Week 12 was expressive drawing, which sounds freeing, and it is, but it also revealed something about me. I have a strong desire to follow the rules. That usually helps me grow fast, but it also makes abstract work harder because abstract asks for trust, not control.
I did three assignments this week, and each one nudged me toward loosening my grip.
Abstract Landscape
Since we could use a reference, I picked a picture from a source and used it as my starting point. I loved having something to respond to, but my critique was clear: it looked too much like a place. In other words, it was not abstract enough.
That feedback made sense. I stayed loyal to the reference in ways I did not even realize I was doing. I kept the horizon logic, the spatial cues, and recognizable shapes. Even if I simplified, the “location” still read loud and clear.
It was a good reminder that abstraction is not just about simplifying. It is about transforming.
Pull an Image From an Abstract
This assignment was a stretch for me in a different way. I have a hard time letting go when I create an abstract, but I did feel like I started making headway here.
Instead of trying to control the outcome, I focused on building something interesting first, then discovering an image inside of it. That shift helped. It turned the process into exploration instead of performance.
I am still learning how to stay in that mode without snapping back into “make it correct.”
John’s Creative Tree
This one was genuinely fun.
I got to learn about water soluble graphite, and it felt like working in inks. The value range, the flow, the unpredictability, it all pushed me toward play. Doodling was fun, and I felt like I was able to let go more than I usually do.
I noticed something important: when the tool itself invites looseness, I relax. When the tool feels precise, I tighten up.
This gave me a clue about how I can practice letting go on purpose.
My Big Question: What Are the Rules Around Being Abstract and Letting Go?
I think the “rules” of abstraction are not about what the viewer recognizes. They are about what I choose to prioritize.
Here are a few simple guidelines I am learning, and I want to keep practicing them:
- Abstraction still needs intention
Letting go does not mean random. It means I choose what matters most, like movement, rhythm, contrast, or mood, and I build around that. - The reference is allowed, but it cannot be the boss
If I use a photo, I have to give myself permission to break it. Change the colors. Remove the horizon. Flip the shapes. Crop it aggressively. Turn forms into pattern. - Recognizable is not wrong, it is just a choice
Abstract does not have to be unrecognizable. But if the goal is “more abstract,” I have to reduce the clues that make it read like a literal place. Less perspective, fewer clear edges, fewer named objects. - Letting go is a skill, not a personality trait
I can practice it. I can set constraints that force me to release control, like a time limit, drawing with my non dominant hand, using a bigger tool, or not allowing myself to blend. - If I am trying to “get it right,” I am probably back in realism mode
Abstract asks a different question: does it feel alive, does it communicate something, does it have energy?
What I’m Taking Into Next Week
Week 12 showed me that my instinct to follow the rules is not bad. It is part of why I have grown so much. But if I want to get better at abstract work, I need to build a new muscle.
Not breaking rules for the sake of breaking them, but learning when to loosen my grip and let the work surprise me.
That is the goal. More trust. More play. More listening.
