Painting Unit
Understanding Abstract
Expressionism
Grade 8
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.
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 painting’s 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)
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
Beginning the process..

Identify and visualize
emotions as subject matter.
Students will spend the first class
period using acrylics with nontraditional 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 d’Arches watercolor
paper 22x30 (140 lb)

Identify and use a musical composition as subject matter
Using Gesso, over-paint with a large brush a second layer to work from for
today’s painting. Gesso can be diluted with various proportions of
water for transparency, scraped away to reveal what might be left “underneath.”
Listen to Vivaldi’s 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.
Using cuttings from Coltrane’s 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.
“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.”
“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.”
“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 kid’s paintings really started to change. It was really cool to see my
painting and others come alive and have more depth.”
“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.”
Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock
“Pollock’s 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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Pollock’s 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.”
Thank you!
Kathy Grundei AEM ‘06 Conference