Hey Friends!
I want to introduce you to a very cool artist today...
Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York in 1923. He became famous for his bright and bold paintings of comic strip cartoons, as well as his paintings of everyday objects. He was one of a group of artists making art in the 1960s who were called pop artists because they made art about "popular" things, such as TV, celebrities, fast food, pop music and cartoons. Although best known as a painter, he made different types of art, including sculpture, murals, prints and ceramics.
I want to introduce you to a very cool artist today...
Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York in 1923. He became famous for his bright and bold paintings of comic strip cartoons, as well as his paintings of everyday objects. He was one of a group of artists making art in the 1960s who were called pop artists because they made art about "popular" things, such as TV, celebrities, fast food, pop music and cartoons. Although best known as a painter, he made different types of art, including sculpture, murals, prints and ceramics.
What is POP Art??
Pop Art is a genre of art that first “popped” up in post-war Britain and America in the 1950s and 1960s. It features popular culture and imaginative interpretations of commercial products. The movement made for a new kind of art that the everyday person could relate to! Pop Art is instantly recognizable with its bold imagery, bright colors, and repeated images inspired by mass production. It was all so unique and fun!
Take a look at this short video from TATE Kids to learn more about POP Art!
Take a look at this short video from TATE Kids to learn more about POP Art!
Roy Lichtenstein
Explosion 1965–6
Does this explosion look like real to you? Or does it look like something from your favorite comic?
Lichtenstein chose colors carefully to make his art look like it came from a comic book printer. Look closely. Do you see the little dots in his art? Those are called Ben Day Dots. This was another way for his art to look like newspaper printing. Can you see how the colors are clear from a distance, but look like tiny dots and dashes close-up?
Explosion 1965–6
Does this explosion look like real to you? Or does it look like something from your favorite comic?
Lichtenstein chose colors carefully to make his art look like it came from a comic book printer. Look closely. Do you see the little dots in his art? Those are called Ben Day Dots. This was another way for his art to look like newspaper printing. Can you see how the colors are clear from a distance, but look like tiny dots and dashes close-up?
Roy Lichtenstein
Reflections on Minerva 1990
Lichtenstein is famous for his use of cartoon strips from American comic books, which were very popular the 1950s. He admired the skill of the comic book artist, who could create complex stories of love and war in cartoon form.
 | Roy Lichtenstein Reflections on The Scream 1990 He was sometimes accused of copying comics exactly, but he said that he made changes to the pictures, right down to the tiniest placement of individual dots. He was also criticized for using very basic painting techniques. What do you think of his artworks? |
Today, we are going to make our own comic book together!
The first step is to grab some scratch paper and a pencil, and to start to brainstorm!
What do you want your comic to be about? Where will you get your inspiration from?
Once you have your topic, you can create a story board!
Here are a few ideas:
A story board is an important part of the comic book writing process. All it is is the idea you have in your head drawn out on a piece of scratch paper. For my comic book, I am writing about a dog who can't find his bed. I drew out several squares and began to draw and write my ideas. Ask for help if you get stuck!
What do you want your comic to be about? Where will you get your inspiration from?
Once you have your topic, you can create a story board!
Here are a few ideas:
- Travel to A Mysterious Place.
- Making Wishes Come True.
- A Day at Work.
- A Day at School.
- Write a Love Story.
- A New Fairy Tale
A story board is an important part of the comic book writing process. All it is is the idea you have in your head drawn out on a piece of scratch paper. For my comic book, I am writing about a dog who can't find his bed. I drew out several squares and began to draw and write my ideas. Ask for help if you get stuck!
You're doing a great job!
After you know how your story will go, it is time to make the book! Stack your paper neatly with all the corners matching up, and fold the stack in half (Hamburger style). Make a really strong crease. At the spine of your book (where your crease is), use a stapler to secure the paper. If you do not have a stapler, ask an adult to help you poke holes through the paper and secure it with brass fasteners or ribbon!
Looking good!
Now, take a look at the Comic Book Templets. What do you notice about how the pages are divided? Imagine each of these sections being a snapshot of a different scene to your story. Divide your paper into sections like these using your ruler and pencil!
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Once you have your sections, you can start to fill them in with your story! Use your pencil first so you can erase any mistakes, and then go back over with your markers or pens. Try to use some cool speech bubbles like theses. You can add words like WHAMM, POP, POW, or BAM!
Check out this tutorial on how to make your letters really POP in 3D..
Check out this tutorial on how to make your letters really POP in 3D..
Brighten it up!
Take a close look at the colors Lichtenstein used. What do you see? I mostly see red, yellow, blue and white. Red, yellow, and blue are all the primary colors! I am going to use these colors as well, and maybe a green, too! Start with your cover page. That's the page that you can see when the book is closed. Your cover page should have a title, an image, and the author's name (that's you!) written on it. When you fill your pictures in with color, try to use the Ben Day Dot system! This can take a while, so you will have to be patient, but the results are worth it! From here, you can fill in the rest of your comic book!
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