‘Black Star’
is a large black and blue abstract painting
From cosmic gases to exploding stars – it’s all going on in this sensational leap into the dark.
190cm x 130cm (75″ x 51″)
Critical Mass
RESERVED
‘Black Star’
Blue and black in abstract paintings
The use of these two colours is always a favourite of mine and I really like to explore the combinations of tones and the way I can manipulate shapes with them. 
Using blue and black can be a very tricky thing though and I always plan things out carefully before I start opening tins of paint. The blue in particular has to be considered carefully and in this painting I have used five different shades.
I have done one similar to this called Antares (from 2011) and one from 2016 called Interstellar. Both have space themes going on and Black Star follows the same path – using the cosmos as a backdrop for the subject matter.
From light to dark
I am always fascinated by the way that light and ark play out against each other. In that vast majority of my original paintings there are usually references to this somewhere – even if black and white paints aren’t used.
The stark contrast between the two are easy to define and digest with Black Star and it’s one of the reasons why it succeeds so well. It has the ability to let you see both extremes at once with no messing about and no room for interpretation.
All you have to do is decide if you like it or not! Art doesn’t have to be complicated – it just has to resonate. It’s sometimes good to leave it there and not delve too deeply.
Textures and light
It’s very difficult to highlight all the textures in this painting and although i do my best with camera angles you simply can’t appreciate all the ups and downs on a screen. 
I have used my paints in such a way as to create peaks and troughs. When the light moves around these high and low points it creates movement.
Don’t worry if that sounds strange because you’ll see exactly what I mean when you see it for real. Light reflects and absorbs in to all the intricate textures and in turn that creates a tactile experience for your eyes. It’s very cool.
Space and location
You’ll need a reasonably large wall for this and a fair amount of natural light. Don’t be put off by the stark colour choice though – if you’ve renovated a kitchen and have a ton of grey fronts and granite tops then this is going to bring that space alive!
I’ve seen blue and black abstract paintings in all kinds of spaces and it really is a terrific combination that’s suitable almost anywhere.
Drop me a line today and see for yourself.
