Art for the Inept: A Jackson Pollock Inspired DIY Project

I am by no means an expert or even marginally close to being generally knowledgeable or even basically knowledgeable on the subject of art.

I simply know what I like and what I don't like.

I like abstract art.

I like Jackson Pollock.

Convergence

Number 3

(Images above via Daily Art Fixx and 1st Art Club, respectively.)

I realize that some people view abstract expressionist art as nothing more than a bunch of paint splattered on a canvas that any kindergartener or complete moron could replicate.

That may be true.

But I think of it this way...

If I'm an artist needing to make money to feed my family I don't want to spend to much time having to think about what to paint and trying to color in the lines and being all precise.

I'm going to throw some paint on a canvas, give it a cool name like Number 3 

(Seriously? Is that the best he could come up with?) 

and sell that sucker as soon as possible so I can buy prepackaged snack cakes upon which to feast!

***I am certain Mr Pollock spent a significant amount of time and thought on each of his works

(which are not all action paintings like the ones above) 

and I mean no disrespect to him whatsoever.  

I truly do love his paintings.

But let's call a spade a spade and admit that spatter paint is a simple technique.

Which is why I chose it for my project.

When I found this key holder at a Thrift Store for $2.00 a few weeks ago, I bought it immediately.

It was perfect for a small wall in my laundry room that leads to the garage for holding keys and notes that need to go out the door with various family members.

After a couple of weeks I finally decided that I would spatter paint it to give it a little oomph!

I also really love finding pieces that have great stories behind them.

I discovered that this key holder belonged to Bob and Bob had a T-bird.

Isn't that a great story?

I peeled off and lightly sanded the previous owners labels and remaining residue with some medium grit sandpaper, unscrewed the small key hooks, then painted the entire thing with glossy black spray paint and let it dry completely.

I like this Valspar brand spray paint from Lowe's because it's primer and paint in one and I'm notoriously impatient and lazy with my projects.

Then I hijacked some acrylic paint in various colors and a 1 inch wide paint brush from my daughter's art studio.

I wet the brush slightly so that when I dipped it into the paint it would be slightly oozy.

Then I just flung the paint on to my key holder like a poop-flinging zoo monkey!

It was really fun and that probably explains why monkeys do it.

I let it dry completely, screwed the hooks back in and hung it in my laundry room.

Of course I want to repaint my laundry room now!

But while you wait to see how that turns out, here are some other cool spatter paint projects you can do in the meantime:

My spot pillow - tutorial here

via Holtwood Hipster

via iSuwannee

And if you're really brave...

via Lonny

If you have a spatter paint project you've done or plan to do, I would LOVE to see photos of it!

À la vie et à l'amour

-Cortney