Lena Rivera
Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter, widely regarded as a leading exponent of Abstract Expressionism. Pollock's most famous paintings were made during the drip period between 1947 and 1950, a style he developed by pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface, enabling him to view and paint his canvases from all angles. Pollock's drip paintings were one of the most original bodies of art of the last century, introducing new ways of thinking about and viewing art.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Period of drip paintings | Between 1947 and 1950 |
| Other names for the drip technique | Drip and splash, all-over painting, action painting |
| Tools used | Sticks, trowels, knives, stiffened brushes |
| Paint used | Liquid, flowing paint, household paint, commercial paint, oil-modified alkyd paint |
| Canvas placement | On the floor |
| Notable paintings from the drip period | Mural (1943), Number 3, 1949: Tiger (1949), Composition with Pouring II (1943) |
| Inspiration | Navajo sand artist at the Natural History Museum in New York, Janet Sobel |
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What You'll Learn
- Jackson Pollock's drip period lasted from 1947 to 1950
- The paintings from this period were radical and original
- Pollock's drip technique involved pouring and splashing liquid paint
- He worked on canvases laid flat, using tools like sticks and knives
- The paintings were influenced by Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock's drip period lasted from 1947 to 1950
Jackson Pollock is best known for his "drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface. Pollock's most famous paintings were made during the "drip period" between 1947 and 1950, a period of intense creativity. Pollock's greatness lies in developing one of the most radical abstract styles in the history of modern art, detaching line from colour, redefining the categories of drawing and painting, and finding new means to describe pictorial space. Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by the artist Janet Sobel, who he "admitted" had "made an impression on him". Pollock's work method was a kind of performance, and he only sustained this style for a four-year period as his health deteriorated and his alcoholism became more pronounced.
Pollock's drip technique was a significant part of his legacy, with the artist taking the canvas from the easel, laying it on the floor, and pouring or splashing household paint to access it from all angles. This style of painting has been referred to as "all-over painting" and "action painting", as he covered the entire canvas and used the force of his whole body to paint, often in a frenetic dancing style. This extreme form of abstraction divided critics, with some praising the immediacy of the creation, while others derided the random effects.
Pollock's drip paintings were also influenced by his time working and studying in the Experimental Workshop with David Alfaro Siqueiros in 1936. Pollock also experienced Native American culture while on surveying trips with his father, and although he never admitted to intentionally imitating Native American art, he did concede that any similarities were probably a result of his "early memories and enthusiasm".
Pollock's drip technique was a radical departure from traditional painting methods, as he rejected the use of brushes and other conventional tools, instead opting for sticks, trowels, knives, and dripping fluid paint. He also added sand, broken glass, or other foreign matter to his paint, creating a unique and expressive style. This style of painting allowed Pollock to express his emotions, showcasing the feeling behind his pieces.
Pollock's drip period ended abruptly in 1951, as his work took a darker turn, both in terms of colour and theme. These paintings, known as his "Black pourings", were exhibited at the Betty Parsons Gallery in New York but failed to sell. Despite this, Pollock's drip period remains a significant and influential chapter in the history of modern art.
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The paintings from this period were radical and original
Jackson Pollock's paintings from the drip period were radical and original. Pollock's most famous paintings were made during the "drip period" between 1947 and 1950, a period of intense creativity that would become a significant part of his legacy. Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by the artist Janet Sobel, who worked with a drip technique. Pollock's drip technique involved pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface, allowing him to view and paint his canvases from all angles. This approach produced what art critic Clement Greenberg championed as a defining achievement of American modern art. Pollock's canvases became fields of rhythmic patterns and dynamic movement.
Pollock's drip paintings were one of the most original bodies of art of the last century, introducing new ways of thinking about and viewing art. Pollock's greatness cannot be underestimated, despite his downturn in fortunes and health. His legacy continues to burn as brightly today as it did for that brief mid-century period in which he developed one of the most radical abstract styles in the history of modern art. Pollock is also recognised for redefining the categories of drawing and painting, and even finding new ways to describe pictorial space with his vibrant and expressive style.
Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by a variety of sources, including Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera, Jungian psychology, Native American sand painting, and Surrealist automatic drawing techniques. His transitional style incorporated psychoanalytic influence and mythological symbols. Pollock's early work was also influenced by the time he spent working and studying in the Experimental Workshop with David Alfaro Siqueiros in 1936. However, when specifically asked about how the "drip" came to be, Pollock disavowed his association with Siqueiros on multiple occasions and made contradictory statements.
Pollock's drip technique was a radical approach that involved using his whole body to paint on large canvases. In 1956, Time magazine dubbed him "Jack the Dripper" due to his painting style. Pollock preferred to tack the unstretched canvas to a hard wall or floor, feeling more at ease and part of the painting this way. He moved away from traditional painter's tools like easels, palettes, and brushes, instead using sticks, trowels, knives, and dripping fluid paint with a heavy impasto of sand, broken glass, or other foreign matter added.
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Pollock's drip technique involved pouring and splashing liquid paint
Jackson Pollock is widely recognised for his unique "drip technique", which involved pouring and splashing liquid paint onto a horizontal surface. This approach enabled him to view and paint his canvases from all angles, resulting in a dynamic and immersive artistic experience. Pollock's technique was not merely about the final product but also the act of creation, which he deemed equally important.
Pollock's drip technique emerged during a period of intense creativity between 1947 and 1950. During this time, he developed his distinctive style, taking inspiration from various artistic movements such as Impressionism, Surrealism, and Cubism. Pollock's technique involved laying his canvases on the floor and using tools like sticks, brushes, knives, and even his hands to manipulate the paint. He worked with a variety of paint types, including household paint, oil paints, and commercial paints, allowing him to achieve different textures and visual effects.
One of the key aspects of Pollock's drip technique was his use of liquid paint, which he first encountered in 1936 during an experimental workshop led by Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. This introduction to liquid enamel paints left a lasting impression on Pollock, and he continued to experiment with liquid media throughout his career. By the late 1940s, Pollock had refined his drip technique, pouring and splashing paint directly from the can or using various tools to create intricate patterns and textures.
Pollock's drip paintings were not without controversy. His abstract style divided critics, with some praising the immediacy and energy of his creations, while others criticised the apparent randomness of his work. Despite the polarising reactions, Pollock's drip paintings became symbols of American art, individuality, creativity, and innovation. They reflected his turbulent life, inner struggles, and artistic vision, offering a glimpse into the complexity of the human mind and the possibilities of artistic expression.
Pollock's drip technique was an integral part of his artistic process, and it played a significant role in shaping his legacy. While he eventually moved on from this style, his exploration of dripping and pouring paint expanded the boundaries of what was considered traditional in the art world, inspiring numerous artists who followed in his footsteps.
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He worked on canvases laid flat, using tools like sticks and knives
Jackson Pollock's most famous paintings were created during his "drip period" from 1947 to 1950. This period is considered a significant part of Pollock's legacy, as he developed a radical abstract style that captivated critics and divided the public with its wild expression. Pollock's drip technique involved pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal canvas, allowing him to view and paint from all angles.
Pollock worked on large canvases laid flat on the ground, enabling him to walk around and work from all four sides. This approach transformed the act of painting into a physical performance, with Pollock using his whole body to paint in a frenetic, dancing style. He moved away from traditional painter's tools like easels, palettes, and brushes, instead opting for sticks, trowels, and knives to drip and manipulate the paint.
Pollock's innovative use of tools and techniques was a defining feature of his drip period. By using sticks and knives, he achieved unique effects and textures that contributed to the overall impact and expressiveness of his paintings. The drip technique allowed Pollock to create rhythmic patterns and dynamic movement across the canvas, resulting in compositions that eliminated the conventional figure-ground relationship.
In "Number 3, 1949: Tiger," for example, Pollock dribbled, dripped, and poured paint in various colours directly from the can or with sticks and stiffened brushes. This painting represents a full-fledged breakthrough in his drip technique, showcasing the complex network of colours and intricate wet-in-wet interactions that characterise his work. The use of sticks and brushes allowed Pollock to apply paint in thick and thin lines, creating intricate patterns and textures that would have been difficult to achieve with traditional tools.
Pollock's drip period was short-lived, as his health deteriorated and his struggle with alcoholism intensified. Despite this, his innovative use of tools and techniques during this period solidified his place as one of the first celebrity painters of the post-war era in the USA, with a style that was distinctly and defiantly his own.
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The paintings were influenced by Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock's drip paintings were one of the most original bodies of art of the 20th century, introducing new ways of thinking about and viewing art. Pollock's greatness cannot be underestimated, despite his downturn in fortunes and health. His paintings were influenced by Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.
Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by the artist Janet Sobel, who he "admitted" to art critic Clement Greenberg, had "made an impression on him". Pollock's work after 1951 was darker in colour, including a collection painted in black on unprimed canvases, referred to as his "Black pourings". These works show Pollock attempting to find a balance between abstraction and depictions of the figure.
Pollock's drip paintings were also influenced by the Surrealist exploration of the unconscious. Pollock's early work depicts landscapes and figures with surrealist elements. He explored themes including Jungian symbolism and surrealist navigation of the unconscious. Pollock's work was also influenced by the compositional methods and regionalist subject matter of his teacher, and the poetically expressionist vision of the American painter Albert Pinkham Ryder.
Pollock's drip technique was influenced by Mexican muralists and Surrealist automatism. He also observed Native American sandpainting demonstrations in the 1940s, which influenced his style of painting on the floor. Pollock stated that he felt nearer, more a part of the painting when working on the floor, as he could walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting. This technique was akin to the methods of the Indian sand painters of the West.
Another influence on Pollock's drip paintings was Paalen's surrealist fumage technique, which appealed to painters looking for new ways to depict what was called the "unseen" or the "possible".
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Frequently asked questions
Jackson Pollock created numerous paintings during his drip period, but it is unknown exactly how many.
Jackson Pollock's drip period was between 1947 and 1950, although he continued to use his drip technique after this time.
The drip technique, also known as the drip and splash style, involves pouring or dripping paint onto a flat canvas. Pollock used this technique to convey the emotion of movement in his paintings.
Pollock used a variety of materials for his drip paintings, including oil paints, commercial paints, and household paint. He also added sand, broken glass, and other foreign matter to his paint.
Yes, Pollock intended to create images with his drip paintings. He stated, "I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface... When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about."
