student can overlap and blend colors by
pouring in the same spot, or he can create
a more striped effect by spacing the poured
areas. The important thing is to let each
child make the decision as to what color,
and where.
For the exceptional child who may
struggle with more figurative art, this
provides a chance for non-brush painting activity, which is better for a child
whose movements are often spastic.
Also, for the exceptional child with
focus issues, this kind of large activity
painting provides a creative outlet without the extreme discipline of a project
that requires finer motor skills and intense concentration.
Once the student has squeezed out an
amount of color onto his “poured painting” to achieve the desired effect, the
paint needs time to dry. It is best to leave
the painting in place exactly as is for a few
hours, outside. The thinned paint should
easily wash off the table surface that was
used as an easel, but I would not recommend using the squeezie bottles that had
paint in them for any food product, once
you are finished!
Another option is to hang all the wet
paintings carefully on a clothesline with
clip clothespins. Go back and make another poured painting at the tabletop on
its side! I have found that students like to
do several of these paintings so that they
can explore different color combinations
and pouring techniques.
Another option is to provide a spray
bottle with plain water in it. After the
colors have been poured on, the student
can step away and spray the surface with
a light mist of water to see what happens
to the color. Or, conversely, mix up a diluted solution of paint in a spray bottle
with a color not used anywhere else, and
let the student spray that onto the poster
board as a last step. The idea is to apply paint to the surface without using a
brush and to achieve a wonderful explosion of color.
Morris Louis started off pouring his
thinned paint in loose veils of color in
the mid 1950s, but by the time he reached
the next decade, his paintings were much
more controlled. Long, even stripes of
color on a field of stark white became
the norm. Instead of poured paintings
in which the pull of gravity is obvious, as
the paint puddles at the vertical bottom,
Louis planned his works horizontally
or diagonally. Louis became one of the
foremost artists in a small group known
as color field painters.
2
Pat has been drawing and painting since
she was able to hold a crayon. Pat has a degree in art education, a teaching credential,
and has taught art in Pennsylvania and
California. In addition to being the master
artist for the See the Light ART CLASS and
ART PROJECTS DVD series, Pat teaches
art and chorus at a charter elementary
school in the Los Angeles area. Pat lives in a
windy part of southern California with her
husband and two almost-grown sons.
Endnotes:
1. www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_
id=3607
2. www.theartstory.org/artist-louis-morris.htm
46;October;2012;•;The;Artistic;Homeschooler
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