Today, it seems that there are so many popular techniques that build on the making of marks: gouging, carving and incising into paint and other media; creating a layering of shapes and colors; and overlays of images that play on our senses. These multiple images make interesting works of art and give artists ample opportunity to use mixed media and a variety of technique. They also give the viewer complicated, thought-provoking imagery into which to delve.
Years ago, a colleague who had attended an art educators' forum brought home the basic concept of this assignment, though I have built onto it, adding some entertaining aspects for my students. Because it is such a challenge, I have only used this assignment with advanced classes.
Most recently, I gave this assignment to my oil-painting class, mostly comprising upperclassmen who have taken our introductory art class. In addition, several students had also had beginning drawing, which further prepared them for this course.
This assignment gives me a great opportunity to demonstrate to my young painters the difference in clean up, drying time and resonance of color between acrylics and oils. I caution them to always remember that "A" comes before "O," which is important when working with these two different mediums, due to their chemical make-up and drying times. They understand through this assignment that we can use acrylic first and then paint oils on top, once the acrylic is dry.
The surfaces used for this assignment can be canvas board, mat board (with a gessoed "X" on the back of the board to keep the surface taut), canvas paper or stretched canvas.
The first part of this assignment is to paint a nonobjective (nonrepresentational) composition using acrylics on one of the aforementioned painting surfaces. We do not use brushes for this first step. I have the students dip cardboard strips, approximately 4 inches long and of varying widths, into an array of acrylic colors of their choosing.
With these little pieces of board, students can make wide swaths of color, skip across the board making a series of boxlike shapes, or spin them to get fan-like curvilinear shapes. By using the edge of these board "brushes" to cut into wet strokes, students can carve into, and drag color in different directions. The creative options are seemingly endless!
Wassily Kandinsky often painted from what he "heard," using music to help his artistic juices flow. Music gave his work that expressionistic feeling. So, I've added this variation to the original assignment. I avoid music with lyrics that may "influence" how the artist might apply the colors or, worse yet, give them an image in their mind that starts to take form on their painting. Rather, the goal is to create a composition of color and shapes.
I encourage my students to use the white side of the mat board to "paint" their design, hinting that transparencies may be an aspect of the final solution. I do not tell them at this point how the assignment will develop, nor what the final subject will be.
My reasoning is this: If I give them the actual assignment, they will address it stiffly, with preconceived ideas. By giving them very little information at the beginning, I allow them to create as they go, having fun playing with acrylic paint and their pieces of board.
The student artists write their first name on the back of the board near the gessoed "X." Clean up is quick, the paintings are stored to dry in the vertical rack, and the period is over.
The next day, when my painters come in, I have the room prepared for another twist in this assignment. The desks are pushed together in the center of the room, and all of the paintings are laid out, face down. The students are asked to stand in front of the one that has their name on it. I again play music and have them circle the desks. (Of course, I call this "musical paintings.")
When I'm sure they are far away from their own painting from the day before, I stop the music. The painting in front of them is now theirs! I have them cross out the original name written on the back, and write their name in its place. I always get moans and complaints, but I'm adamant about this twist because it's been my experience that many students will try to make preliminary nonobjective look like something representational. It seems they are already thinking of an object or thing while applying the acrylic on the first day. Now everyone has a painting that they did not plan for and are presented with an even greater challenge.
The last step, and indeed the most difficult challenge, is to find a face (including a head, and a suggestion of shoulders) in this nonobjective painting. They study the painting from every point of view, examining it, and imagining to find a face with emotion in the strokes, shapes and overlapping colors.
I have them search for magazine pictures of people, or family photos showing great expression. Their work is really just beginning. They now must apply layers of relatively thin oils without disguising the painting underneath. Rather, they should incorporate the underlying shapes and colors, "marrying" the two--the under-painting and the face with emotion.
This is a difficult assignment, but it's also very exciting and powerful. It's successful for students who like a challenge, and the resulting paintings are always a favorite of mine and the students.
Students will...
• learn the characteristics of acrylic and oil paint.
• experiment with total arm movement, and the freedom of the nonobjective.
• search within a piece to discover a subject that they can expand on.
• develop an image using oils that engages the under-painting.
• Heavy board
• Gesso
• Acrylic paint
• Music
• Imagery
• Small pieces of mat board
• Oil paints
• Brushes
• Palette
By Geri Greenman
Geri Greenman is art department head at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Ill., and is a Contributing Editor for Arts & Activities. Photos by students Jen Cacioppo and Elaine Jackson.
