When teaching art history lessons to children, whether it’s just your homeschooler or a whole class, one period that you can’t miss is the pop art period of the 1960s. This is a period when art shifted and became more relaxed and fun, not so serious anymore.
Artists like Warhol and Lichtenstein created unique works, unlike any art that had ever been seen before. 
*link to this article*
Show your child examples of product advertisements or some of Warhol’s work to help them visualize what the product might look like.
About this lesson
This lesson will cover the biography of Roy Lichtenstein and give you a fun mixed media artwork that you can have your child create using cheap and common materials, so it’s a great lesson when you’re not in the mood for something heavy.
About Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York City, New York in 1923.
He entered the art world at a time when abstract expressionism was becoming accepted, but his art did not quite fit that description or label.
He used recognizable characters like Popeye and Mickey Mouse in his early works and he liked to use bright, primary colors and bold lines.
Soon after, other artists also created works of art that did not fit that mold, and certainly could not be considered anything classical or even just “modern”.
Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns were two of those artists and it wasn’t long before the pop art movement emerged.
Lichtenstein was the most prolific user of comics among others and he became famous for his comic style works.
He would take a cropped version of a DC comic and focus on just one part of it, which completely changed the “story” and also blew it up in size.
He also uses a lot of black and white motifs with bold colors on these pieces and they really make a statement, they are images that you won’t forget and know are his if you see them years later.
The “Ben-Day” Dots
He used so-called “Ben-Day” dots, which were commonly used in newspapers and comic books to create shadows and patterns.
Sometimes just one set of dots is used, such as black and white printed dots, and sometimes they are stacked in different colors.
Lichtenstein used stencils and paint to create his artwork, but he wanted them to look like prints, and he achieved that through his skillful technique.
He even stopped signing his name on the front of his work to create that effect.
To create artwork in his style, I suggest using a lot of black and white, even if just here and there, combined with bright, bold primary colors.
I teach this lesson right after teaching about Walt Disney and animation so we can incorporate animation and comic book lettering into this lesson into one lesson.
Pop Art Lessons for Kids – Lichtenstein Mixed Media
You will need:
- a sheet of paper for the base
- glue
- magazines or comics to cut and paste
- drag
- pencil
- token
- a small piece of white paper
- Scrapbook-style patterned paper if desired, to use as centerpiece
- disposable tablecloth
- waste paper bag
Step by step instructions
Lay down a tablecloth before teaching so the glue doesn’t get where you don’t want it.
First, explain who Lichtenstein is and give some examples of his work, and show children how to use those colors and prints together.
Cut Texture and Letters
Cutting out patterns and even just black and white text from magazines can help create easy work without having to actually draw, and you can also achieve a print, comic or cartoon look.
I have a list of interesting words that you might see in comics and I also ask them to think of some words to add to the list, then I ask them to think of a word that they would like to use.
Then, based on that choice, they will choose a pre-patterned paper and use a color scheme that matches that paper.
You will then glue it to the middle of the paper but show them an example of the final piece so they can at least get an idea of where it will be glued.
Create collage border
Then, ask your child to look at the magazine and cut out various patterns and letters to create a collage-style border around the outer edge of the paper.
Choosing bold words, primary colors, and at least a few black and white pieces will help tie the whole look together and create a “pop” look.
If it helps your child know how many pieces they will need, they can use a pencil to draw around the patterned paper to create an outline, and that way they won’t have to spend too much time cutting and picking out pieces they might not need.
Some children will get busy trying to pick out small, cute objects that they like, but try to avoid letting them do this.
That would take away from the style of the work. I allow some children to keep those pictures to use for other work later if they have difficulty with it.
Ask your child to spread the pieces out on paper before gluing anything down.
This is important, because some people start pasting only to find that what they really wanted to show is pasted in a location that will later be covered, and it’s too late to remove it without tearing it.
Let your child treat this game like a puzzle, moving the pieces until they fill the entire space around the border as desired.
Then they can glue it all back together.
Patterned paper
Once you’re done gluing, you can glue patterned paper on top to create the base and middle of the comic, which is the highlight.
While your child is cutting, keep a large paper bag nearby and encourage them to throw any scraps into it to keep the space clean. Even if you are the one doing the cutting, it is helpful to recycle the scraps and keep small pieces of paper off the floor.
Depending on the size of scrapbook paper you use, you will probably need to cut it to fit the center and leave a few inches for the border.
Add key words
Now, draw the word for the children (I do this in most of my classes, but I will ask each child first, in case they want to draw their own), if they want, draw it in pencil first, if not, draw it in black marker.
Pencils can be erased before coloring, so it’s best to draw that way before using markers.
Then, ask them to use a highlighter to color the word in just one or two colors, so that the word really stands out on the template and collage. Ideally, the word should match the template.
Once you have finished coloring, glue the center of the fabric.
Tips for kids
Advice for young children – Young children probably won’t really understand the concept of pop art, so it’s best not to give them too many options when it comes to colors and collages.
If you ask them to use one or two colors as a theme, they will understand that and the painting will still look more like a piece of pop art.
I pre-cut out color-themed magazine pieces for the kids, like one set all black and white, one set all green, one set all blue.
All the pieces in that tone and bold print will coordinate well. Then I let them choose the piece they want after they pick the patterned fabric.
This helps them feel in control but not overwhelmed by the amount of work ahead.
Some children may choose words that are not really comic book style but try to let them create their own themes if they see fit.
Overall, you will find this an interesting and different piece from many other art lessons.
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Categories: Activities for Kids
Source: fetb.edu.vn