Weekly BobBlast Issue 515
Floating & Constellation Compositions Work Together!

Welcome Back to Another BobBlast!

This week’s BobBlast is about two composition designs that work very well separately or combined in a painting:

Floating
Constellation

A constellation composition is exactly what you think it is… Design elements in your painting are located all over the place. Designwise, there appears to be no beginning or a final place for the eye to focus. The same holds true when scanning the night sky. Trillions and billions of stars... too much information! However, the brain comprehends all this visual information by grouping together like or similar stars; thus, the zodiac.

Your painting may be a constellation structure when elements are all over the grid However, the viewers will go to some focal point. The focal point will be the part of the painting that is the most different. The part that draws attention to itself, or the reason why the artist painted this work in the first place.

Floating composition is also what it sounds like… free flowing shapes or marks on a gradated or variegated background so the shapes appear to float–not anchored to anything!

Look at Miró’s Constellation Paintings and the Surrealists for some excellent Floating examples.

What makes these two compositions work–even with all free flowing, is they have a strong focal point and an ordered direction in the chaos!

The Demo is a nonobjective painting, graphically communicating the title “Floating and Orbiting.” Sounds like a new series of objects orbiting in space! Here I go…

Selecting a strong graphic design composition is one of my 5Cs that I use to create a painting. To learn more, come to my Monthly Demo on June 5 and watch me do a Demo about Contrast in Abstract Paintings.

Online Monthly Demos
•June 5, 2024
“Creating Contrast in Abstract Painting”
•July 17, 2024
"Putting the WOW in your Painting"
https://robertburridge.com/monthlyde...

One Day Intensive Workshops Coming Up!
•May 29, 2024
"Figures in an Abstract Landscape"
https://robertburridge.com/zoominwit...
•June 26, 2024
"Abstract Florals from Loose Colorful Splatters"
https://robertburridge.com/zoominwit...

Traveling Bob – InPerson Workshops!
•June 1621, 2024
"NonObjective Mixed Media"
Dillman’s Art Workshop Retreat, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Contact (715) 5883143 or [email protected]
https://www.dillmans.com/workshops/bo...
AND
•June 2223, 2024
"Loose Florals & Landscapes"
Dillman’s Art Workshop Retreat, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Contact (715) 5883143 or [email protected]
https://www.dillmans.com/workshops/bo...

•October 1418, 2024
"Loosen Up Painting Retreat"
Bar Harbor, Maine
contact 7157472054 or [email protected]
https://www.madelineartschool.com/sho...

Online Figure Workshops!
•June 12, 2024
"Paint Bob's Circus!"
https://robertburridge.com/zoominwit...

•September 2729, 2024
"Abstract Figurative"
Sponsored by the Sedona Arts Center
https://sedonaartscenter.org/product/...

•December 68, 2024
"Drawing & Painting the Figure with Motion & Emotion"
https://robertburridge.com/zoominwit...

Paint with Bob in his Studio in Arroyo Grande, California
• July 2628 Larger & Looser Abstract Painting 
• August 811 Mentor Workshop 2 spots open!
• September 913 Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
• October 36 Mentor Workshop
https://robertburridge.com/burridges...

Burridge Critiques Your Art
Online honest critiques • Private oneonone
Critiques • Coaching • Comments • Suggestions
https://robertburridge.com/burridgec...