Painting Like Pollock

Jackson Pollock became one of the greatest painters in America by making his signature “drip paintings.” I had always wanted to design an exciting lesson based on the paintings of this prolific artist but could never think of one that wouldn’t turn into a huge mess in the art room. I decided to combine an experimental watercolor lesson with a study of lines and movement that captures the essence of Pollock’s energy and explores fundamental principles of art.

Watercolor painting is a perfect medium for teaching the color properties of hue, value, and intensity. By using some fun and experimental techniques, beginning art students can explore the basics of art without feeling a need for perfection. Students will learn all about how color, line, and movement can be manipulated into a very sophisticated abstract design, while loosening up and not feeling the need to create something that looks “real” or “perfect.”

Look More, Think More
At first glance, a Pollock painting can look like a sloppy mess of thrown-about paint. To help students see beyond this, have them examine several of Pollockʼs paintings and look for the following:

How was this artwork made? Was it made while it was hanging on a wall or laying on the floor?
What feelings would you say this painting is trying to express? Do the lines or colors contribute to this feeling?
Do you see any patterns? Any kind of movement? Can this painting connect to a dance in any way?

The Value of Experimenting
I like to spend an entire class having students complete a watercolor chart. This lets them practice experimenting with the paints and familiarizes them with painting terms.

Students divide a sheet of 9 x 11" (23 x 28 cm) paper into twelve sections and explore the possibilities for working in watercolor, using techniques like wet-on-wet, resist, glazing, graduated wash, dry brush, and adding salt to the paint. I find it works best to demonstrate all of these techniques at the beginning of class, then let students work independently with a handout that outlines each technique step-by-step.

Getting Started
In the next class, students are given a 12 x 18" (30 x 46 cm) sheet of watercolor paper. I ask them to cover the entire page with a light wash. Wet-on-wet is best for the first layer. I make sure they use a lot of water so the paint is very light. To guide their choices, I limit the colors they can use for the background, excluding black and brown, while encouraging them to use the color wheel and experiment with blending colors across the entire page. We will later add contrast to these colors using black markers.

Drip, Splash, Flow!
On the second day the real fun begins! I demonstrate a variety of techniques for students to choose from: blotting, splashing salt onto wet paint, using a straw to blow the paint, and splashing the paint on the page are all fun and popular choices. It is important to use less water at this stage, so the color of the paint stays intense and stands out from the bottom wash. Since this layer of painting will give the artwork its movement, it is important to remind students of all the different types of lines (straight, curved, geometric, organic) that could flow throughout the page.

Balancing Color and Contrast
The paintings look great, but I decide that outlining them with black permanent markers will create a great contrast in the composition. We review the various types of lines, and students are encouraged to weave these lines between the two layers of paint. Outlining and adding these lines in between the two layers creates a nice sense of depth in the artwork. The results are successful for every student, and at the end of the semester most of the students agree that this is their favorite project.