How to Andy Warhol: Pop Art Activity

Did you know that last Wednesday would have been Andy Warhol's 97th birthday? Born on August 6, 1928, Warhol is known for his role in the pop art movement. You've probably seen some of his works, like his "Campbell's Soup Cans" or "Marilyn Monroe" screen prints. If you've ever wondered how to imitate the effect of his artworks, then this is the activity for you! Here is how to create an artwork inspired by Warhol's unique style.

Step 1

To begin, start by selecting an image of your liking. This can be anything you'd like, but it is a good idea to select something with higher levels of contrast. In other words, select a picture that has a variety of shadows and highlights to it. You will see why this is important in the next steps. As an example, I've selected a picture of a cat, which has a great level of depth in its fur!

Step 2

Now is the time to do the actual drawing! You can use any medium for this step, but materials with a thicker consistency, such as acrylic paint, oil pastels or paint markers, work best. Now, identify the darkest areas of your selected subject. On my example, this would include the eyes, underbelly, ears, and under the chin, as well as a few pieces of fur.

Step 3

Now, try to pick out the second darkest tones, and fill these in whichever colour you would like. In his screenprints, Andy Warhol typically uses colours that contrast with each other. In other words, this means no two colours are the same tone, making each pop out. Since we are trying to immitate this effect, try using colours that are bright. If you need some inspiration, try looking up some of his artworks! Getting inspired by other artists is the best way to foster creativity.

Step 4

In this step, you will outline your entire subject in a third bold colour. Warhol typically only uses about four shades in his works, giving a recognizable flat style that is easy to identify. Keeping this in mind, we do not want to add too many colours as we usually might in a drawing. For this activity, less is more, and minimalism is key!

Step 5

It's already the last step! As we've mentioned, Warhol only uses about four colours, so let's add the last by colouring in a background! For this, it is a good idea to try using something bold. This will make your subject pop out even more, making sure that everyone can see it.

And there you have it! A beautiful and incredibly easy artwork that looks exactly like the master of pop art himself made it!

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If you enjoyed this art activity, you are sure to love our art classes, available for all ages! Visit Yuliab.ca/book-online for details and to sign up. Booking is available for the rest of the summer, as well as for our fall sessions! Sign up today for some fun creative art!

One of the best ways to get inspired for art is through the works of others. Looking at the great artistis that came before us and trying their techniques is great for exanding our own creative horizons and learn different ways of approaching art. So what are you waiting for? Get creative!