Lichtenstein Inspired Self-Portrait Cartoon

Lichtenstein Inspired Self-Portrait Cartoon

Junior High 

The idea for the lesson came from a junior high art teacher from Georgia named Amy.  Her blog is called, "Artful Artsy Amy".  Making my own example was quite fun.  Thanks for the idea, Amy!

This lesson connects the pop culture today (a major part/influence on students lives) to the ideas of the Pop Art movement, like Ben-Day dots and cartoons, and its a few of its artists, like Warhol, Lichtenstein, Oldenburg, and Raucshenberg.  It also allows the students to practice their skills and knowledge of primary colors (RYB) and how to copy the contour lines of a photograph.

Step 1.  Find a picture of yourself where you can at least see the head and shoulders. Print off photo on a 8.5" x 11' paper.  The picture should take up most of the page.

Step 2.  Grab a blank piece of 8.5" x 11' paper, and lay it onto of the photograph. Using a light tray (or a window with good light shining in) trace all the contour lines of yourself with a pencil.

Step 3.  Double check you drawing to make sure you traced all the necessary lines.

Step 4.  Free hand a thought or speech bubble.  Make a school appropriate sentence or two that can relate to the picture.

Step 5.  Make a gestural thumbnail sketch of the your picture, and label each section with the primary color you intend on using for it. Next, either make a mental or written note for what sections are going to be filled with dots and which sections you would like to be solid.  (Example: I chose to make my skin red dots, but I filled in my entire outfit with solid color.)

Step 6.  Begin painting picture with primary watercolors. Background needs to be painted in, as well.  NOTE: If students would like to make a section look like a secondary color a little bit, they may do this my painting the whole section with one primary color. Once the first color is dry, they may go back and make little dots on top of that section with the other needed primary color.  (Example: I colored in a few areas on my puppy's paws and nose with yellow.  After the yellow dried, I went back and put red dots on top of yellow.  This gave those areas a bit of an orange look.)

Step 7. Paper may curl on edges.  If possible, carefully place the paper under something heavy to flatten in out AFTER it is all dried. Make sure the paper is laying as flat as possible, so the edges don't edge up getting creased the wrong way.

View my lesson plan with link below:

COMING SOON!