Abstract of my daughter (baby Eva)

In Chris Loud’s Cracks in the Pavement approach in the link and process stills below, he begins with something observed and real, the fractured lines found in concrete. Those cracks become compositional guides. They divide the space, create tension and hold the painting together. Watching his YouTube video made me think differently about structure within abstraction. Instead of seeing lines as outlines, I began to see them as frameworks.

The videos and photos of abstract painting below are based on my daughter Eva when she was a baby. I worked from a photograph, reducing her body down into simple rounded forms. I focused on the curve of her head, the small shape of her torso and the way her arms and legs curled inwards. Rather than sketching her in detail, I abstracted these elements into interlocking shapes.

These videos show my process of selecting colours and techniques, including using my non-dominant hand.

 

Process of my work

Like Loud, I started with charcoal to map out the main shapes on top of a wash of warm orange tones. The dark lines in my painting are strong and bold. They are not neat outlines, but active marks that move through and around the forms. In Loud’s work, cracks disrupt the surface yet also unify it. In my painting, the black marks interrupt the warmth of the orange and yellow tones, but they also stabilise the composition.

My palette of mixed yellow, orange, black and white has created warm, deep browns, mustard and ochre yellow shades that for me reflects cosiness and memory, but the introduction of black adds weight and contrast. This balance between organic rounded forms and stronger linear marks relates to Loud’s method of combining fractured structure with fluid paint application.

At first I felt unsure whether the painting felt finished, however, stepping away changed my mind and I am happy with the outcome. The process has helped me understand how abstraction can begin with observation. Just as Loud uses cracks in concrete as a starting point, I used memory and form. Both approaches translate something real into a simplified visual language.

The layering of paint plays an important role in this piece. I built the surface gradually, allowing some areas to remain transparent so that earlier marks and charcoal lines are still visible underneath. This creates depth and a sense of history within the painting, similar to how Chris Loud allows previous layers to remain active rather than fully covering them. The transparent passages soften certain areas, while the more opaque sections add weight and presence. This balance between concealment and visibility helps the painting feel built up over time rather than flat or immediate.