Andy Warhol’s attitude to create art that is different to what was considered a “norm” at that time isolated himself. I don’t think Andy Warhol was disrespecting by trivializing the art-making process. Warhol pioneered in silk screen printing and created a lot of skeptism and judgement from traditional critics who are afraid of change. Warhol challenge and opened up new perspectives in the art world for audience and artists to move forward and step out of their comfort zone. Some people may think that silk screen printing images is simple compared to traditional art because of the lack of small tiny details. However, as some who creates art, I also understand the simpler the drawing is, the more difficult it is to create something balanced and appealing to the human eye. Since silk screen printed pieces don’t have as many small details as a painting, the large space and areas are the main focus and any mistake would be really obvious.

Andy Warhol’s Skulls were created in his study that focused on shadows emitted by subjects in different angles in natural light. Andy created this artwork in the Factory with a number of assistants however Andy contributed to every part of the process, guiding the specific adjustments to the skull before the photographs were taken. I imagine creating an image that Warhol was satisfied enough with took some trial and error on its own because the project was most dependent on the photography. 
However the most tedious process was the silkscreen printing with the fast drying medium in large scale and probably required a lot of help. On the skull specifically he had several outcomes creating a variety of group pieces expressing different shadows by reusing the same process. Starting from scratch starting with light, adjustments to positioning, photography and processing, color choice, silk screen print and acrylic all in attempt to achieve a group that was most abstract as possible from the subject. What makes the artwork was not the subject but instead the shadows and the color choice and the consistency created by the correct and precise use of the technology. I believe that his art process was his own and was not defeated by being too reliant on technology and assistants and his intention was deliberate and successful. 

Six stitched gelatin silver prints

Collection of Anthony d’Offay

Masks, 1986

Six stitched gelatin silver prints

Collection of Anthony d’Offay

This collection of pieces stood out to me the most because of how often it is missed by most people. In the picture on the right, Warhol photographed a blank brick wall using a small point and shoot Minox camera. The idea of these photographs is that they are black and white prints that he then stitched together with thread. Looking at the photograph on the left, at first glance, it looks like it is just a photograph of a brick wall but really it is six stitched photographs of the same photo to create a unique effect of repetition.  He uses this same technique with the photo on the right of the masks. They may seem like a regular photo of one thing, but there was a lot more thought and effort put into it. I think in a piece like this it is much more difficult to tell whether or not this was deliberate or not, but when the process of how these were created are taken into consideration, it is clearly seen that it is all intentional. However, I do think this is more commercial art than fine art with the repetition of one image over and over to create something rather generic looking. 

While not the first of his screen-printed portraits, this piece happens to be the first of a long line of commissioned portraits by Warhol at the request of wealthy and well-known individuals. What had really struck me about this piece in particular, however, is, in fact, the laborious nature of it. Although the subject had been determined by her then-husband, Robert Scull, who had issued the commission, the process and the outcome were not so simple. The act of screen-printing multiples of a singular subject is notoriously tedious and painstaking, and so, by comparison, setting up and following through with the creation of Ethel Scull 36 Times must have been about thirty-six times as much that. My personal opinion of Andy Warhol was always fairly neutral; on the question of commercial art not being “real” art or Warhol not being a “real” artist, I found no argument. After having educating myself on his life and works, however, I can chalk up that neutrality to my former lack of knowledge on the subject. While many question the integrity of Warhol’s art, his influence of consumerism and popular culture, or his methods of producing as such, there should be no question on whether or not Andy Warhol is an artist. In order to gather the images for Ethel Scull 36 Times, Warhol brought Ethel to a photo-booth in Times Square, where he had her take 300 black and white photos; the feelings of the pictures are light and carefree, pure and not staged -- all because they were, indeed, not staged. Andy Warhol would tell Ethel Scull jokes and make friendly conversation in order to capture some very real emotions for the images. Out of the 300 images taken, 36 were used, and that statement alone should denote an approximate length for the entire process. 

Marilyn Diptych (1962)

Acrylic and silkscreen ink

80.88 in x 114 in

It is twenty-five images on the left side are printed in color and rest of twenty-five on the right side are printed black and white. This work is done during the weeks after Marilyn Monroe’s death. It is showing life and death, presence and absence of celebrity. Images are getting faded on the right side which makes me feel she is fading away from the public. It is showing that he was deliberate for his work. He might take a few days or hours to finish his work but the most important part of his process is the idea. He built a bridge between commercial art and fine art so that everyone can enjoy art. 

Andy Warhol, while normally known for his pop art, I liked this series because it’s a bit different from what he does. He brought his art back to abstraction and hand painting in the 80’s after making the switch to silk screening for a couple decades. I do think he spent alot of time on this series and a little more thought because of its abstraction. Because it was a deliberate effort to produce something different. It’s said Andy warhol had thought the ink blot tests was where the patient drew them. It’s one of his few works where Andy Warhol doesn’t rely on preexisiting images. Which is probably why he took longer to create all these images. I think series is a more delicate approach to the art world and doesn’t challenge it too much compared to his pop art. I think his pop art does challenge the status quo a bit. I don’t it disrespects the art making process but I can see how some may think so. I believe art can be beautiful and there shouldn’t be this high regard for it. I believe art should be accessible. It can be made to inspire. I think Andy Warhol believed art can be something else. He challenged what art can be and I think art in general moved towards a direction of more accessibility to everyone.