When creating a figurative painting, I start with a realistic style and towards the end, I start to incorporate abstract elements. The abstract parts start at the background and blend into the figure, sometimes the abstract additions are minimal and sometimes they are more pronounced, depending on my mood I am and on the specific piece I am working on. Sometimes there are no abstract elements at all, but the figure will get the addition of an unexpected or unconventional element which will give the figure a twist of fantasy or unreality