Which Art Movement Does Roy Lichtenstein Fit In?

Roy Lichtenstein's artwork has a very unique style. His artwork is considered by many to be very modern and is often classified as pop art and abstract expressionism.

While ultimately Lichtenstein became very well known for his abstract expressionist style in paintings and sculptures, this isn't the only art movement he fits into.

Lichtenstein achieved international success as an artist by using a number of different influences in his work. From comic book panels to eclectic, unique sculptures, Lichtenstein was a revered artist whose artwork was influenced by many different movements and whose art defies specific categorization.

Difficulty of Deciding on One Art Movement

Lichtenstein incorporated different types of art styles into his own work.

• As Lichtenstein developed as an artist, it was very clear by viewing his work that certain elements of cubism and expressionism were utilized.
• Lichtenstein also become well-known for adopting the abstract expressionism style which used painting techniques which are similar to the appearance of photograph.
• Some of Lichtenstein’s most popular works included the use of thick outlines, vibrant, bold colors and the use of Ben-Day dots. The use of the Ben-Day dots in the paintings revealed that Lichtenstein was very much influenced by photography and the appearance of prints when creating his paintings and sculptures. The dots were painted in certain colors and forms on the medium in order to produce an image similar to a traditional printing process.
• One of Lichtenstein’s most famous pieces includes "Whaam!" which features the use of a comic book panel; so, he was influenced by pop culture as well. The comic panels became a very popular aspect of Lichtenstein’s art style and many people either loved or hated his use of this method of creating art.

Artistic Styles and Art Movements

Lichtenstein was not just a painter. He also created a number of sculptures that were made from metals and plastics. In addition, he created over 300 prints via the screen printing process.

Development of Roy Lichtenstein as an Artist

Lichtenstein’s interest in art began merely as a hobby. His love of jazz music made him a frequent visitor of the Apollo Theater. It was here that he would begin drawing portraits of the musicians playing their instruments.

Upon finishing his secondary education, Lichtenstein enrolled in the Art Students League of New York where he would continue to develop his art skills. 

Later, Lichtenstein would earn an MFA at Ohio University where he was taught by the influential artist Hoyt L. Sherman. Lichtenstein’s would later be influenced by Sherman’s instruction.

Throughout the years Lichtenstein would be influenced by different styles of art such as expressionism and cubism. Eventually, Lichtenstein characterized his work as “pop art” which is different in that he considered it to be “industrial” painting.