My kids were introduced to the works of Jackson Pollock early on in preschool. They both went to a preschool with a great art history curriculum; it was one of the reasons we chose that school for them. During our various spring/summer breaks this past year, I decided to reintroduce some of the artists they learned about and dive a little deeper into the methods they used to create their artwork. We learned more about Jackson Pollock and tried his “drip painting” method together as a family. I love how our final Jackson Pollock-inspired art project turned out so much that it I hung it in our family room! I will share how you can create something like this below.
Background
Pollock, an American artist, was one of the leading artists behind the Abstract Expressionism movement in the 1940s and 1950s. Abstract expressionism was the first art movement out of the US to gain international influence. Jackson Pollock was known for his “drip painting” method, where he laid his unstretched canvas on the ground and would use sticks, trowels, or knives to drip and splatter paint. Hence his nickname; Jack the Dripper. Sometimes he would even pour paint directly from the can and move it around. Pollock’s paintings (often referred to as action paintings) convey his movement, spontaneity and emotions. You can learn more and see some of Pollock’s paintings here.
“The modern artist is working with space and time, and
expressing his feelings rather than illustrating.” Jackson Pollock
Creating a Jackson Pollock-inspired Action Painting
This has been my favorite art project to date because you can get the entire family involved! I purchased this wooden wall hanging from HomeGoods on clearance. It had scratches on it, but I loved the framing and knew I would be sanding off the wording anyways. You can really use anything for this- it may even be a wooden sign that you already have at home that you can upcycle and modernize.
First, I used 80 grit sandpaper and rubbed off the saying leaving a blank space (followed by 220 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface for our art project- this is optional). Then, using painter’s tape, I protected the frame by taping it up. We used acrylic paint in different shades of warm tones and watered down each to allow for easier dripping. This is where you want to make sure everyone involved is wearing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Pro tip (learned the hard way): Acrylic paint does not wash out our fabrics. If you have younger children, use washable tempera paints and water them down.
Finally, all four of us (yes, even my husband and I joined in) dripped and “threw” the paint onto the wood. The beauty of this project is that there is no wrong or right way to it! Once we were done expressing our emotions by way of action painting, we let the artwork dry. You don’t want to lift it vertically as that will make the paint drip off. Using my sandpaper, I gave the frame a little sanding to remove any paint that got on and ended up creating a more rustic look.
Voila! What do you think? I absolutely love it because it was a family art project and one that conveys our emotions, which was a whole lot of joy that day! I smile every time I see this painting!
With love,
Shahla
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