Since
pop art often doesn't look that artful, seems to me it's the perfect beginner's do-it-yourself art project. For an idea of what pop art looks like, check out this Smashing article by Vitaly Friedman, "
Pop Art Is Alive: Classics and Modern Artworks."
The sample used below is digital, and done in Corel
PHOTO-PAINT (Corel's caps). You can do the same kind of work in
Gimp, a free alternative. Key to producing work with image-handling apps is learning to use masks and layers. And, unless you photographed or drew the elements you use in a work yourself, it's best to select only public domain images.
My sample of pop art could also be called a collage because it's a composite of several images. Disclaimer: I don't claim that this is good art, just an example of a genre. The theme is coffee and there is a suggestion that we would rather judge than appreciate what comes to us through the hard work of others.
My first element is the background -- a photo I took of an old coffee filter.
To this I added an image purchased at
Dreamstime that is royalty free. If I were going to offer my work for sale, I would have to buy an extended license. It was necessary to use masks to prepare the image for use in the larger work. I also changed the color tone, but passed on using special effects.
Now the work looks like this --
At
Wikimedia Commons I found images of a laborer's hands, coffee beans, and a Russian ad for coffee that are in the public domain. After editing the images using masks, adjusting colors, and making a variety of color and size versions of the coffee beans, this is my final product:
On second thought, it appears something more is needed. Here's the final final:
As I said earlier, I don't claim that this is good art. But it will do for today.
-- Marge
