Rembrandt van Rijn, Young Woman Sleeping

LESSON PLAN Essential Information for Educators

Grade Level 5-12

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Exploring Abstract Expressionism with Liquitex Effects Mediums

The aim of this lesson is to guide students in explor-ing abstract and non-representational modes of ex-pression. Novice students are often under the as-sumption that only representational or “realistic” im-ages have value and merit. It can easily be forgot-ten that the goal of art is self-expression and not necessarily mimicry. To attain this goal students will create a series of paintings with the total number to be determined based on available class time. A va-riety of acrylic mediums and paints will be used by students as they focus on rhythm, movement, mood, color, value, line and overall composition.

Possible Topics of Discussion 1. Discuss the close link between non-representational visual art and music and

dance. Music can convey mood through its tempo and rhythm without the aid of lyrics to literally tell a story. When music is removed dance becomes a very ab-stract concept. Would a person that cannot hear be able to understand a piece of music by the movement of the dancers alone? Can you ascertain the mood of a painting by it’s movements, colors, etc.?

2. Discuss Jackson Pollock and fellow abstract expressionists Lee Krasner (his wife), Willem DeKooning, Franz Kline and others as innovators. The Abstract expres-sionists of the 1940’s and 1950’s are contemporaries of Jazz musicians and the pioneers of Rock & Roll music. A close inspection of the art of this era reveals the improvisation of Jazz and the brashness of Rock & Roll.

3. Pollock said that his paintings reflected the modern age that he lived in; the age of the airplane and the rocket. How do your images reflect the age that you live in?

Jackson Pollock, Frieze, 1953-55

Jackson Pollock, Composition with Pouring II, 1943

Class Discussion on Abstract Expressionism

The Abstract Expressionists, also referred to as the New York School, were a group of artists cen-tered in New York City in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Their paintings were often large-scale and some-times were made by dripping, pouring, and splat-tering paint. Critics referred to Jackson Pollock as “Jack the Dripper” and his painting method was re-ferred to as “Action Painting”.

Hans Hofmann, The Gate, 1959–1960. Hof-mann's presence in New York and Prov-incetown as a teacher and as an artist was influential to the devel-opment of American painting in the 1930s and 1940s.

Photo of Pollock painting #32 by Rudy Burckhardt

Abstract Expressionism was the first specifically American Art movement to achieve recognition world wide and placed New York City at the center of the art world; a position previously occupied by Paris before World War II. Although not all of the abstract expressionists works looked similar in style they shared a rebellious attitude and were the farthest thing from traditional art at the time.

Brief Biography of Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming on Janu-ary 28, 1912. He was the youngest of five boys born to Stella May and LeRoy Pollock. The Pollock family eventu-ally moved to California were Jackson grew up. He followed his brothers Charles and Frank to NYC where he enrolled in the Art Student’s League. Throughout his life Pollock held jobs as a surveyor, lumberjack, janitor, and stonecut-ter. Pollock studied under muralist Thomas Hart Benton and was introduced to influential teacher and artist Hans Hofmann. He unfortunately suffered from alcoholism and died in a car accident in Long Island, NY in 1956 at the age of 44.

Photo of Pollock in his studio by Rudy Burckhardt

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The Project

Step 1 After being introduced to Abstract Expressionism, students should research the Ab-stract Expressionist of their choice. They should bring to class images by that artist that re-flect a mood, movement, or feeling that speaks to the student personally and be prepared to discuss this with the rest of the class.

Number 7, 1952

Step 2 Jackson Pollock had a passion for Jazz Music and the link between the music and his poured paintings has been noted by many writers. Students can begin to get accustomed to the pouring process by listening to Jazz in the classroom and paying attention to the rhythms and tempo of the music. Mix four parts Liquitex Pouring Medium to one part Liquitex Acrylic Color in a paper cup and have students experiment on watercolor paper with puddles, drips and splashes of color that relate to what they hear in the music. They can then follow this by experimenting with mixtures of color and Liquitex String Gel which has a more honey-like consistency. String Gel will allow for thin, long lines as opposed to the more fluid puddles of the Pouring Medium. Jackson Pollock Jazz CD from the 1998 retrospective at the MOMA, NY is available at www.museummusic.com and contains music from Pollock’s personal collection.

Step 3 Pollock said “When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It is only after a sort of “get acquainted” period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc…..it is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony”. After getting acquainted, students can now begin a larger painting on canvas, working with the canvas on the floor as Pollock did from all sides. In the late 40’s he began to drip and pour fluid paint from sticks, hardened brushes, and cans and also added metallic paints, sand and broken glass for added surface texture. Because all Liquitex Acrylic Mediums are compatible with each other as well as with Liquitex color, students can feel free to in-ter-mix and add mediums such as Liquitex Natural Sand, Glass Beads, White Opaque Flakes and others to create their own Pollock-inspired paintings .

“Jazz? He thought it was the only other really creative thing happening in this country”. - Lee Krasner, on her husband, Jackson

Jackson Pollock, #7, 1952

Vocabulary List • Abstract Expressionism • Action Painting • New York School • Mediums • Non-representational

Liquitex Acrylic Mediums Liquitex offers the broadest possible range of acrylic mediums to inspire creativity at every stage of the painting process. They can be used to add texture, adjust the flow, and alter the working properties of the color. Because they include acrylic resin, mediums maintain or add to the stability of the paint film, and can be used in any amount desired.

Materials List Liquitex Effects Mediums: • Pouring Medium • String Gel • Glass Beads • Natural Sand • White Opaque Flakes • Blended Fibers • Iridescent Medium Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic Colors*: • Quinacridone Crimson • Phthalocyanine Blue

(Green Shade) • Yellow Medium Azo • Variety of other colors • Watercolor Paper • Canvas • Paper Cups/Cans • Brushes/Sticks • Liquitex Palette Knives • Paper Towels

National Content Standards Content Standard #1 Understanding and applying media, techniques and Processes Content Standard #2 Making Connections between visual arts and other Disciplines Content Standard #3 Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others

Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm #30, 1950

*Liquitex BASICS® or Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics may be used if Soft Body is not available. Note however that because of their thicker consistencies, additional mixing may be necessary.

© 2009 Liquitex Artist Materials P.O. Box 246 Piscataway, NJ 08855 U.S.A © 2009 Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York © 2009 Estate of Rudy Burckhardt / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York © 2009 The Renate, Hans & Maria Hofmann Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York