Art History Timeline / Pop Art
Pop Art for Kids: Art History, Artists and an Easy Art Activity
Pop artists made art about everyday things like soup cans, comic books, candy and cakes. They used bright colours and copied the look of ads. Pop is short for popular.
For teachers
Pop Art drew on advertising, comics, packaging and celebrity culture, first in Britain and then in the United States. Artists used commercial methods such as silkscreen printing and Ben-Day dots and repeated images. It questioned the line between fine art and mass culture.
What to look for
Pull up an artwork from this time and go on a looking hunt. Here is what to spot.
- Everyday products and food
- Bright, flat colours
- Comic book dots and thick outlines
- Repeated images
Meet the artists
Wayne Thiebaud
1920 to 2021
He painted cakes, pies and candy with thick, creamy paint.
Roy Lichtenstein
1923 to 1997
He painted large comic-book pictures with dots.
Andy Warhol
1928 to 1987
He painted 32 Campbell's soup cans, one for each flavour.
Marisol
1930 to 2016
She made large wooden sculptures of people mixed with drawing and painting.
Try it
An easy art activity you can do with paper and whatever drawing tools you have.
Pick one favourite snack and draw it four times in a grid. Colour each one with a different bright colour scheme, and add dots to the background with a marker or the end of a pencil eraser.
Ms Artastic lessons
Ready-to-teach lessons that connect to this part of the timeline.
Watch with Ms Artastic
Videos from my YouTube channel that connect to this era.
Books for your art shelf
- Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol by James Warhola
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Questions teachers and parents ask
What is Pop Art?
Pop artists made art about everyday things like soup cans, comic books, candy and cakes. They used bright colours and copied the look of ads. Pop is short for popular.
What time period is Pop Art from?
Time period: Mid-1950s to 1970s. Where: United States and Britain.
Who are some famous artists of Pop Art?
Wayne Thiebaud (1920 to 2021), Roy Lichtenstein (1923 to 1997), Andy Warhol (1928 to 1987) and Marisol (1930 to 2016).
What is an easy art project for kids about Pop Art?
Pick one favourite snack and draw it four times in a grid. Colour each one with a different bright colour scheme, and add dots to the background with a marker or the end of a pencil eraser.
The Artastic Collective art curriculum
Full art lessons, videos and units for the whole year, ready when you are. Monthly, yearly and VIP plans.
Pop Art video lessons
Press play and paint along with me. Each video lesson comes with a printable lesson plan and a QR code, so it is ready for the classroom or the kitchen table.
🎬 Video lessons
Teach it with a video lesson
Each one has a step-by-step video tutorial and the printable lesson plan.
