Thought I'd show the progression of some paintings (not all), mainly the ones that aren't successful on first try. Abstract type paintings, while they often appear "just thrown together" the are more difficult often times because you have to come up with a focal point, placement of shapes and colors and lines , and then put them all together in a pleasing composition, which leads the viewer through the painting, and not out of the painting.
This painting started out looking like this. I patterned it after an abstracted photograph I had manipulated on the computer. 
After multiple additions it looked like this:
Well, that didn't help much, and I couldn't see my way out, so with gesso and paint I changed it entirely.
That didn't work either in many different versions. So painted over that , and then poured some contrasting colors on it and spread them around, as well as adding "String Gel" for texture. Then I drew some shapes on it, masked some areas off and then sprayed an off white acrylic paint mixture and then some black on top of that. So now here's where it stands at the present. I think I like where this is going and will keep it, working some more on it. 
I can't decide which way it goes–horizontal or vertical. Maybe either way. We'll see what I decide it is–animal vegetable or mineral.
I have kind of avoided commenting your paintings before because I'm lousy on giving any kind of feedback on abstract art 😀 I only know what I do like and what I don't.
The story here is so interesting, and I guess we have started to know each other better (or just as well as it is possible on Internet community). So, I decided to start telling what I think 😀
Abstract art is very much about personal feelings for me. Some shapes and colors just speaks to me, others don't. In this case the progress is the following:
In the first version colors were very good but the thin lines looked just pointless to me. I have so used to symbolism and meaningful forms that I just didn't get it.
In the second one the arrangement was somewhat interesting but then the combination of colors was just awful. But remember! It's only awful for me 😉 It's difficult to say why, but that's just how it is :awww:
The third one I like very much 🙂 The colors are perfect and in that shape I see many things that have meaning to me. And I especially like it this way up. I'm not going to say what I see there, unless you ask me, because I do not wish to affect on your unfinished work 😉
Thanks Sami, for you comments. I pretty much agree with your assessment of the first attempt–I didn't like it, no matter what I tried to change it with, and the same for the second phase.
As for the final one, I like the shape and colors, and have decided pretty much what it's going to be–have to do a little work to it. See if it fits your idea of what you see in it when I get finished.
You might be interested in seeomg some of my other pieces on my regular blog at http://merleplaggeart.com/blog. I've started using the Opera blog because I've got a glitch in the new upgrade I did and can't get anything to publish. Have to talk with the WordPress gurus.
Originally posted by Blackcalla:
That's what I was talking about 😉 I have visited there, but dared not to comment because I feel myself just dumb when it comes to abstract art. I enjoy your photographs very much, but abstract paintings are not my cup of tea 😀
Thanks for your kind words. There really isn't too much difference between art and photography. In abstract or non-representational paintings the artist gets to arrange the pieces (elements) of the painting, whereas with a photo the photographer has to often times make the best of what he has, but most of the time those elements in a photograph can be manipulated by different position, different lens, movement of camera, etc. Most people have an innate sense of good design when they see it but, have trouble expressing it or producing it. Studying paintings will help you with your photography. 🙂 Gee, and who knows, maybe you'll wind up trying some painting. 🙂