Painting Unit

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Painting Unit

• Understanding Abstract Expressionism
• Grade 8

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Minnesota State Standards-Grades 6-8 Artistic
Interpretation The student will understand and
use artistic processes to analyze and interpret a
variety of works in at least two of the three
arts areas required to be offered by a school
from the following dance, music, theater, and
visual arts. Benchmarks addressed in this
lesson The student will 2. understand the
cultural and historical forms or traditions of
visual arts 3. understand how visual arts
elements are similar to and different from the
elements of other arts areas, such as dance,
music, or theater 4. use elements, principles,
skills, and techniques of at least three
different mediums and 5. create original works
of art to express specific artistic ideas.
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Learning goals 1. The student will express
artistic intent by self-selecting and using
traditional and non-traditional painting tools,
techniques, and/or skills. (skill) 2. The
student will select appropriate elements and
principles of art to develop artistic intent in a
multi-layered acrylic painting. (skill) 3. The
student will compare and contrast elements and
principles of art and music using the painting
Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock and the musical
piece Kim by Charlie Parker. (reasoning) 4. The
student will create an original painting using an
emotion, gesture, and visual interpretation of
selected music as a paintings subject.
(performance/product) 5.The student will reflect
in writing on how their finished painting was
similar to or a departure from a style of
painting known as Abstract Expressionism.
(knowledge reasoning)
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Assessment Learning goal 1 (skill) Performance
assessment Observing and evaluating skills using
a checklist. Learning goal 2 (skill) Personal
communication Reading and responding to students
comments in their sketchbook/journal. Learning
goal 3 (reasoning) Extended written response
Comparing and contrasting Lavender Mist by
Jackson Pollock and the musical piece Kim by
Charlie Parker. Learning goal 4
(performance/product) Criteria referenced
rubric Learning goal 5 (knowledge to reasoning)
Extended written response Writing an artist
statement
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Beginning the process..

• Identify and visualize emotions as subject
  matter.
• Students will spend the first class period using
  acrylics with non-traditional painting tools to
  visually represent an emotion that is significant
  to them. No shapes can be used concentration
  will be placed on elements of art (color, line,
  texture, value), principles of design, (e.g.
  rhythm, movement, pattern, emphasis) and making
  marks on the paper with paint for expression.
  Paintings will be created on dArches watercolor
  paper 22x30 (140 lb)

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• Identify and use a musical composition as subject
  matter
• Using Gesso, over-paint with a large brush a
  second layer to work from for
• todays painting. Gesso can be diluted with
  various proportions of
• water for transparency, scraped away to reveal
  what might be left underneath.
• Listen to Vivaldis Four Seasons. Consider ways
  in which a visual
• representation of this musical composition could
  be represented visually.
• Again, no shapes can be used concentration will
  be placed on elements of art
• (color, line, texture, value), principles of
  design, (e.g. rhythm, movement,
• pattern, emphasis) and making marks on the paper
  with paint for expression.

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Using cuttings from Coltranes My Favorite
Things, Modern Jazz Quartet's Precious Joy,
Charlie Parker The Bird Soundtrack, and Miles
Davis students will listen and interpret into
their paintings the sounds paired with gesture
and movement as they interpret through paint the
music of the jazz.
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I learned many things from this unit. Many were
affiliated with how we can paint. Before we
painted this I personally believed that paintings
were mostly done with a brush. I learned that
abstract expressionism was a global phenomena.
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From this unit I have learned a whole new style
and process of painting. At first I did not know
how to use music, action, or emotion as a subject
for painting and on the first day I was very
confused about what to do!

• I have learned a lot about Abstract
  Expressionism and really enjoyed this process. I
  learned not to be so cautious and perfect while
  painting and let my mind, heart, or body express
  whatever it wants to on paper.

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When I was in the process of painting, I went
through many steps. On day one I painted my
original feeling of joy and happiness. I used
many different traditional and non-traditional
materials and lots of bright colors. I started to
get into my painting and feeling expressionistic.
On day two I used gesso to cover up parts of my
painting and to add a translucent layer over
other parts of my painting. At first I felt some
resistance to covering up my painting, but then I
got into it and I felt better. The next layer was
gesture and motion. We played around with motion
and made lots of big bold brush strokes. This is
when many kids paintings really started to
change. It was really cool to see my painting and
others come alive and have more depth.
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During this project I learned a lot about
abstract paintings and artists. I learned that in
order to create an abstract painting you need to
put your own self into the painting and to not
have a plan as to what you are painting. I
learned that abstract painting can come from
emotions, feelings and movement. It is a very
free form of art and has no limitations. Doing
this project showed how much of yourself you can
put into a piece of art.
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Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock

• Pollocks paintings had many different textures
  and lines to represent sound and rhythm. People
  probably got a patterned rhythm in their head by
  just looking at his work. Rhythm in music is to
  the ear and in painting is to the eye. Both can
  be to the ear and the eye depending on how you
  put them in your head. Rhythm helps you create
  pictures of music and paintings in your mind.

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I do think that the unconscious mind is capable
of making art. When an artist is going through
the process of making a painting or sculpture
they go through many steps to reach the final
product. While going through this process, they
may be compelled to add or subtract different
elements of art for no reason. I think that their
unconscious mind compels them to make these
decisions for various reasons.
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• Jackson Pollock was a unique artist. He tested
  the art world with daring abstract work. He did
  what he liked and felt and threw it out there for
  the world to see, testing the limits of every
  artist out there. He made Abstract Expressionism
  more possible in America. He created a new style.

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• Pollocks monumental impact on the history of
  American Art was that he broadened the definition
  of art. A painting no longer had to be of an
  obvious subject and its surroundings, it could
  now have deeper meanings and symbolism. Pollock
  impacted the history of art also, because he
  found ways to portray a subject in a more
  abstract way, giving the painting a deeper
  meaning and to some, more visual interest.

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Thank you!
Kathy Grundei AEM 06 Conference