January

Pop Art Portraits

Pop Art portraits is a one of the more popular projects we do each year. This year, students had the choice of painting a real person, a superhero, or anime character in a pop art style. These projects are painted on 18 by 24 inch hardboard and students are encouraged to work with a partner on this project, although some prefer to work alone. We first created a grid on the boards, which have been primed with artist gesso. The grid is to help students draw their person or character. Although it can be challenging, I have student draw these images first with the grid method to practice drawing skills, rather than simply projecting them onto the boards. This requires that we must also find an image that we can print and then draw a proportional grid over the top of the image. Thus is just as much a drawing project as it is a painting project. Once the drawing is complete, students erase their grid lines and begin painting their subject.

Left image: Malani Booker 8