Pop Art Sunrise Painting

You might not be out of bed for sunrise but you can still enjoy the beauty and color of the morning sunrise with a fun printable art activity! This Roy Lichtenstein inspired Pop Art project is perfect for exploring mixed media with kids. Art doesn’t have to be difficult or overly messy to share with kids, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot either! Plus, you can add in fun and learning with famous artists projects!

Who Is Roy Lichtenstein?

Roy Lichtenstein was born in 1923 in New York. As a kid, he loved to draw in his spare time. After high school, Lichtenstein went to college where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in fine art. In between his studies, Lichtenstein served in the US Army during World War II in non combat roles.

Lichtenstein was known for his style of art called ‘pop art’ that was popular in the 1960’s. Pop Art is all about making art with reference to things from popular and mass culture. Often everyday objects like road signs, hamburgers, comic strips, or soup cans etc. are used in the artwork.

Lichtenstein admired the skill of the comic book artist, who could create complicated stories of love and war in cartoon form. He was known for his use of cartoon strips from American comic books, that were very popular in the 1950s.

More Fun Roy Lichtenstein Projects To Try

• Easter Bunny Art
• Halloween Pop Art
• Christmas Tree Card

Roy Lichtenstein’s Sunrise Painting

Roy Lichtenstein’s “Sunrise” is a painting that depicts a stylized sunrise using his signature pop art style. The painting is part of his series of landscapes, which he created in the 1960s. The painting is simple yet bold, and it captures the essence of a sunrise with its vibrant colors and graphic style.

LOOK: Easy Pop Art Ideas For Kids

Click Here To Get Your Free Printable Art Project!

What Is Pop Art?

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a cultural revolution was happening, led by activists, thinkers, and artists who wanted to change what they felt was a very rigid style of society.

These artists began looking for inspiration and materials from their surroundings. They made art using everyday items, consumer goods, and media images. This movement was called Pop Art from the term Popular Culture.

Everyday objects and images from popular cultures, such as advertisements, comic books, and consumer products characterize Pop Art.

One of the characteristics of Pop Art is its use of color. Pop Art is bright, bold, and very relatable! Learn more about color as part of the 7 elements of art.

There are many types of Pop Art, from paintings to silk-screen prints to collages and 3-D artworks. Learn about some of the most well-known Pop Art artists below.

It’s a Mixed Media Project!

Another fantastic thing about this art project is that it doubles as a mixed-media project! Various layers of different mediums are added to achieve the overall outcome.

The first layer is the background or newsprint features, then a layer of paint is added to provide a texture, and finally, a collage is added to complete the project. You could even finish up with a little paint splatter (my favorite technique)!

How to Make a Sunrise Painting

Supplies:

• Sunrise Template
• Cardstock
• Canvas (or a thick piece of cardboard)
• Newspaper
• Acrylic paint
• Sponge
• Glue
• Scissors

Instructions:

STEP 1: Print the sunrise template. Then cut out the individual pieces.

STEP 2: Using the template as a guide, cut out the shapes from colored cardstock.

STEP 3: Glue newspaper to your canvas. Then use the sponge to create texture with acrylic paint on the newspaper.

STEP 4: When dry, glue down your sunrise shapes.

Adding layers create a fantastic mixed media project. You can go behind using cardstock and use the template with old magazines, etc.

Pop Art is bold and bright! Feel free to change up the colors, layers, mediums, etc to suit the supplies you have on hand.