Andy Warhol Elementary Art Lesson

Our school-wide Andy Warhol project is well underway. They have enjoyed learning about Warhol and really enjoy his graphic, bright, and popular subjects. The kids say Warhol would have painted Justin Bieber, Salina Gomez, and Spongebob, if he were still alive. Warhol's famous screenprinting style can be found everywhere, including a phone app called Popstamatic. It's free, super easy to use, and gives Warhol quotes while your image is being Popstamaticized. I am always trying to offer a home + technology extension for extra credit. Let your child take a photo using the app, "Warholize" it, print it or post to our Facebook page wall. They love seeing eachothers' photos online.
The kinders through 4th are creating graphic, "mechanically" made, flat and brightly colored pop art creations. We have 400 Warhol inspired hands and soup cans being created.

As an Art + Community extension, I thought it would be a wonderful lesson to share our project with our city by donating our "models" to a local food bank. 400 cans of soup to help feed the hungry and 400 students learning to extend kindness and generosity to others in need. Thank you to all who have opted to participate in this community extension.

SECOND through FOURTH GRADES

We are learning: Pop Art style, process of "mechanically made" art, graphic design, shape, form, value, typography, and craftsmanship. They will be graded on:

• Neatness of Lettering
• Cylindrical Shape
• Shading and Shadows
• Painting Techniques
• Overall Craftsmanship and Effort

Stay tuned for future updates with final pieces and step-by-step photos for all the grades.

FIRST GRADE _ WARHOL HANDS
We are learning: Pop Art, graphic art, and "mechanically" made art. Cool and warm colors, complementary colors, primary colors, cutting from the "inside" versus the "outside" of a shape (this was rather challenging for some of the students), painting, gluing neatly and with the appropriate amount of glue, overall craftsmanship.

KINDERGARTEN - WARHOL COLORING
We are learning: Pop art, slowing down and calming down to create better art, staying within the lines, using warm or cool colors, color opposites. Advanced students are studying the shape of the can and free-hand sketching it and the label.

Faux Stained Glass | Winter elementary art lesson

I find myself telling the kids,"Slow Down. Art takes time. It's not a race." Four weeks later, we are trying to complete our Chagall inspired paintings. Do I make them rush or stay on the slow and steady course of quality not quantity? I opted to encourage them to continue to do quality work. In our fast paced world, it's often quite difficult for students to stay with a project over a long period of time, returning to it with the same interest and vigor in which they started is often a challenge for teachers and parents. I am most impressed with their commitment to their pieces. Visit the Chagall Lesson post to see our work in progress and completed masterpieces.
As a supplemental project for those who had finished, we studied Stained Glass. We discussed the traditional means of creating a stained glass window and observed the shapes -- were they geometric or organic?

For our version we used the following materials:
Printer paper
Pencil
Ruler, compass, protractor (optional)
Copier transparency sheet
Marker
Tempera paints and brushes
Elmer's glue with black paint mixed in or black sharpie
Hole punch ( optional )
Ribbon ( optional )

Steps One-Three. Student is working on Step 3 with a clear transparency over her drawing

#1. Sketch out a winter themed subject on plain printer paper. Keep it large and not a lot of detail.

#2. Divide the background into shapes, drawing wiggly organic shapes or use a ruler, compass, or protractor for geometric shapes.

Step 4 - painting on the transparency

#3. This step is optional but most students chose to do this instead of keeping the paper and transparency lined up together while painting. Place the transparent copier sheet over the drawing. Using a marker, trace the drawing. This creates the map to follow while painting.

#4. Using primary colors ( to practice color mixing) of tempera, paint in the shapes.

#5. To complete the effect, use a black sharpie to outline the shapes and/or subject. The black tinted Elmer's glue will create a raised effect mimicking the lead framework of traditional stained glass.

First Grade - stained glass before black edges completed

#6. Punch holes in the upper corners and thread some ribbon through the holes to hang in a window.

McKayla - 4th Grade 

Delaney - 4th grade