A Weird Painting, Revived - pt 2

My original art
@AliCanary (4448)
June 12, 2026 6:11pm CST
Hello all, when last we saw the abstract painting, it had been sitting for several years unattended, as I had been frustrated in my initial attempt to make it look like what I'd envisioned. I'd been meaning to get back to it, but hadn't. However, was recently motivated by the announcement that next month's art show would have an abstract theme. This is clearly the right time, I thought. My main concern was how to make the floating shape look less like arteries and also what to do about the lopsided dark masses on each side. I liked the left one, but I'd gotten carried away and added too much on the right side. I couldn't just add to the left side, because I didn't want them taking up so much space in the painting. The ribbonlike shape in the center should be the focal point, and I didn't want to crowd it. I retrieved a bright blue and some white from my acrylic paints and applied them in various mixes, also adding a dark red in to create a more greyed tone at one point. I painted up a storm! It looked like it was missing something in the upper half until I did a drybrush technique to apply the blue color like I had with the red, which creates the broken bits of bright color. I also painted tendrils within the darker masses that corresponded with the ribbons above. At this point, I took a look at it and realized there was a concept, here: the ribbonlike shapes still do look a little like arteries, and the added blue is a bit like veins, but a lot of the blue also looks like water splashing and streaming. It made me think of the water in the body and the blood flowing through and everything being connected, so I named it "Pulse". The bits of white paint look like little flashes, too, kind of like they're keeping time with a heartbeat. So, is it done? Nope. The lower masses still need work. The balance problem is still there, and also I want to develop them a bit more to add more depth and contrast. I also need to add something into the empty area in the center, but I do have a good idea about what to do, preserving some of my original vision. I am, however, 100% satisfied with the ribbon/arteries part, and if you will recall, the background was exactly how I wanted it, so that's two things down. Onward!
4 people like this
3 responses
1h
Well I quite liked the simplicity of the first version It was definitely more abstract
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (4448)
46m
At least you still have the photo of it that you can save. I'm curious why you say it was more abstract, though?
1 person likes this
40m
@AliCanary I think you have complicated it just a tad. But that's because of the way I interpreted it. It reminded me of something from Lovecraft. Quite gothic
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (4448)
34m
@Ineeddentures a lot of times I have found that I don't put enough into my artwork, that I don't develop it enough. I find that if I just keep working on it, it tends to come correct, so I trusted my instincts on that. I have to overcome my tendency to be lazy, lol
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120840)
• United States
47m
It looks SO good. You’ve certainly worked your magic on it.
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (4448)
34m
Thank you! I am feeling much more positive about it.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122187)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
1h
The second part of the painting looks great.
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (4448)
48m
Thank you!