How to Create a Random Abstract Drawing with Lines or Circles

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Unleash your creativity and let your hand wander to create unique, personal artwork

Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Last Updated: October 23, 2024 Approved

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Drawing Random Lines

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Using Overlapping Circles

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Have you ever considered drawing a “nothingness?” These abstract drawings reveal your artistic inspiration without any specific intentions—they’re completely moved by your creative spirit. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what nothingness should be, since that’s up to you (the artist!), but a few ideas or guidelines can certainly help. In this article, you’ll learn how to experiment with abstract lines and overlapping circles to create an abstract work of art that’s all your own.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Drawing Random Lines

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In this case, a simple piece of blank paper. (See Things You'll Need for size suggestions.)
Send these lines all the way across the page. Don't leave anything cut off in the middle of the paper but continue to draw the lines from side to the other, without end.

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Just keep using your pencil. There is no pattern to follow; just make it a block of choices in one part of your canvas.
Use random patterns and similar stuff. Preferably go for big shapes but you're free to use small ones too. The important essence of nothingness, though, is to follow the random patterns all the time, letting the randomness decide the form for you.
Go on - try it; it might not seem like a good idea but it will look great.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Overlapping Circles

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For example, a cup or a roll of duct tape. Also use a Sharpie™ with both a fine and regular tip for this whole project; it makes it pop more than pen or pencil.
Make sure no single pattern is touching the same pattern.
Alternate filling the background from black to white in the patterned areas, so that a pattern with a black background is touching a pattern with a white background.
Make any final touches you feel are needed.

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Question

Will abstract methods help me have an idea of what to draw?

Community Answer

I personally find that I make abstract art when I have a creative block, then I lose the block and I feel inspired. Then I start to sketch and form an idea.

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What does 'abstract' mean?

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'Abstact' is an adjective meaning 'existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence, or dealing with ideas rather than events.'

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How long will it take?

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It depends on how much effort and time you dedicate to it for detail, outline and proportion. You could spend an hour on it without putting effort into it, or maybe half an hour for concentration. It varies for different individuals.

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Tips

Works best if you use pencil and don't color it in!

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Repeat one pattern more than once but spread the patterns that are the same around the page to achieve that randomness that is the essence of your drawing.

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If you make the mistake of coloring it in, it might end up looking like this picture. But anything goes really - whatever inspiration grabs you, the artist, is what matters the most.

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Warnings

In step 3 of Method 1, don't fill in all the small shapes. This cannot be stressed enough because it affects the overall appearance of your artwork.

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Be wary of using pen. This is mainly because pen ink often ends up looking like someone's bored doodle they might make sitting through a long telephone call. You want art, not banal scribbling.

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Never give up - "nothingness" is key to abstract art, so you can't go wrong! If you don't like something, try adding to it, the worst outcome could be that you still don't like it.

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