Abstract Flower Painting Techniques with Collage

Lately, I’ve been experimenting increasingly with different collage and mixed media techniques. This exclusive piece encapsulates all of that and more! While flowers inspired me, the true essence lies in the process itself and the liberty to explore. After each session, when everything settles, I often find myself reveling in the joyful memories of creating, rather than fixating on the artwork and seeking self-validation.

This is the gist how the abstract flower painting was created

The journey begins with inferior artwork. I have a substantial collection of them, and they never end up in the trash. Instead, I gradually up-cycle each piece into something captivating, like a mixed media floral arrangement, abstract landscape, or even a playful cow.

Utilizing these rejects is a marvelous way to embark on a painting. They already possess intriguing colors and brush strokes, sometimes displaying a touch of chaos, but not always. Building upon these foundations allows me to enter an expressive state of mind much faster than starting with a blank, white canvas.

Using collage paper

To create this particular artwork, I chose to use store-bought papers obtained from Hobby Lobby. Their scrapbooking section offers a fantastic assortment of papers in various colors, styles, themes, and more.

I primarily focused on gluing collage paper along the edges of the main paper, imbuing it with a frame-like quality. Once this step is completed, adding the subject becomes a relatively straightforward process.

Working quickly and loosely with acrylics

To find inspiration, I often turn to platforms like Pinterest or stock photo websites such as Shutterstock. However, I usually don’t download the images; I simply browse them for ideas.

Once I start painting, I rarely refer back to the photos. A brief glance at the photo for several seconds is typically enough for me to gather the necessary information and get started. This approach works well because creating abstract artwork swiftly requires spontaneity and embracing mistakes as part of the process.