Activities for kids - Paint like Jackson Pollock: Expressionism

The work of Jackson Pollock  (1912-1956), a reflection of his life, is not the epitome of joy. Nevertheless, his style of painting  is not without its fun, for it involves splashing your colours on a sheet of paper. This technique is called drip painting.

Material

• 1 thick paintbrush
• Gouache (several colours of your choice)
• 1 sheet of Canson^® "C" à grain paper, format A3
• Clothes you won't get in trouble for getting dirty...

Before getting started

• Ask for permission to splash paint.
• Protect the table you will use to express your art.
• Prepare several colour jars (one jar for each colour) without overdiluting the gouache: this way, you'll obtain charming textural effects.

The technique

Dip your brush in a colour and quickly flick your wrist towards the paper. Mix up the effects!

• Stand at various distances from the sheet: this will alter the strength of the impact and therefore the style of the paint drops.
• Sprinkle paint onto your sheet by tapping the base of the paintbrush with your index finger.
• Free your creative spirit by varying the intensity (strength) of the splashes.

Some advice

Pollock's canvases may be abstract, but that doesn't mean you have to paint without having anything in mind. Even an abstract painting can express sadness or joy...

• Don't hesitate to try to reproduce a feeling, an action or even a person.
• Like Pollock, you can keep the theme of your work a secret: just imagine the look on your parents' faces when you tell them that yes, they were in fact the inspiration behind your latest drip painting...