Looking for engaging famous artist activities for kids? Try a variety of hands-on art projects, printable activities, and creative lessons inspired by 30+ famous artists from around the world.
Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, homeschooling, or creating at home, you’ll find painting, collage, drawing, sculpture, and print-and-go art activities that help kids explore different artistic styles while creating their own artwork.
Designed for kids ages 5–12, these easy-to-follow projects use simple supplies and encourage creativity, curiosity, and confidence. Each artist page includes background information, hands-on activities, and many include free printable resources to make planning even easier.
Browse the artists below to find your next favorite art lesson!
Why Explore Famous Artists?
Learning about famous artists helps kids see that there isn’t just one way to make art. As they experiment with different techniques, materials, and styles, they also discover the stories, cultures, and ideas behind the artwork.
Hands-on artist studies help kids:
- Build creativity and confidence
- Explore painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media
- Learn about artists from different cultures and time periods
- Strengthen observation and critical thinking skills
- Connect art with history, science, literature, and geography
- Discover new materials and artistic techniques
Whether you’re introducing a single artist or planning a complete art unit, these projects make art history approachable, engaging, and fun. Try a new artist each week!
Start with a FREE Famous Artist Starter Pack
New to artist studies? Download our FREE Piet Mondrian Starter Pack and discover how easy it is to introduce famous artists through hands-on learning.
This printable resource includes a kid-friendly introduction to Piet Mondrian along with simple art activities that help kids explore his signature use of lines, geometric shapes, and primary colors.
Whether you’re teaching one art lesson or beginning an artist study unit, it’s the perfect place to start.
Inside You’ll Find:
- Printable Piet Mondrian biography
- Easy artist-inspired art project
- Great for ages 5–12
👉 Download the FREE Piet Mondrian Starter Pack
Browse by Artist Collection
Looking for a specific group of artists? Explore these collections to discover even more creative art projects and printable activities.
- Women Artists for Kids
- Black Artists for Kids
- Indigenous Artists for Kids
Explore Famous Artist Activities
From world-famous painters to contemporary artists, these hands-on art projects help kids explore different artistic styles, cultures, and creative techniques. Click on any artist below to discover free art projects, printable activities, and lesson ideas that bring art history to life.
🎨 Vincent van Gogh
Discover Vincent van Gogh’s expressive brushstrokes and vibrant use of color through painting, mixed-media, and still-life projects. These activities encourage children to experiment with texture, movement, and creative expression.
Projects: Starry Night Painting • Scary Night Art • Sunflower Art • Coffee-Painted Starry Night • Lemon Still Life • Mystery Artist • Dream Bedroom Art
🎨 Yayoi Kusama
Celebrate Yayoi Kusama’s love of dots, pumpkins, flowers, and bold patterns with colorful projects that encourage creativity, repetition, and playful design.
Projects: Polka Dot Butterfly • Kusama Pumpkin • Watermelon Art • Tulip Art • Kusama Hearts
🎨 Frida Kahlo
Explore the life and artwork of Frida Kahlo through colorful projects celebrating self-expression, nature, and Mexican culture. From portraits to seasonal art, these activities encourage children to tell their own stories while learning about one of the world’s most inspiring artists.
Projects: Frida Leaf Collage • Frida Flower Art • Frida Ornament • View All Frida Kahlo Activities
🎨 Henri Matisse
Experiment with colorful paper cutouts, collage, and bold shapes while discovering Henri Matisse’s joyful artistic style. These hands-on activities encourage children to create expressive artwork using simple materials and imaginative design.
Projects: Flower Art • Winter Birds • Matisse Leaves • Beast of the Sea
🎨 Jean-Michel Basquiat
Explore expressive lines, symbols, and bold colors while creating artwork inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s energetic style.
Projects: Funky Self-Portraits
🎨 Alma Thomas
Celebrate joyful color and pattern through mosaic-inspired projects that introduce children to Alma Thomas’s vibrant artwork.
Projects: Circle Art • Bubble Wrap Printing • Stamped Heart Art • Circle Art
🎨 Claude Monet
Introduce Impressionism with beautiful landscape and flower projects that help children explore light, color, and nature through art.
Projects: Monet Bridge Painting • Sunflower Painting • Mixed Media Flowers • Water Lilly
🎨 Pablo Picasso
Discover Pablo Picasso’s imaginative world of Cubism through portraits, flowers, and collage projects. These activities encourage students to see familiar objects in new ways while exploring shape, perspective, and creative problem-solving.
Projects: Picasso Faces • Picasso Flowers • Picasso Heart • Cubist Snowman • View All Pablo Picasso Activities
🎨 Faith Ringgold
Combine storytelling and creativity with quilt-inspired artwork that celebrates the life and artistic legacy of Faith Ringgold.
Projects: Story Quilt Art Project
🎨 Andy Warhol
Discover the colorful world of Pop Art through bold, graphic projects inspired by Andy Warhol. Children will experiment with repetition, bright colors, and everyday objects while learning about one of America’s most influential artists.
Projects: Pop Art Flowers • Pop Art Earth • Pop Art Leaves • Pop Art Popsicles • View All Warhol Activities
🎨 Lorna Simpson
Combine words and images to create thoughtful mixed media artwork while exploring the contemporary art of Lorna Simpson.
Projects: Mixed Media Collage Art
🎨 Salvador DalÃ
Spark the imagination with surreal art projects that encourage children to think creatively and explore dreamlike ideas.
Projects: Surrealist Clock Art • Cyclops Dough Sculpture
🎨 M.C. Escher
Discover how math and art come together through tessellations, patterns, and optical illusion-inspired projects.
Projects: Tessellation Art • Escher Eye Art
🎨 Roy Lichtenstein
Bring comic book style into the art room with colorful Pop Art projects featuring bold outlines, bright colors, and graphic design.
Projects: Sunrise Painting • Bunny Art • Sneaker Pop Art • BOO Painting
🎨 Keith Haring
Celebrate movement, line, and bold graphic design with energetic art projects inspired by Keith Haring.
Projects: Keith Haring Line Art • Keith Haring Printable Art Game
🎨 Wassily Kandinsky
Introduce abstract art through colorful circles, lines, and geometric shapes inspired by Wassily Kandinsky. These projects encourage children to experiment with color and composition while discovering one of the pioneers of abstract painting.
Projects: Circle Mosaic • Torn Paper Art • Haunted House • Kandinsky Trees
🎨 Paul Klee
Explore Paul Klee’s playful use of color, geometric shapes, and imagination through painting, collage, and directed drawing activities. His whimsical style encourages children to experiment, take creative risks, and discover that art doesn’t have to look realistic to tell a story.
Projects: Goldfish Art Project • Cat and Bird • Cityscape • Paul Klee Directed Drawing
🎨 Michelangelo
Introduce Renaissance art with kid-friendly painting and sculpture projects inspired by Michelangelo’s famous masterpieces.
Projects: Faux Fresco Painting • Soap Carving Relief Sculpture
🎨 Leonardo da Vinci
Discover one of history’s greatest artists and inventors through a creative Mona Lisa-inspired mixed media project.
Projects: Mixed Media Mona Lisa Collage
🎨 Gustav Klimt
Explore decorative patterns, rich colors, and shimmering details while creating artwork inspired by Gustav Klimt.
Projects: Woman in Gold Portrait
🎨 Georgia O’Keeffe
Celebrate flowers, leaves, and the beauty of nature with bold, colorful art projects inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe.
Projects: Pastel Flowers • Leaves • Skull Art • Poppies
🎨 Henri Rousseau
Step into imaginative jungles filled with plants and animals through creative collage projects inspired by Henri Rousseau.
Projects: Jungle Animal Tiger Art Collage
🎨 Jacob Lawrence
Discover how art can tell powerful stories through colorful projects inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s unique style.
Projects: Shapes & Stories Art Project
🎨 Grandma Moses
Explore American folk art through charming seasonal landscapes inspired by the paintings of Grandma Moses.
Projects: Primitive Winter Art
🎨 Bronwyn Bancroft
Celebrate Indigenous Australian art through colorful landscapes, patterns, and storytelling inspired by Bronwyn Bancroft.
Projects: Colorful Landscape Painting
🎨 Hilma af Klint
Introduce abstract art with colorful geometric projects inspired by Hilma af Klint’s groundbreaking paintings.
Projects: Bold Shape Collage
🎨 Kenojuak Ashevak
Explore Inuit art through beautiful bird-themed projects inspired by celebrated artist Kenojuak Ashevak.
Projects: Owl Art Project • Bird Art Project
🎨 Edvard Munch
Discover how artists express emotion through color and composition with projects inspired by The Scream.
Projects: The Scream Art Project
🎨 Hokusai
Explore Japanese art through dramatic ocean scenes inspired by Hokusai’s iconic woodblock print, The Great Wave.
Projects: Great Wave Painting
🎨 Joan Miró
Encourage imagination with whimsical line drawings and playful abstract art inspired by Joan Miró.
Projects: Whimsical Line Drawing
🎨 Laurel Burch
Create colorful cats and bold patterned artwork while exploring Laurel Burch’s vibrant folk art style.
Projects: Laurel Burch Cat Art • Melted Crayon Art
🎨 Howardena Pindell
Introduce abstract art through colorful circle compositions inspired by Howardena Pindell. Kids will explore repetition, texture, and layered designs while experimenting with shape and color.
Project: Abstract Circle Art
🎨 Romero Britto
Celebrate bold colors, patterns, and joyful designs with flower art inspired by Romero Britto’s playful Pop Art style.
Project: Bold Flower Art
🎨 Jackson Pollock
Encourage creative expression through energetic painting inspired by Jackson Pollock’s famous action painting technique. This playful project lets kids experiment with movement, color, and texture.
Project: Crazy Hair Art
🎨 Georges Seurat
Discover the colorful world of Pointillism through dot painting inspired by Georges Seurat. Children learn how tiny dots of color work together to create vibrant works of art.
Project: Dot Art
🎨 Takashi Murakami
Explore cheerful flowers, bold colors, and contemporary Japanese art through projects inspired by Takashi Murakami’s iconic smiling flowers.
Project: Flower Art (Coming Soon) • Turkey Disguise Art
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are these famous artist activities best for?
Most of these projects are designed for children ages 5–12 and can easily be adapted for younger or older students. Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, homeschooling, or creating at home, you’ll find activities that encourage creativity while introducing a variety of famous artists and artistic styles.
Do I need special art supplies?
No! Most projects use common classroom and household supplies like paper, paint, markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue, and recycled materials. Each activity includes a simple supply list to help you get started.
Can I use these activities in the classroom?
Absolutely! These projects are perfect for elementary art lessons, homeschool, art centers, early finishers, indoor recess, sub plans, and after-school programs. Many activities also include free printable resources to make planning even easier.
Do you offer printable famous artist activities?
Yes! You’ll find free printable activities throughout this collection, including artist studies, directed drawing pages, coloring pages, and project templates. If you’re looking for ready-to-use lessons, be sure to explore our Famous Artists Print & Go Art Bundle.
Why should kids learn about famous artists?
Learning about famous artists encourages creativity, builds cultural awareness, and introduces children to different artistic styles and techniques. Artist studies also help students strengthen observation skills, practice creative problem-solving, and develop confidence through hands-on art experiences.
Seasonal & Themed Famous Artist Activities
Bring famous artists into every season with these creative projects inspired by a range of artists and artistic styles. These activities are a fun way to compare techniques, explore color and pattern, and create artwork that connects with holidays, seasons, and everyday fun themes.
Famous Artist Ice Cream Cones
Design colorful ice cream cones inspired by the styles of artists like Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama, Romero Britto, and more.
Famous Artist Strawberries
Explore color, pattern, and creative design while decorating strawberries inspired by famous artists.
Famous Artist Flowers
Compare artistic styles by creating flowers inspired by well-known painters from around the world.
Famous Artist Pumpkins
Celebrate fall with pumpkins inspired by artists such as Kusama, Van Gogh, Mondrian, and others.
Famous Artist Easter Eggs
Decorate printable Easter eggs using the colors, patterns, and techniques of famous artists.
Famous Artist Valentines
Create heartfelt art inspired by famous artists while exploring line, shape, color, and pattern.
Famous Artist Christmas Trees
Celebrate the holidays with colorful Christmas trees inspired by a variety of famous artists and artistic styles.
Ready for More Famous Artist Activities?
Whether you’re looking for open-ended art projects or ready-to-print classroom lessons, we have a resource for every type of art educator.
Famous Artists Bundle
Inspire creativity with hands-on art projects based on more than 25 famous artists. Students explore painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, and creative techniques while learning about each artist’s unique style.
Perfect for:
- Weekly art lessons
- Creative exploration
- Process art
- Elementary classrooms
- Homeschool
👉 Explore the Famous Artists Bundle
Famous Artists Print & Go Art Bundle
Need a lesson that’s ready in minutes? This classroom-friendly printable collection makes planning easy with artist biographies, directed drawing pages, vocabulary, reflection sheets, warm-up activities, and printable art lessons.
Inside you’ll find:
- 19 famous artist biographies
- 19 printable art projects
- Directed drawing pages
- Artist warm-up prompts
- Art vocabulary pages
- Student reflection sheets
- Suggested lesson sequence
- Low-prep classroom activities
Perfect for:
- Art centers
- Early finishers
- Sub plans
- Independent work
- Homeschool
- Low-prep art lessons
👉 Explore the Famous Artists Print & Go Art Bundle
Continue Exploring Art
Looking for even more creative inspiration? Explore these popular art resources filled with printable activities, hands-on projects, and creative ideas for elementary classrooms and homeschool.
- Printable Art Projects – Discover low-prep art activities that are easy to print and use year-round.
- Drawing Ideas for Kids – Build confidence with directed drawing activities, creative drawing prompts, and step-by-step art inspiration.
- Process Art Activities – Encourage creativity through open-ended art experiences that emphasize exploration over perfection.
- 7 Elements of Art – Help kids understand the building blocks of art through simple, hands-on activities.
- STEAM Art Activities – Combine art with science, technology, engineering, and math through creative projects.
- Art Challenge Prompts – Inspire creativity with fun drawing and art prompts for every season.
- Preschool Art Projects – Simple, age-appropriate activities designed for little learners.
- 5 Day Art Camp – Complete art camp plan to use any time of the year.
