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Lesson Plan Image

Pop Art Food

Pop artist Andy Warhol created several depictions of food or food-related products. Students will explore his life and work and create a pop art-inspired drawing of a nutritious food.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an American artist and leading figure in the pop art movement. He was known for exploring the relationship between artistic expression, advertising, and celebrity culture. His work includes portraits of celebrities and historical figures. He first worked as a commercial artist and was fascinated by the power of advertisements and their effect on American culture. Have students research his life and works. Show images of some of his "food" art such as "Campbell's Soup Can (Tomato/Pink)" (1968), "Apple" (1983), and "Double Hamburger" (1986). Have them note some of the pop art characteristics such as how they present everyday imagery, use bold colors, merge fine art with popular culture, etc.

  • Step 2

    Talk about the importance of nutritious foods for health, immunity, bone strength, etc. Have students discuss some of the nutritious foods they enjoy and other proactive measures they take to promote optimal health. Then ask them to choose one of these foods to depict using the pop art style.

  • Step 3

    Have students use various colored markers to create their drawing. They might use images of Warhol's art to inspire them. They can choose to depict just one item or make multiple images, as Warhol did in "Campbell's Soup Cans" (1962) or "Marilyn Diptych" (1962), which features repeated images of actress Marilyn Monroe.

  • Step 4

    Display the art on a bulletin board as a "menu" that pops and focuses on nutritious foods.

Standards

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art.

SCI: Convey designs through sketches, detailed drawings, or physical models to communicate ideas and solutions.

Adaptations

Have students explore the works of other artists in the pop art movement, such as David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Romero Britto, and others.

Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) was a Swedish-born American pop artist known who created sculptures of everyday objects including foods. Have students explore some of these such as "Floor Cone," "Floor Burger (Giant Hamburger)," and "Floor Cake, all created in 1962.