on her struggles with her mental illness.
She beautifully invites us to her world through her art, in which she uses repetitive patterns and polka dots to express feelings that may be difficult to interpret.
She is not only painting but is attempting to resonate with other people’s subconscious minds. This is as good an abstraction of artistic thought as it gets.
Let’s consider Salvador Dalí at the other end of the spectrum.
His surrealism and unique artistic style is the best example of an abstractionist mindset.
Dalí portrayed dreamlike images with illogical focus that were strangely appealing through the use of painting.
He fused the actual and imaginary and altered the way we view things, pushing us to think outside the box.
In the previous sections, we have noted that abstract reasoning plays not only a role in the process of making the art, but it actually shapes an individual’s internal world in a manner that is perceivable and interpratable in a variety of ways by other people.
This is what makes art and abstract thought very special!
The Convergence of the Abstract Idea and The Artistic Thought
The Process of Thinking Abstractively to Get Ideas
Alright let’s deep dive into how thinking abstractively to generate ideas can help to greatly improve the whole process of creativity.
However, when we hear about the term brainstorming, it tends to become more of a bright storm of Ideas to most people.
You will probably be scribbling anything from crazy dreams to snippets of pile of conversations just as to catch that spark of inspiration.
And that’s where abstract thinking goes hand in hand with the creative process.
It pulls us away from the bare essentials and degrees in concepts which are free from the limitations of corporeal realities.
One time, during a collective art workshop, we were given the challenge of making something that expresses an emotion while avoiding symbols, meaning we had to construct the piece abstractively.
Now that is a challenge.
We brainstormed for many hours just… thinking.
Some of the participants recalled some moments of their childhood, while for others anxiety, joy and other abstract emotions served as sources of inspiration.
The outcome? A stunning amalgamation of colors, shapes, and textures that embodied each individual’s distinctive way of perceiving the feeling we discussed.’
Notable Examples Of Artistic Works That Stemmed Out Of Basic Ideas
There has been such art’s come to existence after extensive brainstorming.
Let’s take Wassily Kandinsky as a case in point.
In his opinion, a colour and a form can trigger an emotion without needing to symbolize anything specific.
One such piece is in this collage titled “Composition VIII”.
The merging together makes you feel the work, with geometric shapes and bright colors used to convey movement and rhythm.
This is where the beauty of abstract thinking lies: it comes with ideas that speak to emotions, hence the idea of making art anew is limitless.
Useful Simple Techniques For Abstract Thinking For An Artist
Now let’s focus on some useful techniques that can help us think of ourselves as abstract artists.
Mind Mapping And Visual Metaphors
Mye is another method that i particularly love using as one of my facets.
This allows you to use visuals as a way to organise thoughts that do not relate.
You begin with an idea, and then extend the idea outwards into other ideas, developing a network of connections.
This can enable artists to establish links between different ideas that may be difficult to figure out at first glance.
In particular, I sought to dive deeper into the subject of ‘change’ during my most recent project.
I used that as my main word and began to explore its intricacies by going into concepts like development and metamorphosis.
From there, I dove into ideas like colors of all textures and even memories from my life that I think are related to the concepts.
Eventually, I had a variety of concepts that assisted in my creative work.
How Practicing Artists Turn Their Concepts Into Surreal Art Forms
One more effective strategy is to employ visual language.
As a result, artists are able to provide physical explanations for more abstract concepts.
When an artist wants to illustrate ‘liberty,’ for instance, they could employ images of launching birds or open fields.
Such an approach makes the idea much easier to understand and allows the audience to relate to the piece of art.
Examples of Abstract Ideas in Art That Have Already Been Implemented.
Titians who Worked with Abstract Concepts in Their Work.
Let’s look at abstract concepts from some of the popular artists-abstract thinkers.
Pablo Picasso and Wassily kandisky are perhaps the two most commonly cited names.
“Picasso pittore degenere” once said “Kandinsky had deep faith in the power of color and form.”
His pieces show that he possesses a level of wisdom about the way in which the pure abstract contours can be imbued with the meaning of feelings.
In “Composition X”, the combination of the spiraling shapes and the various colors creates chaos as well as harmony in the piece.
Although you could feel something when viewing this piece, it is impossible for me to tell you what you would feel.
Conversely, Picasso changed the course of art with his abstraction of reality paintings.
In his painting titled “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”, he reinvented the way figures are represented by using cubism and painting them in an abstracted form.
And so our focus wasn’t on representation, but on articulating a completely new way of looking at an issue.
Contemporary Artists and Abstract Thinking
It is time to go in a different direction and look at some modern artists who abstract thinking in their pieces.
As we go deeper into art, it can be seen that more and more artists are embracing radical aspects in their work.
For instance Yayoi Kusama.
Mirror rooms filled with polka dots and infinite girls are her fantasies. Abstract art of a different sense is set to a new reality and lets the viewer immerse fully.
It is a journey into the self through art, mental issues set in a pattern, the universe with very imaginative and complex meanings behind them.
Then there’s Mark Bradford too, who tackles social issues using collage techniques that are abstract.
The jewelry he makes often tells a complex emotional narrative while incorporating materials from Los Angeles.
Bradford manages to challenge people to relish the beauty of abstraction and at the same time, face their realities.
The influence that abstract artists have in our understanding of art and the world around is clearly visible with the artists mentioned here.
They prompt us explore deeper meanings of whatever we see and in return encourage us to go on our own artistic endeavors.
FAQs
Why is abstract thinking in art paintings important?
The importance of abstract thinking in art should not be overstated.
It is an enabler of and creativity and innovation, it helps invent thought which is beyond the literal concept.
Abstract thought permits the artist to think with feeling and believe with sensation, thus creating art appealing to various demographics.
In many cases where an abstract thought was used, the authors were able to express more complex ideas than was originally intended, encouraging the viewers to interact with their pieces in such a way that has never been done before.
Is it possible for anyone to learn abstract thinking for artistic activities?
Yes, without a doubt! Learning to think abstractly for creative goals is an feasible goal that anyone can achieve.
Everything is conceivable to achieve in the end, with enough motivation and the appropriate attitude.
You can stretch your creative skills by using techniques such as creative prompts, free association and mind mapping.
Let’s understand this better with an example; If there is a theme or a particular word that you wish to think about, try setting a timer for five minutes and jot down whatever comes to your mind.
You might be astonished at the number of connections you could form!
Experiencing such a thing is more about exploration and thought processes, which are by all means remarkable for an artistic individual.
Now the question is, how can one’s skills of visualizing abstract concepts help solve problems in the field of art?
Eat your wigged out question this way: how can problem solving in he field of art be aided by thinking in an abstract manner? Or better yet, how can problem solving in art be improved with an abstract way of thinking?
Look, when you don’t see the solutions to the problems you can physically still feel them… When you have a problem in moving forward in a creative sense or there’s a blockage in the creative side ofIn simple words,abstract thinking has already been defined as pa classically conceptualization of a problem. It can allow someone to take a distance from the issue and look for other possible ways of solving it.
Following the same example, an artist who is unable to make the best use of color options can easily get over this problem by thinking of the connotation different colors would portray without worrying themselves.
Some of the work is based on texture, others on light and many on stress. And because more colorful images often resonates with people, stripping excess could benefit one and enhance some aspects of their work.
Not only this, but also, artists are trained to think differently which is eventually required for solving problems in their field and even in other activities.
Conclusion
To conclude, the importance of abstract thinking in the process of generating an artistic idea is instrumental in facilitating advancement and imagination in the realm of art.
The ree imagines things in a way that is not concrete it expands ideas that can be used to further advance the means of making art.
As mentioned before it has been shown how in the process of thinking abstractly it is possible to be creative beyond the imagines creative blocs and toovercome traditional blocks of creativity.
It has also been mentioned how this model of thinking is a means of working together by merging ideas and producing things that are more than the individuals.
However, the use of this type of thinking can help undermine a creative way to develop an artist’s journey towards his work along the lines of sophistication through deeper connections.
So, if you are an artist or a beginner don’t be scared of the abstract no still.
Or rather, faced with the unknown go out and explore and see how your artistic ideas can simply grow in a way you will never think of.
