“Cyan Palette Nebulae” [4th April 2024] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic fine art painting on 24cm x 24cm canvas board, 4167 x 4174 pixels.
I made three miniature canvas artworks on the same draft evening session the 4th April. This cyan liquid paint drip and palette knife working is the second piece, completed in literal minutes.
Artistically placing liquid mixed dripped paint then very carefully applying my favourite palette knife.
As with “Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece” this artwork “Cyan Palette Nebulae” just happened to present beautifully upon the canvas to my exquisite delight.
I do not think there is a painting I ever made with so few palette knife motions. “I love this painting’s complex simplicity“
Then some days later whilst viewing this artwork on display I noticed an almost ‘alien-like woman’, herself appearing to view the extraordinary.
If this is difficult to fathom.. there is also a believable lion’s face in my “Cyan Palette Nebulae”. Definitely extraordinary for an artwork taking me not twenty minutes or thereabouts with completely random paint drips and quick palette work on the wet canvas.
The ‘lion’s mane‘ of the nebulae took the longest. Please appreciate I constructed this piece as a 100% abstract. I had no objects, faces or people in mind whatsoever. Not even nebulae! I only named this piece afterwards for how I believed it could reasonably be titled.
As a nebulae.
It was days after seeing the ‘alien-like woman’ I then incomprehensibly discovered the ‘lion’s face‘ with a robot-like eye.
Its left eye (as we view the piece), nose, jaw, mouth and mane now recognisable to a viewer.
The strangest thing about these now discernible phenomena is knowing I had not planned, envisaged or conceived of any such idea whilst painting! Honestly. True.
It is definitely unfathomable.
To give you an idea of my process. I dripped the thinnest, wettest paint first. A watery mixture from the same singular batch. The top liquidy layer from the petri dish-like glass container I mixed the paint in. As an artist making an abstract my focus was purely upon contrast. Lights, darks, interesting swirls for this piece.
I remember being very definite about this. Moving the palette until I was happy. I took perhaps no more than ten minutes for the first paint layer. Time goes Dali when painting, believe me. This is why I often stopwatch my sketches to be accurate with times for speed drawings over drafts.
Generally I do not time oils and acrylics. Although I have kept a look at my watch when starting acrylics very recently.
Anyway let’s explain the second heavier alla primatop layer where we now see the woman’s face and lion. It is here I literally made so few palette movements as to be near impossible in creating such masterful depictions.
How else am I supposed to write this?
If I tried to make these complex, beautiful depictions it would actually take me more time. The ‘woman’s eyes‘ were made in two palette motions entirely. At first I thought to myself ‘Gosh, that’s heavier than I intended’. Strangely though I decided not to rework those two palette lines [‘eyes‘] for a second time.
How glad I am about that!
Every element about the lion’s face is rather unexplainable.
“The nose of a lion, is the mouth of a woman“. An ancient riddle? The canvas 100% abstract in shapes to me whilst painting. For days afterwards too.
Contrasting, attractive. A nebulae.
Personally I feel this abstract piece is a pure chance masterpiece. I am pleased to write of the artwork in this way.
“Gold & Blue Abstract after Rothko” [April 2024] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic fine art painting on 24cm x 18cm canvas board, 3534 x 4794 pixels.
Quotes #1 and #2:
#1 [ these two art made (*1a) tonight. the gold one was very difficult to make. i tonked it after the second (yet first) draft. then i made it (even more) perfect again. it was originally two squares. the blossom one was an instant joy over two drafts. both i shall gift. one i know to whom, for difficulty became joy. the other i am as yet not knowing to whom. ] – April 2024.
#2 [ The central two squares I am referring to looked like my digital artwork “Dusty Glass Greenhouse” [see next image for this artwork (*1b) yet in gold and yellow ochre. After I finished “Gold & Blue Abstract after Rothko” I knew I had made an artwork to be very happy with.
A strong happiness having achieved my first 100% Rothko style!
For those interested in my process I became immensely focused with every single palette knife movement, the canvas textures and uniformity of the entire piece.
Please note I have included the natural light cast upon the canvas at the time of photographing for you to enjoy the gallery experience of seeing a physical canvas. ] – 2nd April 2024.
(*1a) these two art made refers to “Gold & Blue Abstract after Rothko” and “Cherry Blossom Abstract after Rothko”.
“Gold & Blue Abstract after Rothko” exhibits a handsome man’s face in the manner of a Greek god (Apollo perhaps?) or even Christ! Pure chance, 100%. It is best at approximately 10 to 30 degrees left of the image, in my opinion, to see this in a specific lighting effect. Hence somehow not yet fully understanding why.. I managed to title this as a Rothko.. in style of course!
The beautiful face.
Some kind of abstract genius to the work.
It really is very beautiful with a strong nose in a stylistic representation you appreciate. Not until in Pagani-like viewing of this work did I notice on that evening with my reading lamp on. True.
The shadow in my photograph above casts a shadow upon the face itself. With the correct light whilst viewing it adds further detail to the face. Quite extraordinary.
If this is difficult to fathom.. there is also a believable lion’s face in my “Cyan Palette Nebulae” in addition to an ‘alien-like woman’ face. Yes, freakeh for a certainty with both artworks. The latter probably took me not twenty minutes with completely random paint drips and quick palette work on the wet canvas.
(*1b) by the way is one of my “Dusty Glass Greenhouse” digital artworks here:
“Dusty Glass Greenhouse – City 3D” [digital Art, 7th September 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 100% digital artwork, 1920 x 1080 pixels.
For Variations of my “Dusty Glass Greenhouse” series works I have included these after the abstract acrylic paintings in this article, see further below. Please do click on images to see close-up details.
Next is abstract acrylic painting “Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece”:
“Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece” [4th April 2024] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic fine art painting on 24cm x 18cm canvas board, 3000 x 4058 pixels.
Quote:
[ I made three miniature canvas artworks (*2) on the same draft evening session. This yellow gold work is the first piece, completed in minutes to be honest.
The second piece was also completed in minutes, whilst the third is still in the decision making process.
The third artwork has two exceptional digital works derived after its second draft session of 5th April. It looks like an abstract bank note I guess, unpublished for now.
As for “Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece”.. it is so perfect it’s difficult to believe how quickly I made it.
A genuine love at first sight artwork in every way. ] – 5th April 2024.
The framing area of this artwork was delicately intricate for me to do. As for the palette knife work, like “Cherry Blossom Abstract after Rothko” the palette work was quite effortless really. Everything just placed nicely.
It might sound silly to some, I was ecstatic after “Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece” in all soberness. Holding the artwork, as I have just now whilst writing, I love the piece so much. With this and “Gold & Blue Abstract after Rothko” I feel I made genuine ground with depth in the spirit of his style.
I have viewed all these acrylic abstracts every day to-date since making them.
(*2) the three miniature canvas artworks quoted on the same evening are “Yellow Gold Rectangular Masterpiece”, “Cyan Palette Nebulae” [as yet unpublished to WordPress] and “Green Umber Gold Rectangular Abstract” see image immediately below:
“Green Umber Gold Rectangular Abstract” [4th/5th April 2024] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic fine art painting on 24cm x 18cm canvas board, 2252 x 3000 pixels.
Quote:
[ It took some time for me to be happy with the canvas appearance for this green umber gold work.
Interestingly I painted with the gold to the left in landscape situ (prior to adding the gold of course!). I prefer the way it is displayed here in portrait with the gold at the top, although I do like the landscape view also.
The gold was added after the green and umber was first defined due purely to aesthetic canvas spacing.
The painting has a deep affect through its harmony of paint layers. ] – 6th April 2024.
nb I painted this in landscape situ also after the gold line was added.
It’s a love or loathe artwork I guess?
Like or dislike it actually received the most working hours by me! Particularly since the other two abstract acrylic artworks of the evening took minutes, being happily finished in an evening.
You will most likely love this artwork if you see the physical canvas, just like “Gold Squared Green/Gold Tile” (btw as regards Gold Squared it needed that further draft, honestly, ‘If so‘ you preferred the first draft of the latter).
I worked on “Green Umber Gold Rectangular Abstract” the next day (5th April).
< Can I just say it’s 0230hrs UK. Three hours ^^ since beginning to write/produce this article, non-stop. The rest of the article is already written and in the edit. I am writing these <> words whilst proof-reading, quite tired. My half glass of a vintage 2020 grape wine variety has long gone. Yes, I want another half or full glass even. However it’s far too late, I need to sleep. Obviously. Drank from my heavy crystal decanter glass gifted years ago by my Nan and Grandad, both passed. >
Every worthwhile artist who is reading this knows we must be happy with our artistic work. A finite orangey rectangle was added around the green, after the (now top) gold line. Smattering of gold paint is added into the central canvas too. In approximately three or four areas. Blended-in, all except one (lower-left in portrait image).
Having reviewed the piece.. it.. needs.. light.. to make it come alive. Most all my works do.
I set out to be a master of light. Modestly I write.
The central gold is very subtle. I was sort of obsessed getting it ‘correct’ to be honest. In terms of paint layering technique this one is likely closest to the way Rothko built his individual canvases, I would guess.
The layering is sophisticated.
I do not view “Cyan Palette Nebulae” as Rothko in style whatsoever.
My own works in the Rothko style refer to colour theory and spiritual sense over exactly emulating his canvases. I do play on the rectangular shapes though, as we see in my next newly WordPress published piece:
“Cherry Blossom Abstract after Rothko” [April 2024] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic fine art painting on 24cm x 18cm canvas board, 6258 x 8383 pixels.
“Cherry Blossom Abstract after Rothko” is all about colour theory and emotion.
I have seen and you can think its mad if you like..
An elephant with its trunk
A heart (of the emoji and classical symbol shape)
A bushbaby
An ‘M’. LAUGH please. I see an ‘M’ in practically everything as you probably all know by now (*3)
Do click on the image for yourself.
(*3) btw I actually took a photograph late afternoon 14th April of an ‘M’ in the fabric of my cargo pants. LAUGH. Oh gosh.. louder than that please haha.
Anyway, I made Cherry Blossom quite quickly without any abstract shape ideas whatsoever. Stick your tongue out if you want, if you feel I write like a kid.
Please believe me. I only concentrated upon colour contrasts. In this I was very happy with the result.
Next up, roll up, we have:
“Dusty Glass Greenhouse – Burgundy Red 3D” [digital Art, 7th September 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 100% digital artwork, 1920 x 1080 pixels.
“Dusty Glass Greenhouse – Burgundy Red 3D”.. cool digital art, you agree?
This one is the Original digital artwork, the first. I posted City 3D to Instagram for its dynamic colour range. It’s style is part of a theme I had/have for microscopic organisms.
I will feature the original “Painted Organism #1” with its Variants at the earliest. Having made such a prolific number of 100% digital artworks at that time I just couldn’t publish everything immediately.
Please let me know how I did with my proof-reading, grammatical construction and interconnectivity.
The Unfathomable Artist 