Before Pop Art.

1950s Abstract Expressionism

The General Public just didnt get it!

This was Art that was only understood and appreciated by a small number of people.

Pop Art began at the end of the 1950s, and continued throughout the 1960s.
Pop Art was bright and brash, and used images that the General Public could understand and relate to. This painting is called Flags, and is by Jasper Johns, who was one of the early pioneers of Pop Art.

Roy Lichtenstein used a comic book style in his art. In this painting, it looks as though he is making fun of the Abstract Expressionist painters.

Another early Pop Art painting. Jasper Johns Flag

The Most famous Pop Artists are the American artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
Pop Art began in America, but some British artists like David Hockney and Peter Blake also worked in the Pop Art style

Andy Warhol took images from advertising, and used them in his art.

Andy Warhol painted the film star Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would paint the colours first, and then print the black part over the top using a silk screen Warhol sometimes got other people to help him to produce his paintings. He made lots and lots of paintings- on a kind of production line. Warhols studio became known as The Factory

Marilyn by Andy Warhol

He would also use pictures of everyday objects in his work. Warhol was making his art about mass production and consumerism.

Warhol made these boxes out of wood and then printed the designs onto them.

This painting of the Queen was made in the same way as Marilyn using silk screen printing techniques.

He painted the most famous and popular stars of the time.

Warhol often used multiple printed images such as here in Marilyns

Warhol took this image, and repeated it thousands of times to create his cow wallpaper

Warhol would choose a theme for his artwork. This print is from his death and disaster series. Can you see what is happening here? Why do you think he has left one square empty?

He used popular images that the general public in America could relate to.

Commercial artists have used Warhols style to produce posters, such as this one of Che Guevara.

Roy Lichtenstein
is famous for painting comic book paintings.

He used images from girls romantic comics

as well as from boys war comics

Here you can see the original comic strip at the top, and Lichtensteins paintining underneath. Look at how he has developed and refined the image.

He is well known for using dots, which he sprayed onto the canvas through a wire mesh.

This painting is by the British artist David Hockney It is called A Bigger Splash

1961, Peter Blake paints Self portrait with badges

1960s Art and Events

1962 Andy Warhol paints say Pepsi please

1963 President Kennedy assassinated

Roy Lic htenstein paints Im sorry 1966 1966 England win the World c up

1967 Jasper Johns paints Flag Also in 1967, English artist David Hoc kney paints A bigger splash

1969 Neil Armstrong bec omes the first man to set foot on the moon