Abstraction as a process is deriving general rules and concepts from specific examples.

In what I call objective abstraction, I follow two of my "unique reality" rules, usually just intuitively.

Unique Reality

1. Uniqueness of the object of attention is prioritized: its individuality is not generalized to represent an average, or a norm - it is not forced to represent any group statistically as an example.
   Its position in space and time and interactions with actual surroundings matter more than its concept. And yet the depiction gives you a feeling of deeper understanding of this object's function or purpose.
2. Objective reality remains present and observed honestly here and now, including light and non-visual or subjective air, moisture, gravity, aromas, sounds, and the feelings it evokes.

Visual Abstraction

All my handmade paintings are abstract to some extend. All my abstracts contain reality of my thoughts, feeling, and the play of light I perceive. In almost all of my artwork you can detect some symbolism. I love abstract portraits and spontaneous thought expression.

In digital graphics, still and motion photography as well, I am drawn to persons and symbolic abstraction.

Verbal Abstraction

In writing true stories, I filter the information to select only relevant for my purpose aspects. I often do not name the characters and leave out their not enough significant qualities. My angle of view is defined by generalizations derived from a multitude of other situations and conditions.

All genuine art is abstract. <...> “Abstraction” is the recognition of a relational structure, or form, apart from the specific thing (or event, fact, image, etc.) in which it is exemplified. <...> This instinctive mental activity is the process of symbol-making, of which the most amazing result is language. <...> Genuine abstraction is a relatively late achievement, born of reflection on the works of art and science, and fully understood only by means of the latter. <...> In pure mathematics the element of logical form is so commandingly evident that mathematical studies naturally lead to a theory of structure as such and to a systematic study of abstraction.  That study is logic, and its technique is progressive generalization.   Susanne K. Langer

http://www.anthonyflood.com/langerabstraction.htm

Representational and Abstract Art

• Representational art - objective and figurative: depiction of the physical appearance of reality as perceived, objective and realistic elements in images, illusion of visible reality, resemblance and likeness to independently existing beings and objects or memories or ideas of them;
• Abstract art: visual language of shape, color, and line, compositions created largely independently from visual references.
  
  • Objective abstraction (this is how I call it) is based on subject that exists in the real world but then presents them in a new way, with higher levels of abstraction than in representational art. The aim is not to depict but analyze the reality and show its processed perception.
  • Non-objective art does not replicate entities of natural world or artifacts at all.