Splatter Painting
Art Lesson Plans – Splatter Painting
Art lesson plans are inspired by Art History. This lesson was inspired by Jackson Pollack and Abstract Expressionism.
The definition of Abstract Expressionism: The visual depiction of lines, shapes and colours that do not represent or depict objects from real life, through the expressive movements of an artist or visual artist. The term came to life with the artist Jackson Pollock. He used a technique called splatter painting where he physically moved his body around a large canvas on the floor. The paint splatters depicted his flowing movements and expressed his thoughts and feelings.
Materials for Art Lesson:
– Large Roll of Paper cut into sections for individual students
– Drop Cloth or Plastic Sheets used by Painters
– Tempera Paint: white, black, red, blue, yellow
– Brushes
– Name Cards
– Black Paper
– Inspirational Music
Art Lesson Plan Introduction:
Students should be introduced to the artist Jackson Pollack and given the definition of Abstract Expressionism. Explain that the painting they will create should express how they feel as they are moving and dancing. All their feelings will be captured by the movement in the paint splatters.
Art Lesson plans for young children should lead children into the artistic experience through story telling and guided imagery, rather then a bland wordy description from art history. They should be able to experiment and have immediate results or activity. You could have the children move around the room pretending to be lions and have them imagine the marks and lines that the lions leave behind on the sand or turn out the lights and give the kids glow sticks and ask they to watch the residue light that is left behind as they move or dance. Help the students to understand that movements and emotions can be expressed visually, before you allow them to start painting.
Inspiration for Art Lesson Plans:
Each student should choose a feeling that they would like to express or for young children a movement such as dancing, laughing, swimming or pretending to be an animal. They should practice the movement or dance with partners before they begin to paint. Older children may prefer a partner to laugh and collaborate with, and not feel insecure while they are jumping around and expressing feelings. Young children should be guided into the idea of expressing movement and feeling in circle time or gym time.
Art Lesson Application:
Inspirational music should be played while the students are painting. Classical or nature music for young students while older students should be allowed to bring in their iPods and choose their own music that reflects the emotion that they would like to express in their painting. Their rolls of paper should be placed on top of a drop sheet and then the students should be given a selection of paints to splatter as they move around their paper. I recommend that the students take off their socks and shoes before they begin painting and that the application of this lesson plan be done in small groups over a a few days or one area set up for the painting while the students take turns using the space to paint.
Display:
Students can cut small squares from their splatter painting that they feel best depicts their emotion or feeling and mount it on a black paper to frame their painting. Their name and title which describes the expression should be placed on a separate card next to their painting.
Reflecting, Responding, and Analyzing: apply the critical analysis process to
communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and art experiences.