Roy Lichtenstein

Look Mickey- 1961

According to Google, pop art is " art based on modern popular culture and mass media." Roy Lichtenstein was well known for his "pop art" and his main focus was on comic books and how the images within the comic books were displayed. The two figures, Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, were both major icons in America. Look Mickey was "inspired by a bubble gun wrapper Lichtenstein's son had given Lichtenstein was around thirty-seven." Look Mickey was also brought to life when "Lichtenstein wanted a place in the forefront of mainstream art, and win [that place] with something radically different." By using  Benday Dots, Lichtenstein created a piece that looks like it was simply painted on to the canvas. However according to Google, Benday Dots are " part of the printing process, that is similar to pointillism." Unlike comic books Lichtenstein's dots were very close together giving the artwork a cleaner look. Where as in comic books, the dots were a little bigger and were able to be seen.

In all honesty, Roy Lichtenstein is an inspirational man. By realizing the original artwork he was doing was going unnoticed, he radically changed his art in order to be noticed. With his artwork Look Mickey he did just that; get noticed. Taking a risk by using Benday dots as well as two popular Disney characters, created a work that would not be missed.

Comic Books, like books, evoke emotion because of what the reader/ viewer is looking at and witnessing, while reading what is being said. Going along with that, the picture above does the same thing; evoke feeling. Now, this picture might not be played out to see what happens next to the famous Donald Duck, but it still brings in a little giggle or two because of how it is depicted.

Lichtenstein was very nervous about how Look Mickey would be perceived by audiences and so he himself chuckled at the artwork. I mean who cannot relate to that, I can, when I am nervous, I try to laugh off the insecurities of what I am nervous about.

Trying to be radically different is very risky, especially when using two family/ children icons is very testing on the emotions. However, Roy Lichtenstein made a great leap of faith.



Source:
http://www.jstor.org.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/stable/3109436?seq=6&Search=yes&searchText=Look&searchText=Mickey&list=show&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D%2528ca%253ALook%2BAND%2Bca%253AMickey%2529%26gw%3Djcp%26acc%3Don%26prq%3D%2528ca%253ALook%2BOR%2Bca%253AMickey%2529%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=5&ttl=5&returnArticleService=showFullText&resultsServiceName=null