Abstract Geometric Patterns in Red and Blue

Finding Order in Fragmented Colour

Working on Abstract Geometric Patterns in Red and Blue began as an exercise in constraint. The intention was to explore how rigid geometric shapes—diamonds, grids, and segments—could coexist with the organic fluidity of hand-mixed paint. Limiting the palette primarily to cobalt blue and cadmium red allowed the focus to shift entirely onto the interplay of structure and raw texture.

The process started with a loose underdrawing in purple ink, map-making on a blank surface. The challenge lay in blocking out forms without losing the initial, spontaneous rhythm of those lines. Using a mix of brushwork and heavier impasto applications, colour was built up in layers. The blues dominate the space, offering a cool, grounding weight, while the patches of red break through, disrupting the pattern and catching the eye, forcing it to move across the composition.

In the centre, a flower-like form acts as a focal point, a deliberate curve amidst the hard angles. The visible texture of the woven substrate and the thick edges where the paint ridges meet are entirely intentional. They serve as a reminder of the physical act of painting—the friction between the tool and the surface. It is a quiet study of balance, where the geometric structure is softened by the human hand, allowing an imperfect harmony to emerge from a deliberate restriction of form and colour.