New
New
Year 6

Pop Art: finding sources and researching an idea

I can find and research source images to develop a Pop Art idea.

New
New
Year 6

Pop Art: finding sources and researching an idea

I can find and research source images to develop a Pop Art idea.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Artists gather and select images and information to support themes and enrich their ideas.
  2. Pop artists often use found sources (magazines, adverts, media) to reflect modern culture.
  3. Research helps to develop clearer, more meaningful artistic ideas.
  4. Thoughtful sourcing leads to stronger and more personal Pop Art outcomes.

Keywords

  • Source - an image, object, or idea used as inspiration for an artwork

  • Research - gathering and studying information to develop or support creative ideas

  • Theme - the main subject or message behind an artwork

Common misconception

Researching means copying images exactly into your final artwork.

Research is about gathering inspiration and developing ideas, not copying. Artists reinterpret and combine sources in creative and personal ways.


To help you plan your year 6 art and design lesson on: Pop Art: finding sources and researching an idea, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to choose sources that connect with their own interests - this builds engagement and ownership of their final artwork. Use guiding questions like: "Why did you choose this image?" and "What do you want your artwork to say?"
Teacher tip

Equipment

Printed magazines, newspapers, packaging, photos. Scissors, glue sticks, coloured pencils/felt tips. Access to tablets or printed internet image sources (if available).

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Why might a Pop artist repeat the same object in a sculpture?

To make it look expensive
To copy classical art

Correct answer: To reflect mass production and media

Q2.
Which of these is an example of subject matter in a Pop Art sculpture?

clay
lines
Correct answer: celebrities
cardboard

Q3.
How can a Pop artist’s use of colour or repetition help inspire your own artwork?

By copying only their favourite colours
By painting in black and white only
By drawing only the same subject as them
Correct answer: By using their techniques like bold colour or repeated images in your own way

Q4.
Put the following parts of analysing an artwork in the best order:

1 - Describe what you see
2 - Explain the subject matter

3 - Discuss the technique and media
4 - Share your interpretation

Q5.
What do we call the materials an artist uses, like paint, card or fabric?

Correct Answer: Media

Q6.
What word describes your own personal meaning of a piece of art?

Correct Answer: Interpretation, opinion

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a source image in Pop Art?

Correct answer: Any image or object used to inspire or develop an artwork
A painting already finished
A list of materials to create the artwork

Q2.
What does research mean when planning Pop Art?

Guessing what to draw
Copying someone else's work exactly
Correct answer: Finding out more about an idea or image to help plan artwork
Throwing away your ideas and starting again

Q3.
Match the art term to its definition:

Correct Answer:Source,An image or object used for inspiration

An image or object used for inspiration

Correct Answer:Research,Finding out more about an idea or subject

Finding out more about an idea or subject

Correct Answer:Theme,The main idea or topic behind your artwork

The main idea or topic behind your artwork

Q4.
Match the Pop Art image source to the most likely theme it could support:

Correct Answer:Fast-food advert,Junk food culture

Junk food culture

Correct Answer:Superhero comic,Fame and power

Fame and power

Correct Answer:Shopping receipt,Consumerism

Consumerism

Q5.
Put these research steps in the best order when starting a Pop Art idea:

1 - Choose a theme
2 - Collect source images
3 - Research those images
4 - Plan your artwork

Q6.
What do we call the main idea your artwork is based on?

Correct Answer: Theme, concept