Fields of Colour: Helen Frankenthaler

With

Amy Mulvenna

About this lesson

Working as a young artist in 1960s New York, Helen Frankenthaler created artworks called colour field paintings - almost as large as fields and full of colour! Watch along to find out more!

Fields of Colour: Helen Frankenthaler

Amy Mulvenna
4+

Helen Frankenthaler was an American artist who lived from 1928-2011. Working as a young artist in 1960s New York, Helen created artworks called colour field paintings. As the name suggests, they seemed almost as large as fields and full of colour! Instead of painting on an easel, she tried something new. She would lay the canvas on the floor and soaking it in flowing paints that seeped into the fabric. This is known as the soak-stain technique. Watch along to find out more!

You will need:

  • A large, flat canvas or thick card
  • Poster paint or powder paint
  • Water to spray, and a damp cloth or spritzing bottle
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