“Wabi-Sabi”: An Intuitive Approach to Creating Abstract Art

In this two-part workshop, participants will create a mixed-media abstract painting using the elements and principles of Wabi-Sabi which revolves around an idea: nothing is perfect, nothing is permanent, and nothing is finished. You will work from realism to abstraction.

Taken from the Japanese words Wabi, which translates to less is more, and Sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi-sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. The key principles of wabi-sabi are simplicity, asymmetry, irregularity of objects, economy (less is more), truthfulness, modesty.

Making abstract art the wabi-sabi way allows us to be more aware in the process, allowing our tools and materials to be part of where the art goes. It’s about seeing the process as more important than the finished piece of art. It’s about not forcing a particular outcome.

Each participant will be encouraged to invoke the wabi-sabi concept of imperfection as perfection by developing collage and mixed media abstract composition using various techniques and materials.

Session 1: We will work with acrylic, ink, charcoal, oil pastel and collage.

Session 2: We will integrate techniques working with cold wax, oil and collage to form a final composition (or compositions).

Participants will learn the basic expressive and intuitive techniques of mixed media collage that will guide them through the creation of a work of art with the compositional elements of shapes, line, layers and texture.

The instructor will:

• Provide an overview of the Wabi-Sabi process and the historical background of collage.

• Review the Elements of Art and Design.

• Demonstrate various collage methods and textured application.

* Explore techniques using a variety of tools and processes (e.g., adhering miscellaneous materials, like old drawings, paintings, fabric, burlap, used canvas, found objects, and incorporating mono-printing.

• Participants will find inspiration from life, nature, the studio set-up and working from sketches and/or photo references)

• Oversee and guide each participant through the overall process as we keep in mind the wabi-sabi concept.

In this workshop, participants will be working with various materials, shapes, line and color. They can introduce imaginary patterns and shapes as well.

They can choose from the collage materials brought by the instructor to share or use their own and feel free to express their creativity. Most of all everyone should have fun with this!

At the end of the second session, we will share and “critique” the final pieces that participants have created.

Please note: Acrylic Mediums and Cold Wax Mediums will be supplied by the Instructor along with Paper Towels and Freezer Paper for Palettes. You are responsible for bringing the other supplies needed.
Students should bring these supplies:

1. PAINTING SURFACES

12 x 14 (or larger) canvas or wood panel (recommend back stapled canvas)

Heavy paper - e.g., watercolor paper (Arches 140 or 300 pound recommended)

Sketch Pad

​Spiral-bound Aquabee or Canson mixed media sketchbook

This is a high-quality acid-free paper can be used with variety of media and can be painted​ on.​

​Choose size 9 x 12” or 11 x 14”

2. ACRYLIC PAINTS

Use your own discretion as to your own needs:

I recommend Professional Grade Liquitex tubes, Nova acrylics and Golden products, including Golden fluids. Suggestions:

Cadmium Yellow Light or Medium​Phthalocyanine Blue (green shade)

​Cadmium Orange​Phthalocyanine Green

​Cadmium Red Light (warm red)​Ivory Black

​Pyrrole Red (cool red, or your preference)​ Titanium White

​Quinacridone Magenta​

​Ultramarine Blue​

​Choose additional colors to add to your palette according to your preference:

Yellow Oxide (Ochre) Quinacridone Red

Burnt Sienna Acra Magenta

Burnt Umber​ Paynes Gray

Sap Green or Green Gold​ Brilliant Blue

Hookers Green​ Dioxazine Purple

3. ACRYLIC MEDIUMS (Supplied by Instructor)

Matte Medium ​

Matte gel (medium to heavy recommended)

4. BRUSHES (for acrylic application)

Choose a variety of sizes – Larger brushes are better. Minimum of 3 brushes

Suggested: #2 #3 (round), filbert #5 #6#7, flat #8 or #1; 2” inexpensive flat brush for gesso and varnish

5. OIL PAINTS

Assorted tubes (suggest Windsor Newton or Lukas): cadmium red, cerulean blue, indigo, cadmium, yellow, cadmium orange, Naples yellow, magenta, blue green, turquoise, titanium white, ivory black, ochre. (Plus, your personal choice).

6. OIL MEDIUM (Supplied by Instructor)

6 oz. Gamblin cold wax medium – use with oil paints. Available at Jerry’s Artarama, or Amazon

7. OTHER APPLICATION MATERIALS

- R & F Pigment sticks – assorted colors of your choice (especially recommended are Titanium White and Ivory Black)

Purchase at Jerry’s Artarama or on Amazon

- Charcoal sticks: both vines and thick/heavy duty

8. TOOLS - Important

Catalyst for cold wax/oil application

Recommended W-01, W-05, W-03 (available online at Jerrys Artarama

Plastic putty spatula (1 1/2-2" ok) One larger one for bigger application is also recommended. (Available at Home Depot, etc.)

Brayer (s) (2" - 3")

Palette knife (various shapes and sizes- plastic are fine)

Miscellaneous:

Scraping and mark-making tools such as old credit cards, chop sticks, 5” Squeegee

9. PALETTE

Palette Paper in a pad or Freezer paper (Supplied by Instuctor)(comes in a roll, available at the market) is the least expensive and can be cut to size.

​10. COLLAGE MATERIALS

Newsprint

Magazine tear outs

Burlap

Used canvas or other fabric

Old photographs

Metallic paper

String, yarn

Brown paper

Rice paper

Corrugated cardboard

Duralite

Acrylic "skins" (optional)

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES:​plastic gloves, spray bottle – (for water), water container

Baby oil – important for all oil paint cleanup

Pencils – soft; Paper Towels (Supplied by Instructor), Masking tape, Scissors.

Please bring what is reasonable for your budget.
Please email Mardi at [email protected] for her further recommended brands and suppliers.

Host or Publisher Artists Council