Elena Rossi
Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter and the leading force behind the abstract expressionist movement. 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 process of painting was called the drip technique, also known as action painting, where he would pour or splash liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface, enabling him to view and paint his canvases from all angles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Term | "Drip technique" or "action painting" |
| Process | Pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface |
| Canvas position | Horizontal on the floor or against a wall |
| Tools | Paint cans, knives, trowels, or sticks |
| Paint application | Avoiding droplets and coiling instability in favor of unbroken filaments of paint |
| Physicality | Using the force of his whole body, often in a frenetic dancing style |
| Style | Abstract Expressionism |
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What You'll Learn
'Action painting'
Action painting is a style of painting in which paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed, or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied. The term was coined by American critic Harold Rosenberg in 1952, in his essay "The American Action Painters", and signalled a shift in the aesthetic perspective of New York School painters and critics. The style was widespread from the 1940s until the early 1960s and is closely associated with abstract expressionism.
The action painting movement took place in the time after World War II ended. With this came a disordered economy and culture in Europe, and in America, the government took advantage of its new state of importance. Action painting is a product of the post-World War II artistic resurgence of expressionism in America, specifically in New York City. During this time, quantum mechanics and psychoanalysis were flourishing and changing people's perceptions of the physical and psychological world.
The paintings of action painters were not meant to portray objects or even specific emotions. Instead, they were meant to touch the observer deep in the subconscious mind, evoking a sense of the primeval and tapping into the collective sense of an archetypal visual language. This was done by the artist painting "unconsciously" and spontaneously, creating a powerful arena of raw emotion and action in the moment. Action painting was influenced by the surrealist emphasis on automatism, which was influenced by psychoanalysis, claiming a more direct access to the subconscious mind.
Jackson Pollock is best known for his action paintings and Abstract Expressionist works. For these pieces, Pollock dripped paint onto a canvas to convey the emotion of movement. Pollock's technique involved pouring paint straight from a can or along a stick onto a canvas lying horizontally on the floor. This technique is often referred to as the ""drip technique", although some argue that this is a misnomer in the parlance of fluid mechanics, as dripping" would involve dispensing the fluid in a way that makes discrete droplets on the canvas. Pollock's paintings were created with a keen understanding of fluid dynamics, avoiding coiling instability—the tendency of a viscous fluid to form curls and coils when poured on a surface.
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''Drip technique'
Jackson Pollock's unique painting technique, known as the "drip technique", has fascinated and puzzled artists and scientists alike. Pollock's method, developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, involved pouring paint straight from a can or along a stick onto a canvas lying horizontally on the floor. This created sinuous filaments of colour, resulting in abstract masterpieces.
The "drip technique" is a misnomer in the strict sense of fluid mechanics, as "dripping" would imply discrete droplets on the canvas. Pollock, however, largely avoided droplets, instead favouring unbroken filaments of paint stretching across the canvas. This was achieved through a combination of his hand speed, distance from the canvas, and the viscosity of his paint, which prevented the paint from forming curls and coils, a phenomenon known as coiling instability.
Pollock's technique was not random but rather a carefully controlled process. He would pour the paint at a sufficiently high speed and a short distance from the canvas to avoid coiling. This control over the paint's application allowed him to guide its direction and placement on the canvas, creating a unique and organic tone.
The "drip technique" also allowed Pollock to view and paint his canvases from all angles. By covering the entire canvas and using the force of his whole body, Pollock's paintings took on a sense of frenetic dancing. This extreme form of abstraction divided critics, with some praising the immediacy of creation, while others criticised the random effects.
The complex nature of the "drip technique" has intrigued artists, who have studied and experimented with Pollock's methodology. While the process may seem random, it requires a deep understanding of the interactions between the different elements of painting, such as the angle of the brush, height above the canvas, and volume of paint per gesture.
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![Pollock (2000) [Blu-Ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71-bolQQWtL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
'Poured painting'
Jackson Pollock's poured painting technique, also known as his "drip technique", involved pouring paint straight from a can or along a stick onto a horizontal canvas on the floor. Pollock's technique typically involved a combination of controllable and uncontrollable factors, such as the movement of his body, the viscous flow of paint, the force of gravity, and the absorption of paint into the canvas. By pouring paint in this way, Pollock was able to view and paint his canvases from all angles, achieving his signature style of palimpsest paintings.
Pollock's poured painting technique allowed him to record the force and scope of his physical gestures in trajectories of enamel or aluminium paint. This process resulted in huge areas covered with complex linear patterns that fused image and form, engulfing the spectator in their scale and intricacy. The wet-in-wet interactions of many of these paints can be seen on the painting's surface, where different colours blend and bleed into each other.
Pollock's technique was influenced by Austrian artist Wolfgang Paalen's article on totem art, in which the concept of space in totemist art is considered from an artist's point of view. Pollock first used the process of pouring paint in 1936 at an experimental workshop in New York City by the Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. He then began to use paint pouring as one of several techniques on canvases in the early 1940s, such as 'Male and Female' and 'Composition with Pouring I'.
In 1947, Pollock began to pour or drip paint onto a flat canvas in stages, often alternating weeks of painting with weeks of contemplation before finishing a canvas. This process allowed him to veil the image or traces of figuration that had often been apparent in his earlier work. Pollock's poured painting technique during this period can be seen in works such as 'Full Fathom Five' (1947) and 'Lucifer' (1947).
Pollock's poured painting technique has been the subject of research by scientists at Brown University, who analysed the physics behind his unique style. They found that Pollock's hand speed, distance from the canvas, and the viscosity of his paint were all factors that contributed to avoiding coiling instability, which is the tendency of a viscous fluid to form curls and coils when poured on a surface.
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'Dribbling sand'
Jackson Pollock's iconic '"drip technique" was a style of painting that involved pouring or splashing liquid paint onto a horizontal canvas. Pollock's technique was influenced by Native American sandpainting, which he had observed in the 1940s. He would often pour paint directly from a can or along a stick onto a canvas lying on the floor, allowing him to view and paint from all angles. This method of painting, also known as "all-over painting" and "action painting", enabled Pollock to use his entire body in a frenzied dance-like style, covering the canvas from all directions.
Pollock's "dribbling sand" technique, as captured by photographer Martha Holmes, was an integral part of his unique process. By pouring and dribbling sand or paint onto the canvas, Pollock achieved a distinct textured surface. This technique, combined with his movement, the viscous flow of paint, gravity, and the canvas's absorption, resulted in a dynamic interplay of controllable and uncontrollable elements. Pollock's mastery of his materials and their properties allowed him to create intricate patterns and avoid coiling instability, ensuring unbroken filaments of paint stretched across the canvas.
The "drip technique" was not merely random but a calculated approach that Pollock developed through experimentation. He intentionally varied the speed and angle of the pour, creating either thin dribbles or puddles of paint. Additionally, he utilised tools such as hardened brushes, wooden sticks, and syringes to apply the paint, demonstrating a measured and intentional process behind the seemingly spontaneous creations. Pollock's technique was influenced by his exposure to Native American Indian art and the surrealist fumage technique of Austrian artist Wolfgang Paalen.
Pollock's "dribbling sand" method added a layer of complexity to his paintings, enhancing the overall visual appeal and texture. The sand or paint dribbles introduced a new dimension to his work, creating a sense of depth and movement. This technique, combined with his energetic and expressive style, solidified Pollock's reputation as a leading exponent of Abstract Expressionism and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Pollock's "dribbling sand" technique, as captured by Holmes, offers a glimpse into his creative process and showcases his innovative approach to art. By incorporating sand or paint dribbles, Pollock pushed the boundaries of traditional painting, challenging the conventions of the time and inspiring future artists to explore new avenues of artistic expression. His legacy continues to influence and shape the art world, leaving a lasting impact on both contemporary artists and art enthusiasts alike.
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'All-over painting'
Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter and a leading force behind the abstract expressionist movement in the art world. Pollock's greatness lay 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.
All-over painting refers to the non-differential treatment of the surface of a two-dimensional work of art. This concept is most associated with the so-called "drip" paintings of Jackson Pollock and the "automatic writing" or "abstract calligraphy" of Mark Tobey in the 1950s. "All-over painting" is not a formal style of painting and the term does not represent an "art movement." However, some paintings under the heading of colour field painting display the "all-over" style.
All-over paintings lack a dominant point of interest or any indication of which way is "up." They also lack clear and distinct points of emphasis or identifiable parts within the canvas. The designs and images created using this style have no relation to the size of the canvas, and the lack of dimensions and disregard for the size of the drawings are some unique features of this form. Many of the pieces that Pollock created following this style required him to trim or crop the canvas to make the image fit and work with the overall features of the art.
Pollock's all-over painting technique typically involved pouring paint straight from a can or along a stick onto a canvas lying horizontally on the floor. It is often referred to as the "'drip' technique," although some argue that this is a misnomer in the parlance of fluid mechanics, as "dripping" would involve dispensing the fluid in a way that makes discrete droplets on the canvas. Pollock largely avoided droplets, in favour of unbroken filaments of paint stretching across the canvas.
Pollock's "drip technique" was geared towards avoiding a classic fluid mechanical instability known as "'coiling instability.' This phenomenon occurs when a small amount of a viscous fluid is poured, causing it to stack up like a coil of rope before oozing across the surface. In the context of painting, this instability can result in paint filaments making pigtail-like curls. Through his technique, Pollock avoided these curls by moving his hand at a sufficiently high speed and a sufficiently short height.
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Frequently asked questions
Jackson Pollock's painting process was called the "drip technique" or "drip painting".
Pollock's drip technique involved pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal canvas. He would then use knives, trowels, or sticks to add depth to his images.
Pollock used the drip technique to convey the emotion of movement in his paintings. He also wanted to view and paint his canvases from all angles.
No, Pollock went through a long process of experimentation to perfect his technique. His motions also included throwing, flinging, and splattering paint.
One of the challenges of using the drip technique was avoiding coiling instability, which is the tendency of viscous fluids to form curls and coils when poured on a surface. Pollock overcame this by moving his hand at a high speed and maintaining a short distance from the canvas.
