Have you ever wanted to try your hand at creating a piece of art in the style of a famous artist? You have come to the right place!
Most of these art projects require only basic supplies, such as watercolor paints, paint brushes, markers, colored pencils, tempera paints, crayons, and construction paper. You will find a more detailed supply list and step-by-step directions under each piece of artwork listed below.
For more information about these artists, check out a book to learn more. Here are a few to get you started:
My Name is Georgia: a portrait by Jeanette Winter
Piet Mondrian Art
Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter and is known for his works of art that feature horizontal and vertical lines along with black, white, and primary colors.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 piece of paper
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, or tempera paint)
- Black marker or black electrical tape
Directions:
- Use a pencil/ruler to create vertical and horizontal lines.
- Paint or color random squares and rectangles. If using paint, allow to dry.
- Put black tape over pencil lines or trace with black marker.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Wayne Thiebaud Art
Wayne Thiebaud was an American Painter known for his colorful works depicting common objects like ice cream cones, pastries, paint cans, and more. He used heavy pigments and exaggerated colors. His style is part of the Pop Art movement.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 piece of paper
- Pencil
- Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, oil pastels, tempera paint)
Directions:
- Using a pencil, sketch out a common object. I chose a cupcake.
2. Using your coloring supplies, color in your drawing with bright colors.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Jackson Pollack Art
Jackson Pollack was an American influential painter known for his “drip style” painting technique, part of Abstract Expressionism.
Supplies Needed:
- Big pieces of paper or cardboard*
- Slightly thinned (watered down) tempera paint
- Paintbrushes
- Wear old clothes and protect your surroundings (you may want to do this outside). It’s a messy but very fun project!
*You can also decorate white t-shirts, socks, and hats. Simply switch out the tempera paint for acrylic fabric paint.
Directions:
- Lay out your paper or cardboard on top of a tarp or old bed sheet or towel.
- Add a few drops of water to your tempera paint and mix.
- Dip your paintbrush into the paint, and use the “fling and splatter” method of painting.
To see this painting technique in action, click here.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Wassily Kandinsky Art
Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian-born French Expressionist. One of his most recognizable pieces is the color study “Farbstudie Quadrate” – squares with concentric circles.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 construction paper
- Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolors or tempera paint)
- Various sized bowls, plates or cups to trace circles on the paper
- Pencil
Directions:
- Start with the largest circle and trace.
2. Continue tracing the circles from largest to smallest.
3. Color the circles. Don’t forget to color the background.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Andy Warhol Art
Andy Warhol was an American artist and the leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop Art.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 white construction paper
- Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils or paint)
- Pencil
Directions:
- Draw an oval on the top of the paper and then two vertical lines on the side.
2. Draw a smile to connect the sides and a small circle in the middle.
3. Draw two curved lines connecting the sides to the circle and a small oval on the top of the can.
4. Color and label.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Pointillism Art
Pointillism is the technique of painting small distinct dots of color to create a larger image. A famous Pointillism artist was Georges Seurat.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 white construction paper
- Coloring supplies (thin tipped markers, thin paintbrush, or Q-tip and paint – tempera or watercolors or dot art markers)
- Pencil
Directions:
- Optional: Lightly sketch out your drawing in pencil
- Using thin tipped markers, dot art markers, or a Q-tip dipped in paint, create your artwork.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
Georgia O’Keefe Art
Georgia O’Keefe was an American artist known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes.
Supplies Needed:
- 6 x 6 white construction paper
- Coloring supplies (black crayon, paintbrushes and watercolor paints)
- Pencil
Directions:
- Choose a flower to sketch. Tips: Flower petals must go off the page on three sides. The flower should be slightly off center. Use different shades of colors.
2. Outline your flower in black crayon.
3. Choose a watercolor in various shades. I chose two shades of blue. Start painting.
4. Choose a complementary color for the background and paint.
Hang up your artwork for everyone to enjoy!
