The term “abstract” became the slogan of modernism in the early 20th century. Cubistic aspirations help in understanding the development of geometric abstraction and European representatives of abstract art are taking advantage of that. On American soil abstract art is developing as the art of improvisation. So, the colour becomes a key element of expressing oneself in abstract art. The effects of colours and strokes of a painting brush are the main expressions in designing the art space in abstract expressionism while at the same time they are presenting a direct connection of the emotional flow between the painter and the spectator. Colour and size represent two main art variables in abstract art which play a major role in expressing the artist’s inner experience. When defining colours, we are considering three colour dimensions which are: chromaticity, brightness and saturation. Colour chords are quite important for experiencing colour. Colours do not affect our experience individually but in compounds. Colour occurs in our eyes and brain, however, its value is expressed only when being compared to another colour and mutual colour contrasts. We call that colour effect. Our eyes are capable of quickly adapting to different grades of lighting. The difference between the physical fact and the psychological effect is shown in the interaction of colours. The perception of colour is a subjective experience of each individual. Colours are changing most notably because of the effect of other colours whereas simultaneous contrast is playing an important part in that. The logical understanding of relations between colour and colour tones is shown by the colour wheel. Colours differ from each other in their colourfulness and are forming contrasts among themselves which are called colour contrasts and represent the basic design tool. Seeing and feeling a colour is of relative importance to each individual. According to Albers colour is the most relative medium in abstract art. The optical effects of colours in abstract art are offering the spectator alternate impressions of perceiving surfaces and the depth of the art space. Colour is one of the main ways of expression in the pictorial space of abstract art. However, the volume and flatness of colour in the art space are not the only emerging occurrences; when forming the art space colour and shape are also important. The collage technique has a major role in the development of modern painting and sculpturing during modernism. For abstract art it represents the most important factor of representation since the choice of industrially coloured paper enables a quick comparison of colour shades.
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