Recently I worked on two diptychs, which are basically paintings made up of two sections or canvasses, placed side by side--either touching or at varying distances apart. The idea is that the two canvasses make up one image, and they should be hung next to each other on a wall.
Sometimes the adjacent edges of a diptych match exactly, as in this example by Jaya Krishnan called "Golden Light/Brown's Inlet Diptych."
Othertimes the two pieces do not match exactly at the seam, but compliment each other overall, as in this example by Eloisa Ibarra called "Red Diptych."
In order to paint a diptych, I first painted a background on each 24" x 24" canvas separately, using the same colors and overall patterning. Next, I placed two easels side by side, at the same height, in order to complete the image as a diptych. I had to see the canvasses together and work on them at the same time in order to get the final image to work.
I didn't strive for an exact match at the adjacent edges or seam, but for an overall connection that would make these pieces work together in a variety of positions--immediately adjacent, as they are in the following photos, or further apart. I worked on two sets of diptychs, each made up of two 24" x 24" canvasses.
Abstract Diptych
Abstract Diptych Two
