Creating Pop Art Portraits

Overview

Lesson 2 of 2 in the unit Pop Art Portraits. Students transform a teacher-approved photograph into a repeated, Warhol-inspired portrait using simplified shapes, bold contrasting colour and deliberate variation. The lesson is designed for 25 Year 7–8 students and includes peer feedback and reflection.

Learning intentions

• WALT transform a photograph into a repeated Pop Art portrait.
• WALT simplify a portrait into recognisable shapes and strong outlines.
• WALT use bold, contrasting, non-realistic colours to create visual impact.
• WALT explain how my work is inspired by Andy Warhol without copying an artwork exactly.

Success criteria

• I can reproduce my portrait 4–6 times on a page or digital layout.
• I can use clear shapes, strong outlines and bold contrasting colours.
• I can vary the colours or background while maintaining a recognisable repeated image.
• I can explain one way my work is inspired by Warhol’s approach.

Curriculum links

• Visual Arts—Developing Practical Knowledge: explore line, shape, colour, contrast, repetition and mixed-media or digital techniques.
• Visual Arts—Developing Ideas: develop and refine a portrait idea by simplifying, repeating and varying visual elements.
• Visual Arts—Communicating and Interpreting: present and discuss artwork, explaining intention and connections with Pop Art.
• Key Competencies: thinking; managing self; participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook and reconnect Display the introduction and example slides from the Pop Art introduction deck. Ask: “What changes when the same face is repeated in different colours?” Briefly revisit the previous lesson’s ideas about Pop Art, Warhol, repetition, bold colour and recognisable imagery. Remind students that they are inspired by techniques, not copying a specific artwork.

2. 5–10 minutes – Demonstration and success criteria Model the process live or using the step-by-step slides: select one clear portrait, divide the page into 4–6 sections, trace or redraw the main shapes, add strong outlines, and apply contrasting colours. Demonstrate how one portrait can remain recognisable while skin, hair, clothing and backgrounds change. Distribute the Pop Art portrait planning sheet and clarify the success criteria using icons and short, dyslexia-friendly instructions.

3. 10–14 minutes – Choose and plan Students select a teacher-approved photograph from a prepared set, their own suitable photo, or a provided template. They plan a 4–6 panel layout and choose a limited colour palette for each version. Circulate to check that photographs show a clear face and that students have a manageable plan before beginning.

4. 14–32 minutes – Create the repeated portrait Students reproduce the portrait 4–6 times on paper or in a digital layout, then simplify each image into clear shapes. They add strong outlines and non-realistic, contrasting colours, changing colours or backgrounds between panels. Pause at 20 and 27 minutes for short check-ins: “Have you repeated the same key features?” and “Where could you increase contrast?” Students needing alternatives may use tracing, projection, collage or a digital drawing tool.

5. 32–37 minutes – Refine and prepare to share Students check their work against the worksheet: repeated image, recognisable shapes, bold colour, variation and Warhol-inspired choices. They strengthen outlines, fill gaps and add an optional simple pattern or background. Ask students to write one sentence explaining a deliberate colour or repetition choice.

6. 37–43 minutes – Peer feedback In pairs, students place work side by side and give one specific positive comment and one useful suggestion. Use the Visual Arts Critique Cards to support feedback, selecting prompts such as “Describe”, “Analyse”, “Compare” and “Feedback”. Students may use the sentence frame: “I notice…”, “The repeated image is effective because…”, and “One idea to try is…”.

7. 43–45 minutes – Plenary and pack-up Invite two or three students to share how their portrait changed across the panels. Return to the slides for the final reflection prompt: “How did you keep the face recognisable while making each version different?” Students submit their artwork and worksheet, then clean their workspace safely.

Resources

• Teacher-approved portrait photographs and pre-printed alternatives
• Drawing paper or cartridge paper
• Pencils, erasers, rulers and black felt-tip pens
• Coloured pencils, markers, pastels or paint
• Optional collage materials and tablets or computers
• Projector or interactive board
• the Pop Art introduction deck
• the Pop Art portrait planning sheet
• the Visual Arts Critique Cards
• Visual timer and step-by-step process displayed in the classroom

Assessment

• Observe whether students reproduce a recognisable portrait 4–6 times and use shape, line, contrast, repetition and variation intentionally.
• Confer during the activity using questions such as “Which features make this face recognisable?” and “How are your colour choices changing the mood?”
• Assess the finished artwork, planning sheet and peer feedback against the success criteria. Listen for an explanation that connects the work to Warhol-inspired repetition and bold colour without claiming it is an exact copy.

Differentiation

• Provide pre-printed photographs, simplified templates, tracing paper, projection or grid guides. Allow collage or digital creation where drawing is a barrier.
• Offer a limited colour palette, pre-drawn panel layouts and one-step-at-a-time visual instructions. Use icons, clear sans-serif fonts, short chunks of text and audio directions for dyslexia-friendly access.
• Pair students strategically for collaborative support and complete brief check-ins after choosing the image, reproducing the shapes and applying colour.
• Extend confident students by adding a meaningful background pattern, experimenting with colour relationships or writing a short artist statement comparing their approach with Warhol’s Marilyn or Elvis portraits.