Submitted by: Caroline Loomis, Emerson Junior High School in Davis, California
LENGTH OF LESSON: Ten - twelve 50 minute class periods
GRADE LEVEL: 8-9
SUBJECT AREA: Technology/Graphic Arts

OBJECTIVES:

Students will demonstrate knowledge of:

1. What defined the Pop Art style popular in the 50s and 60s.
2. Mass media graphics production. In particular, silk screening as a popular technique used by pop artists.
3. Digital techniques used to recreate silk screen process using software.

MATERIALS:

For this lesson, you will need:

• A computer with Internet access
• A Digital Camera
• A graphics editing software such as PhotoShop or PaintShop Photo Pro (You can buy Photoshop online at the Adobe Education Store)
• A color Printer
• Books: Pop Art and/or Pop Art: A Critical History

PROCEDURE:

1. Ask students if they know who Andy Warhol was or what Pop Art is. Show PowerPoint presentation on Pop Art. Show examples of Andy Warhol’s work.

2. Show Andy’s self-portrait poster and tell students they will be creating a poster using a picture of themselves in the pop art style.

3. Have student complete the following worksheet about pop art.

Pop Art Worksheet

1. What is Pop Art?
2. What is Andy Warhol known for?
3. What is the quote by Andy Warhol shown on the biography page?  How does it relate to the kind of art he created?
4. What is your reaction to the 10 portraits of Mao Tse-Tung?
5. What does mass production mean?  How was it used in Pop Art?
6. When you use the color adjustments on the Marilyn portraits, what do you notice about the colors?
7. Describe the silkscreen process.
8. Why do you think silk screening was popular with Pop Artists?

Use the following internet links to answer the worksheet questions.

Pop Art

Review this site about Pop Art.

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/p/popart.html

Andy Warhol Biography

Read about Andy Warhol and the kind of art he created.

http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/docs/bio_artistid5780_e.jsp

Andy Warhol portraits of Mao

View the portraits of Mao Tse-tung.

http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artist_work_e.jsp?iartistid=5780

The Marilyn Prints

Listen to the comments on color made by Andy Warhol. Use the color adjustments to make changes to the Marilyn prints. Look at what areas change color. Think about a color scheme you might use in your portraits.

http://webexhibits.org/colorart/marilyns.html

While students are working on the Pop Art Worksheet, use a digital camera and take a picture of each student. The pictures work best if the student is wearing light colored clothing (black won’t work).  It is also easier to clean up the photo, if you use a solid background (I use my whiteboard). Save the pictures to a network folder accessible to each student. Students \should copy their photo to a Pop Art Project folder in their individual student folder.

Silk Screening. Show traditional silk screening tools if available. Have a local silk screening company come and give a demonstration. Have students complete the Silk Screening How To worksheet.

See an interactive timeline of Warhol's work from The Warhol.

Silk Screening How-To

1.  Make your own silkscreen

Follow the hot link below to the Warhol website. Follow the directions to create your own silk screen postcard.  Be sure to read the directions as you create a silkscreen image in the manner of Andy Warhol.  http://www.warhol.org/interactive/silkscreen/main.html (This is an archive- page no longer online)

See also their silkscreen lesson [PDF] with lesson 2, lesson 3, and lesson 4. See more in their silkscreening unit.

2.  Describe the process

Complete the attached graphic organizer with the steps presented in the silk screen process. (Create a worksheet with room for the students to write the 6 steps of the silk screen process.)

3.  Print the silk screen

Print a copy of the silk screen you created.  (Right click on the finished silk screen image and choose print.)  Be sure to pick it up off the printer immediately – you have to write you name on it!! 

4.  Turn it in

Staple your silk screen to the graphic organizer and turn it in for credit or send a copy of the silkscreen postcard to me at (put your email address here.)

1. Cleaning up the image. In PaintShop Photo Pro, have the students remove the background from their picture.  Start in the Layers Palette by renaming the Background layer to Face Layer, and then use the Lasso, Magic Wand and Eraser to remove the background pixels. They want a really good clean up job! 

7. Add Canvas Layer. Next, add a new layer and name it Canvas Layer. Restack the layers in the Layers Palette so the Canvas Layer is behind the Face Layer. The layer will be transparent and will become the background behind the student’s image.

8. Crop the Image. Digital cameras take rectangular images that are 640x480 pixels. The poster needs images that are square. Double click on the Cropping Tool for the Crop Area dialog box.  Set the crop to the largest dimension that will make a square.  (Should be Left: 0, Right: 480, Top: 0, Bottom: 480)  Click and drag the middle of the cropping box to center the student’s face in the box.  Double click to apply the crop.

9. Save the image as a Paint Shop Pro file. Digital images are usually in a JPEG format.  Have the students us Save As… to change the file format to .psp. (This will save their layers!)  They should name it Starting Image. They have now completed their base image.

10. Identifying areas to change. Have students re-visit the Marilyn website (http://webexhibits.org/colorart/marilyns.html).  Have them make adjustments to various parts of the face using the color controls. Have them mention the different parts of the image they can change (eyes, lips, hair, face, etc.). Ask are these perfect selections of these areas?   

11. Creating selections. Have students use the Lasso or Magic Wand to make a selection of their hair. This doesn’t have to be a perfect selection (artistic license!). Use Selections - Save to Disk to save the selection to their Pop Art Project folder. Students will be making at least 4 different selections on their pictures to define areas for color change. Save all to the Pop Art Project folder.

12. Color Theory. In Paint Shop Pro, the students will use Colorize to change the colors in their picture. Use the following worksheet to discuss how color is created on the computer and in Paint Shop Pro.

• Have the students write the definition of Hue, Saturation and Lightness.

• Have them draw on the color wheel how each component is defined. (E.g. hue goes around the color wheel, saturation goes from left to right in the square and lightness goes from top to bottom in the square.)

Ø      Have them write down the Hue value for a few of their favorite colors on the color wheel.

Paint Shop Color Theory

Hue:

Saturation:

Lightness:

13. Create 9 images.  Use Save As… to create 9 copies of the Starting Image.  Have the students name them sequentially Image 1, Image 2, Image 3 and so on.  Save them in the Pop Art Project folder.

14. Colorizing images.  Ask students about the kinds of colors that Andy Warhol used in creating his images. (hard edged graphic style, flat colors)  What “feel” did Andy want to create?  (images were frequently funny and light hearted)  Did he repeat colors?  Have students pick a group of colors they will use to color their images.  Open Image 1 and load one of the selections saved in step 10.  Use Colorize to change the hue value.  Be sure that the saturation value is set to the highest value for the best effect. 

15. Add a background. Open all nine of the images in Paint Shop.  Have the students resize the images so they can see all nine at the same time.  Use the Flood Fill tool to fill the Canvas Layer of each image.  Make any adjustments to the colorized parts of the image to create a pleasing montage.

16. Creating JPEG images.  Use Save As… and change the file format on the images to JPEG.  JPEGs can be imported into Publisher for the final poster layout.

17. Create the poster layout in Publisher.  In Publisher, have the students set the following guides (in inches):

Layout Guides: .25 inches

Vertical Ruler Guides: .75, 1, 3, 3.25, 5.25, 5.5, 7.5, 7.75

Horizontal Ruler Guides:  1.5, 1.75, 3.75, 4, 6, 6.25, 8.25, 8.5, 10

These guides create a grid for nine 2 inch x 2 inch images (3 rows by 3 columns). The last horizontal ruler guide (10 inches) is the location for their name.

18. Placing pictures.  Use Insert > Picture from a file to insert the nine finished jpeg images. They should snap into the grid and can be sized without skewing to fit the 2x2 boxes. 

19. Finish touches.  Have the students create a rectangle, fill it with a color that will complement their images and then send it to the back (behind the images).  It should fit outside the pictures with a .25 inch border all the way around (.75 and 1.5 at top,  7.75 and 10 at the bottom). 

20. Adding their name. Add a Text Box to the bottom of the poster. Have the students type their name and Pop Art Poster on two lines. They can select their own font and color. Change the box to No Fill so the background rectangle created in step 19 shows through. Save it!! Have students print a grayscale laser copy to proof.

21. Print it! Print the poster on glossy, coated, medium weight paper. These make an excellent display for Open House! 

CONTENT STANDARDS

Visual Arts and Performing Arts Framework

GRADE 8:

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts

Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.

Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools
2.1 Demonstrate an increased knowledge of technical skills in using more complex two-dimensional art media and processes (e.g., printing press, silk screening, computer graphics software).

3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts

Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists.

Role and Development of the Visual Arts
3.1 Examine and describe or report on the role of a work of art created to make a social comment or protest social conditions.

5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS

Visual Literacy
5.3 Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of visual communication media (e.g., television, music videos, film, internet) on all aspects of society.

Career and Career-Related Skills
5.4 Work collaboratively with a community artist to create a work of art, such as a mural, and write a report about the skills needed to become a professional artist.

GRADE 9 - PROFICIENT

1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION

Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information Through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts

Students perceive and respond to works of art, objects in nature, events, and the environment. They also use the vocabulary of the visual arts to express their observations.

Analyze Art Elements and Principles of Design
1.3 Research and analyze the work of an artist and write about the artist's distinctive style and its contribution to the meaning of the work.
1.4 Analyze and describe how the composition of a work of art is affected by the use of a particular principle of design.

Impact of Media Choice
1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work.
1.6 Compare and contrast similar styles of works of art done in electronic media with those done with materials traditionally used in the visual arts.

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts

Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.

Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools
2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

2.3 Develop and refine skill in the manipulation of digital imagery (either still or video).

ADAPTATIONS:

Students that are very quick with the clean up and colorizing process can create a separate poster using the Effects Filters on the images and add textures for the backgrounds.

EVALUATION:

Project Elements	Points
1.  Create 9 jpeg images in Paint Shop	65
A.       Clean up background so only face and body are left. B.       Create a new background layer.  Paint it a solid color. C.       Create a minimum of 4 selections. D.      Use Colorize to color the image using the selections. Use of  “Pop Art” colors and repetitive style. E.       Crop the image to a square. F.       Save image as a jpeg.	10   5 15 15 10   5   5
2.  Create Publisher layout	60
Layout Guides = .25 Ruler Guides as per outline. 9 images placed correctly on the grid.   Sized without skewing. Arrangement of images creating Pop Art look to entire poster. Background rectangle – no line, filled with color, sent to the back, correct size. Text Box with name – centered, no fill, full name and poster title.	5 20 10 10   5 10
3.  Final Items	10
Print a laser proof.	10
4.  Total Points for project	135
5.  Extra Effort and Creativity	15

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Pop Artists (Artists in Profile)
Paul Mason, Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, 2003
Good background on Pop Art and Andy Warhol.  Has some color images of Andy’s work.

ABC Pop!
Rachel Isadora, Penguin Group NY, NY, 1999
This is a children’s ABC book done in Pop Art style.  Great illustrations and examples of pop art style.  The students loved looking at it.

1960-80 the Object of Art (20th Century Art)
Clare Oliver, Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2000
More background on Pop Art and Andy Warhol.