This Andy Warhol preschool art project is designed to add a burst of color and creativity to any classroom, making it perfect for art shows and open houses. The project engages young students with its vibrant colors and playful techniques. It also provides a gentle introduction to one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century. Explore the fascinating world of Andy Warhol and add a little “pop” to the art display in the classroom.
Introducing Andy Warhol
First, introduce the topic of Andy Warhol in circle time. The Andy Warhol Museum is a fantastic online resource for information on the artist and his style. One of the most iconic pieces, Warhol’s Soup Cans, is a good place to start as students will easily recognize the material. Discuss how everyday objects are often used for art. Compare it with the Marilyn Monroe screenprints or any other of his silkscreen art.
Campbell’s Soup Can (Tomato Rice), 1961
Questions to Ask Preschool Students
One thing that is important to keep in mind: not every aspect of an artist might be preschool-friendly. That’s OK! Instead of doing a deep dive into all of the artist’s work and life, it is perfectly acceptable to appreciate colors, shapes, and styles of art. Here are four questions to ask students when exploring art:
- What colors do you see?
- What shapes do you see?
- How do you think the artist made this art?
- What else do you notice about the art?
Materials Needed for the Andy Warhol Preschool Art Project
After the discussion, it’s time to get to work creating art! This Andy Warhol preschool art project was inspired by this activity at Friends Art Lab (@friendsartlab). Check them out for some amazingly cool art projects that are preschool-friendly.
Learn about 10 Famous Artists in this Amazing Unit!
Famous Artists Preschool Unit
$12.00Watch your students’ creativity abound with this comprehensive Famous Artists Unit for preschoolers. The unit includes complete lesson plans for 10 days of circle time, as well as additional literacy and math centers. All of the planning is done for you!
To set up, gather the following materials:
- Biocolor paint in black, white, and bright colors
- Old gift cards, hotel key cards, or something similar
- Sturdy white paper (construction paper or cardstock)
- 12×12 cardstock in black and/or white
- Art smocks
Make sure there is a way to clean off the students’ hands during the art project and protect the work surface as well.
The Process of the Andy Warhol Preschool Art
For this project, each student will have to do the process four times. First, the teacher should cut the sturdy white paper into 5.5″ squares. Students choose one color of the Biocolor paint to make two handprints. Squirt a little bit of the Biocolor paint onto the student’s hand and let them rub their hands together to spread the paint out. Next, students press their hands to the 5.5″ squares.
Here’s the magical bit, and why Biocolor paint is specifically required for this Andy Warhol preschool art project: Without waiting for the paint to dry, students choose a different Biocolor paint to scrape over each handprint. Do this by applying a thin line of paint at one edge of the paper. Next, the student drags the paint across the handprint using the plastic scraper. The handprint stays intact and doesn’t smear!
Finally, when the paint is dry, glue the four handprints to a piece of 12×12 cardstock, leaving space in between the cards to create a border. Add a small tag with each child’s name for a true gallery feel!
Additional Andy Warhol Resources
- Andy Warhol What Colors Do You See? is a great resource full of pop art pictures.
- Uncle Andy’s Cats by James Warhola – the nephew of the artist himself! Andy Warhol loved his feline friends and had many cats – often named Sam.
- Andy Warhol Finger Puppet – bring the artist to life in the classroom with this delightful little puppet! Or get the full sized doll here.
