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Art Club at the Library: Prints Inspired by Andy Warhol

  • Writer: Adrienne De Luna
    Adrienne De Luna
  • Mar 2
  • 4 min read

Updated: 1 day ago



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Art Club quickly became one of the most exciting and flexible programs I offered at the library. Each session began with learning about an artist or art style, followed by a hands-on project inspired by their work.


As I mentioned in my previous post, this program was open to grades 1–12, which meant every project had to be accessible to younger kids while still feeling meaningful for older participants. Library attendance is always unpredictable, so I planned with flexibility in mind.


This Art Club session focused on Andy Warhol and Pop Art—and it was a perfect fit for all ages. Andy Warhol also happens to be my favorite artist, as you can see by my costume! (Are you even a librarian if you don't have various costumes on hand to go with your programs?)


Introducing Andy Warhol

To introduce Warhol, I shared pages from:

  • Andy Warhol by Mike Venezia

  • 13 Artists Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel

I also created a slideshow featuring his most famous works and printed images for reference.


Here is a short, kid-friendly introduction you can use:


Andy Warhol was an artist who helped start an art movement called Pop Art. He made art inspired by everyday things like soup cans, celebrities, and photographs. He often repeated the same image over and over using different colors. He used a process called screenprinting, which allowed him to make multiple copies of the same picture. His work showed that ordinary objects and images could become famous works of art.


The kids immediately connected with his bold colors, repeated imagery, and use of common materials.



The Inspiration: Repetition and Color

This project was inspired by Warhol’s famous repeated-image prints, especially his celebrity portraits where the same image appears multiple times in different colors.


Our version used something personally meaningful to each child:

Their own hand.


This helped them connect to the concept while making it fun and accessible.


The Project: Pop Art Hand Print Quadrants


Step 1: Create the Pop Art Background

Each child received a large sheet of paper as their base.

They then:

  • Cut rectangles from four different colors of paper

  • Arranged and glued them to create four quadrants

This created that bold Pop Art color-block look Warhol is known for.


Step 2: Add the Repeated Image

Next, kids:

  • Traced their hand on different colored papers

  • Cut out each hand

  • Glued one hand into each quadrant

Already, you could see the Warhol inspiration coming through.



Step 3: The “Screenprint” Effect

This was everyone’s favorite part.

Each child dipped their hand lightly into black paint and stamped their hand directly on top of each cut-out hand.


This mimicked Warhol’s screenprinting style, where the same image is layered and repeated.


This approach is especially similar to the way Warhol repeated and overlaid the same image in works like his famous repeated portraits.


Each artwork was unique—but clearly inspired by the same process.


The Gallery Moment

As their prints dried, we displayed them side by side.

The repetition.The colors.The bold black overlay.

It truly looked like a Pop Art exhibition.

And the kids immediately recognized their connection to a famous artist.


Why This Program Worked

This project was successful because it combined:

  • Personal connection (their own hands)

  • Simple techniques

  • Strong visual impact

  • Art history education

Younger kids enjoyed the tracing and stamping.

Older kids understood the artistic concept of repetition and printmaking.

And everyone left feeling like a real artist.


Supply List


Tips for Success

  • Demonstrate how to use small amounts of paint for clearer prints

  • Encourage bold color choices

  • Show multiple examples of Warhol’s repeated images

  • Remind kids that imperfections are part of printmaking


Final Thoughts

Andy Warhol believed art could come from everyday life, and this project proved that beautifully.


Art Club gives kids the chance to see themselves in art history—not just as observers, but as creators.



*This blog is intentionally ad-free. I want it to be a clean, distraction-free space where public librarians can find practical ideas for youth services, outreach, and programming without pop-ups or sponsored clutter.


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