In the post-war era of the 1950s, a new kind of art movement began to appear. Focusing on commercial culture and advertising in its rawest form, this style of artwork became known as Pop Art. Pop Art is best seen as an umbrella term for any number of related sub-movements, including visual satire and the use of Comic book characters like Superman, who first appeared in the 1938 edition of Action Comics. The works produced during this period were heavily influenced by popular media and frequently used images from advertisements and comic strips for their subjects. The use of bright colors and strong visual imagery were also common characteristics of Pop Art paintings. With this tutorial, you can learn how to paint a Pop Art painting with bold colors, and geometric shapes and add some texture by using watercolors!
Introduction to Pop Art
Pop Art is a style of visual art that emerged in the 1950s. It is closely associated with the work of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, although many other artists have produced work that fits the basic definition of Pop Art. The movement was initially a reaction against Abstract Expressionism and its focus on the artist's expression. The main idea behind this movement is that any material can be the subject of art, even if it is not considered traditionally artistic. Another characteristic of Pop Art is its focus on images from everyday life and the mass media. Pop artists were influenced by advertising and other aspects of the commercial world and often used images from advertisements and comic strips in their work. Pop art and the related movement of Neo-Dadaism broke with the seriousness of the previous generation of modern artists and brought humor and a greater emphasis on visual imagery and process.
Step 1: Add a dark blue base
For a Pop Art painting, it is important to keep the edges of the paper visible. This gives you a lot of space to work with and allows you to create a lot of texture with your brushstrokes. First of all, you want to start with a dark blue base. You can do this with black paint or by mixing blue and black until you get the desired tone. This is the first layer of paint that will set the tone for your entire painting. The base layer can be used in different ways: to block in forms, to create texture, to establish color relationships, or to convey a certain mood.
Step 2: Paint the background and add the red squares
The next step is to start painting the background of your Pop Art painting. We will be using red on a blue background, which is the most common color combination for this kind of artwork. First, paint the background with a mixture of blue and red paint. You can also mix in some white if you want to create a lighter tone. After that, add a big splash of red paint to the background and use your brush to pull it toward the upper-right corner of the paper.
Step 3: Draw the yellow shapes and add some transparency
Next, we will draw some yellow shapes on the red background and add some transparency with water. We will be using yellow paint and a brush with some water to create these shapes. The brush should be almost dry, so you can use it to create streaks with water. These will create transparent shapes that you can use to add depth to the painting.
Step 4: Finally, paint the green shape, the text, and the sign
The last step is to paint the green shape, the text, and the sign. You can use a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and depth. This is important because a lot of Pop Art paintings are characterized by the use of bold brushstrokes. In addition to that, you can add some texture by scratching the paper with a pencil or a nail. You can also use a paper towel to get a more subtle texture. If you want to learn more about Pop Art paintings, you can watch this video, which will give you more examples of what this style of art looks like:
Conclusion
Pop Art is one of the most interesting styles of art you can explore. Pop artists used imagery and materials from contemporary culture to make social statements, often using irony and humor. This hobby involves using bold colors, and geometric shapes and creating texture by using watercolors. If you like this genre of art, this tutorial will show you how to create a Pop Art painting from start to finish. Follow these steps, and you will be on your way to creating your Pop Art artwork in no time.