Always paint the light the first is tip number one. Do a light sketch, in pencil or outline with paint. Preferably burnt sienna or even yellow ochre (love me some yellow ochre). The pencil is fine, but the yellow ochre and burnt sienna will give nice depth to the painting.
On another note, I think painting works so well for me because it’s all intuitive. I mean, you learn the principles and rules and then break them but you know what the next steps are when creating. They are visual triggers that you never forget.
However, in saying that, I do have an inferior brain that forgets everything the moment it hears and sees it but with painting, I am motivated and drawn to do the best painting that I can. You can’t mess up a painting either.
In addition to that, good paintings have paint on them. Loads of paint. Brushstrokes galore and perfect lighting. With abstract it’s not really likely (unless you are doing landscape abstract) to put lighting in your pictures, but a good painting will have good and a specific type of lighting.
Afonso Abstract Art 