The Journal
Journal — Abstract Art & Painting Insights
Essays on abstract painting, technique and the artist's practice — new articles regularly.
Articles 1–7 of 50
Page 1 of 8
Original Painting vs Print: What Are You Buying?
Canvas, signature and edition number do not tell the whole story. Learn the differences between paintings, reproductions and original prints before choosing art for your home.
How to Light a Painting at Home: Angle, Bulbs and Mistakes to Avoid
A badly lit painting loses its colour and its texture. Angle, bulb type, colour temperature and protecting the work: simple guidelines to show an original painting at its best at home.
How to Set Up a Home Painting Studio: Light, Table and Storage
You do not need a large room to paint seriously. Light, work surface, floor, drying space and storage: practical essentials from a painter who works every day in her studio in the Tarn.
How to Frame a Canvas: Floater Frame or Traditional Frame?
A stretched canvas needs a different frame from a photograph. Start with its depth, edges and painted surface to choose a finish that supports an original rather than competing with it.
What Size Art Should Go Above a Sofa? A Practical Proportion Guide
Art above a sofa should relate to the furniture rather than float on the wall. Use these measurements, layouts and real-canvas examples to choose an original painting at the right scale.
Fontana and Spatialism: The History of the Slashed Canvas
In 1958, Lucio Fontana cut into a stretched canvas with a blade for the first time. A look at Spatialism, the theory that set out to bring real space into painting — and at what separates that gesture from my own palette-knife practice.
Pierre Soulages and Outrenoir: When Black Becomes Light
One night in 1979, in his studio in Sète, Pierre Soulages fell asleep in front of canvases he thought had failed — entirely black, with nowhere left to go. When he woke, morning light slid across the textured paint and drew out reflections he hadn't expected: Outrenoir had just been born. A look at a pictorial language born a short drive from the region where I've been exhibiting since 2021.