Designed by:

Rebecca Rissel

Level: 5th Grade (can be adapted for any grade level)

Media: Color Pencil or Marker

Goal: Introduce students to the life and art of Pop Artist Andy Warhol

Objective: Students will:

  • Be introduced to the life and art of Andy Warhol and the personal influences and events that shape his work
Understand the significance of visual art in relation to historical, social, political, technological, and economic issues
  • Understand that art reflects the time/culture in which it is made (History)
  • Broaden their powers of perception of visual styles and elements in the work.
style: what are the distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work (Aesthetics)
Be introduced to the correct placement of facial features and develop an understanding and appreciation of the proportions of their face (Aesthetics)
  • Develop an understanding and appreciation of Andy Warhol’s work
reflect on their response and responses of others (Criticism & Aesthetics)
  • Create a self-portrait using the style of world famous artist, Andy Warhol, utilizing elements and principles of design
Understand Style: What are the distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work?
  • Observe, select, and utilize subject matter, symbols, and ideas in their work that represents self(Studio)

Standards: Students will:

  • 5.1.1- Identify the relationship between a work of art and the geography and characteristics of the culture, and identify where, when, why and by whom the work was made (Focus: North America) (history)
  • 5.5.2- Identify and analyze a variety of well reasoned points of view on aesthetic issues (Discuss and raise questions about the nature of art, reflect on these discussions, defend personal viewpoints) (aesthetics)
  • 5.3.2- Construct meaning in the work based on personal response, properties found in the work, and background information on the context of the work (criticism)
  • 5.7.1- Demonstrate refined observational skills through accurate rendering of representational objects and subject matter from life (self) (studio)
  • 5.8.1- Apply the elements: line, shape, form, texture, color, value, and space and the principles: repetition, variety, rhythm, proportion, movement, balance, emphasis, and unity in their work to effectively communicate their ideas (studio)
  • 5.9.2- Identify and control different media (color pencil or crayon), techniques, and processes to effectively communicate ideas, experiences, and stories (studio)

Materials: Andy Warhol prints and visuals, Pop Art (J. Johns, C. Oldenburg, R. Lichtenstein) prints and visuals, U.S. map, world map, Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists—Andy Warhol by Mike Venezia, Warhol, by Klaus Honnef

Objectives: Students will:
  • Be introduced to the life and art of Andy Warhol and the personal influences and events that shapes his work.
Understand the significance of visual art in relation to historical, social, political, technological, and economic issues.
Understand that art reflects the time/culture in which it is made (History)

History: Getting to Know the Artist Activity: Storytelling (15 min)

  • Andy Warhol— a world famous artist—born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1928

He helped developed Pop Art, one of the most fun periods of art.

  • What is Style?—distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work

Pop Art shows things that are a popular part of everyday modern life.

  • The word “Pop Art” comes from the word “popular”
  • Look at Andy Warhol prints—Andy’s favorite form of art was making movies and printmaking

What is printmaking?—a form of art that you can create multiple copies of your artwork.

  • One way that you can create a print at home is by carving into Styrofoam (plate will work) with a pencil. Paint or ink the plate and press a piece of blank paper onto the inked plate and rub hard. Pull the paper off and you are ready to ink the plate again to make another print.
  • Ink will not stick or get into the carved areas of the Styrofoam leaving white (or blank) areas on your print to see the design carved into the plate.
  • Andy’s prints were made through silk screens. You block it from going through the screen certain areas—creating the image

Demo to the class (how to create a simple silkscreen using paper stencils to block the ink from going through the screen on to the paper in certain spots)

Explain to the class how Andy used special chemical photographic processing to block the ink

What elements did Andy Warhol use in his prints?

  • Line, shape, color, texture, value, and space

What elements are the strongest or the focus?

  • Known for his bright colored images and strong shapes

How does Warhol use these elements?

What principles of art did Warhol use in his prints?

  • Repetition, balance, rhythm, emphasis
  • Repetition is very important to Popular Culture and as a result important to Andy’s Pop Art.
  • Where do you see repetition in Popular Culture?—commercials, ads, billboards, news stories…

What other characteristics did they have?What other elements/principles of art?—repetition, strong lines, bold colors, simple shapes, very little value and depth. The images are very flat

How does he use these principles in his prints?

What is a print?—art work that can be made into several copies

  • When many people first see Pop Art they were shocked,
Why do you think they were shocked?
  • Couldn’t believe that serious artists would make pictures and sculptures of ordinary objects from popular culture
  • But Pop Artists were just doing what artists have always done—creating art about what is important or familiar to their everyday lives.

  • Andy had a natural talent for art and was encouraged from an early age by his mother to develop his artistic talent.
  • At a young age, Andy Warhol began to become weak and have health problems. He began to grow pale and spent a lot of time in bed resting. (Show comic pictures from Getting to know the World’s Greatest Artists)
He spent a lot of time in bed reading his favorite comics and movie magazines.
When he was a child he dreamed of being wealthy, popular, and famous
His art teachers saw his talent and love for art and encouraged him to take private lessons.
  • He took classes with some wealthy children and saw how they lived.
  • Andy’s family lived modestly and even though they did not have enough money his father saved enough to send him to art college (Carnegie Institute of Technology—where he studied illustration and design.
  • What is an illustration and where are they used?—They are drawings used in magazines and books to tell a story or as an advertisement.
  • What is a designer?—A graphic designer creates advertisements and layouts for magazines, billboards, commercials, etc…
While in college Warhol created a unique style of illustration. He took a pencil drawing and added ink to the design and took pieces of white paper and pressed on top.—this gives a blotted line (fuzzy texture) look. It also shows his beginning interest with print making.
  • Demo how to create this effect and give the class a chance to create their own quick illustration in the style of Andy Warhol
Draw a picture of a shoe—contour drawing with pencil (could be the shoe that you are wearing) because Andy did a series on shoes.
Contour drawing—line drawing of the outer edge of the subject
Next add ink (or paint) to fill in areas of the contour
Lastly, blot the wet ink with a clean piece of paper—in the process you will make a print of your ink details.
  • Does the blotted line have movement? What kind of movement?—an energy that makes it look like it is dancing around the page
  • Moved to New York City after college to get a job.
 After struggling for a while and having to carry his artwork around in a paper bag
  • Andy began to make it big and illustrated for department stores, store windows, magazines, book covers, greeting cards and record albums.
Towards the end of his career he stopped painting and began to create movies. Still using popular everyday events like sleeping and eating for long periods of time.
When he died in 1987 he was wealthy, popular, and famous like he always wanted to be.
  • His artwork made people reflect on what was really important and what wasn’t important in their lives.

Closure/Assessment:

  1. What is Style?—distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work
  2. What was Andy Warhol’s Style?—Pop Art—Popular items from Modern Culture. Strong, powerful images with bold colors.
  3. What other characteristics did they have?What other elements/principles of art?—repetition, strong lines, bold colors, simple shapes, very little value and depth. The images are very flat
  4. What is an illustration and where are they used?—They are drawings used in magazines and books to tell a story or as an advertisement.
  5. What is a designer?—A graphic designer creates advertisements and layouts for magazines, billboards, commercials, etc…

Materials: Aesthetic worksheet, Andy Warhol prints and visuals, Pop Art (J. Johns, C. Oldenburg, R. Lichtenstein) prints and visuals, U.S. map, world map, Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists—Andy Warhol by Mike Venezia, Warhol, by Klaus Honnef

Objectives:
  • Broaden their powers of perception of visual styles and elements in the work.
style: what are the distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work (Aesthetics)
Be introduced to the correct placement of facial features and develop an understanding and appreciation of the proportions of their face. (Aesthetics)
  • Develop an understanding and appreciation of Andy Warhol’s work
reflect on their response and responses of others (Criticism & Aesthetics)

Aesthetics:

He finally got to live like the wealthy children he took art classes with
  • His mother moved in with him in his new apartment in the NY City
  • Andy became one of the best and busiest illustrators in NY City. He was so busy that he had to ask his mother and friends to help him finish his projects.
Do you think it is okay that his family and friends helped him finish his illustrations?
Should it still be considered an Andy Warhol original if he had help finishing the project? The ideas and concept were Andy’s, but he was not always the person who finished his illustrations
Should he give credit to those who helped him?—his mother often helped him with the lettering on the illustration
Andy also asked many people for ideas—but he made sure the way he showed the ideas was original and unique because it passed through his creative mind.

Closure/Assessment:

  1. What is Style?—distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work
  2. What was Andy Warhol’s Style?—Pop Art
  3. What did Andy Warhol create?— Popular items from Modern Culture. Strong, powerful images with bold colors.
  4. What other characteristics did they have?What other elements/principles of art?—repetition, strong lines, bold colors, simple shapes, very little value and depth. The images are very flat

Materials: crayons, markers, color pencils, colored chalk, 9x12” white paper, diagram of facial proportions, step-by-step guide lines, Andy Warhol prints and visuals, U.S. map, world map, Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists—Andy Warhol by Mike Venezia, Warhol, by Klaus Honnef

Objectives: Students will:
  • Be introduced to the correct placement of facial features and develop an understanding and appreciation of the proportions of their face. (Aesthetics)
  • Create a self portrait using the elements and principles of art (Studio)

Production: Part I Facial Features

  1. Pass out white 9” x 12” white drawing paper.
  2. Talk about what a self portrait is—a picture you make of yourself. Have students write their name and Self Portrait—Picture of yourself and In the style of Andy Warhol on the back of your paper.
  3. Place facial proportions diagram on the board and introduce students to the correct placement of facial features to develop an understanding and appreciation of the proportions of their face.
  4. Draw four small lines on each side of the front of your paper. Make the lines two fingers in from each side of your paper.
  5. Draw an oval inside of these four lines. Do not connect the marks with straight lines or you will create a diamond—make sure it is an oval.
  6. Fold paper in half like a hotdog (long-ways), open and then fold it like a hamburger (short-ways). Talk about the eyes being in the middle of the head. Bring a student to the front and measure their head to show that the eyes are directly in the center. Have students look in a mirror and test to see if their eyes are in the middle of their head.
  7. Demonstrate how to put their eyes on the fold they created with a two finger space between each eye. Refer to the diagram on the board. Have students place two fingers between their eyes to show how much space they have between their eyes.
  8. Demonstrate how to create football shaped eyes that are two fingers wide.
  9. Demonstrate how to make big round retinas. The color part of the eye is called the retina (the light-sensitive nerve membrane lining the back of the eye that receives images formed by the lens and is connected with the brain by the optic nerve) It touches the top and bottom of the eye. We don’t want floating retinas.
  10. Next draw in a black pupil—the black dot in the center of the eye
  11. Bring volunteer to the front and demonstrate that their eyebrow is one finger above their eye. Have students draw in their eyebrows one finger above each eye. Walk around class and give assistance as needed.
  12. Demonstrate that the nose goes halfway down the face between the eyebrows and the chin. Refer to the proportion guide on the board.
  13. Show nose shape examples on the board
  14. Demonstrate that the mouth is two fingers from the bottom of the chin and one finger down from the nose. Have students place two fingers on their chin to prove this fact.
  15. Place enlarged lip examples on the board and demonstrate how to make a double “U” mouth or a Mountain “U” mouth.
  16. Students will place the lips two fingers from the bottom of the chin.
  17. Demonstrate the placement of the ears between the eyebrows and nose on each side of the head
  18. Students can look in the mirror and draw the outline of their hair.

Closure/Assessment:

  1. What is Style?—distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work
  2. What was Andy Warhol’s Style?—Pop Art
  3. What did Andy Warhol create?— Popular items from Modern Culture. Strong, powerful images with bold colors.
  4. What other characteristics did they have?What other elements/principles of art?—repetition, strong lines, bold colors, simple shapes, very little value and depth. The images are very flat

Materials: crayons, markers, color pencils, colored chalk, 9x12” white paper, diagram of facial proportions, step-by-step guide lines, Andy Warhol prints and visuals, U.S. map, world map, Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists—Andy Warhol by Mike Venezia, Warhol, by Klaus Honnef

Objectives: Students will:
  • Create a self portrait using the elements and principles of art (Studio)
  • Create a project using repetition and bold colors in the style of Andy Warhol (Studio)

Production: Part II: Making Multiple Copies

  1. What kind of world famous artist is Andy Warhol?—Pop Artist
  2. Why was Pop Art one of the most fun periods of art?—This style created fun images of everyday popular culture
  3. Where does the word “Pop Art” come from?—“Popular”
  4. What is style?—distinguishing characteristics or qualities that identify the work
  5. Take a piece of colored chalk and gently coat the back of your self-portrait paper.
  6. Place a clean piece of 9”x12” behind your self-portrait and trace over your lines.
  7. Now trace over the transferred chalk with your pencil
  8. Repeat this process until you have four duplicate copies of your self-portrait.
  9. What kind of colors did Andy Warhol use?—Bold colors
  10. Why did we make several copies of your self-portrait?—To create a piece full of repetition like Andy Warhol
  11. What was Andy’s favorite form of art?—printmaking
  12. What is printmaking?—a form of art that you can create multiple copies of your artwork.
  13. Color each portrait using different bold colors. Each portrait should have a different color scheme
  14. They can be monochromatic-only using one color with different level of value (from light to dark)
  15. Or you can use a two, three, or four color scheme.
  16. Use bold bright colors
  17. Use flat planes of color like Andy Warhol—showing little depth or detail.

Closure/Assessment: