Journeys to abstraction : 100 contemporary paintings and their secrets revealed

We don't have to know what a painting is if we know how it makes us feel. A fun, fascinating survey of abstract art, Journeys to Abstraction offers a behind-the-scenes look at how contemporary artists break free from literal depiction to rejoice in the pure expressive power of color, line and texture. 58 artists share 100 striking abstract paintings, along with the ideas, inspirations and diverse working processes behind them. Covers a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional media and techniques, including watercolor, collage, acrylics, ink and more. Four step-by-step demonstrations show how abstract pieces come together from start to finish. Discover how artists paint, pour, scrape, spray, carve, stamp, collage and otherwise build complex layers of texture and meaning. Painting with egg cartons, turning acrylic paints into shards of stained glass," incorporating old "failed" paintings into fresh finished pieces...anything goes in abstract art! Marked by an inspiring freedom of form and content, this is a liberating book for any artist in search of new, dynamic forms of self-expression. " Fifty-eight artists share the ideas, inspirations and working processes behind their paintings, the results of traditional and non-traditional media and techniques, including watercolor, collage, acrylics, ink, and more. Includes four step-by-step demonstrations that show creation of abstract pieces from start to finish Reveals techniques, ideas and inspiration behind 100 abstract paintings in various media.