Athletes in Action

A project excerpt from the book Great American Artists for Kids.

Action painting in the style of American artist Leroy Neiman is perfect for sports figures. Leroy Neiman is known for his brightly colored, semi-abstract action paintings. Most of Neiman’s work focuses on sports, such as, football, baseball, boxing, even chess tournaments.

In this activity, young artists work from a photograph placed beneath clear acrylic. The focus is on dynamic brushstrokes and vibrant color in the style of Neiman!  Kids begin by choosing a photo from a sports magazine. There will be a sport to please everyone! Young artists may select from gymnastics, football, horse racing, Nascar, baseball, track and field, bull riding, tennis, and much more.  Encourage kids to pick a large photo with a closeup of action.

Leroy Neiman’s artwork is colorful and dynamic.  The ideal paints for kids exploring Neiman’s style are tube acrylics…more costly than tempera, but a little goes a long way. Each young artist should have a palette: a white dish or tray with a small squeeze of several bright acrylic paint colors. Include the primary colors, red, blue and yellow, as well as white and black. If possible, add purple, green and orange. The paints mix together easily to create every color imaginable.

Tape the sports photo onto a board or washable tabletop. Then tape a sheet of clear plastic over the sports image. Mix the thick paint with a bit of water on the brush. Paint “Leroy Neiman” style directly on the plastic with strong bold brushstrokes, and colors brighter than real life. Paint the main figures in the photo, following the shapes and details visible through the plastic. Paint the background - all the spaces around and behind the main figures - with bright colors. Don’t stick to reality - use fantastic background colors like red, white and blue, or bright purple and gold!
Eventually, the painted picture will cover up the photo beneath. At this point, the painting can be carefully removed from under the plastic so it is again visible as a model for finishing the painting.  Young artists can then add final special effects in the style of Neiman are action lines — small vibrating outlines to show movement and excitement!

Materials: sports magazines, clear plastic sheets (available at an office supply store), masking tape, acrylic paints, a white dish or tray to use as a palette, small paintbrushes, rinse water.

Time: 45 minutes

KidsArt Resource: Of course, our book Great American Artists for Kids, with hands-on art projects in the style of 75 American artists from colonial era to contemporary art, written by Kim Solga and Maryann Kohl, published by Bright Ring Books.