In the words of Andy Warhol, “don’t think about making art, just get it done” so we did just that! We love doing a group Halloween costume every year that is 1) colorful 2) unexpected and 3) easy and his iconic Soup Can checked off all those things! Warhol has been an inspiration to me and our team ever since graduate school when I based my entire graduate thesis on him. We even have our Great Artists! course with an entire course about him. See below to learn how to make Andy Warhol’s Soup Can Group Halloween Costumes along with the templates.

When coming up with a group Halloween costume idea, it’s good to think of items or people that can be repeated easily. There’s nothing more repeatable than Andy Warhol’s Soup Cans. We did it for our Team–a four person Halloween costume–but it could even be for three or more!

In his art, Warhol explored the themes of commodities and every day items by repeating it over and over in his work and glorifying it. Never one to escape an art history reference, we jumped on it and turned art into a crafty DIY costume that doesn’t require too much time.

How to make the 4 person soup can group Halloween costumes

We thought of various ways we could have engineered the costumes–do we make them actually round (so we can fit through a door?!) or do we make it easy on us and do sandwich boards? We had a ton of cardboard boxes so yes, we made it easy on us and thus, easy on you!

Here’s Gwen, our designer/maker.

Accessories for the group Halloween costumes

The sandwich boards would have been one simple thing but we had to add on some cute accessories to glam it up like easy open can toppers as a fascinator hat on top. Obviously! I know, I know, can didn’t have the easy can opening at the time the painting was released, but it just needed a little something extra you know?!

A colorful costume also required color blocked basics underneath. We used clothes we already in various colors and then united in colorful Converse high tops for the icing on the cake.

Let’s not forget the colorful wigs. They are essential! They made the costume!

Here’s Jane our photographer

Here’s Hailey, our project manager

Andy Warhol Soup Can Group Costume Instructions

Our group Halloween costume can be made in the following way:

Materials (links above)

• Pop art costume SVG and can template (in our shop),
• cardboard sheets
• sharpie
• acrylic paint
• paint brushes
• card stock paper in various colors
• a paper cutting machine (optional, but it will be a big help! We use a Cricut Machine)
• scissors
• silver paper plates
• hair clip
• hot glue and glue gun
• 2″ wide ribbon
• colorful wigs

Quantities: Each costume requires two cans, one for the front and one for the back. You can either make two identical cans for each costume or contrasting cans for a reversible look. Whichever you choose, make two cans for each costume.

How to make an Andy Warhol soup can costume

To Make the posters

1. Download our soup label SVG and can template from the shop.
2. For each can, cut out 2 rectangles of cardboard that are 2 by 3 feet each.
3. Trace the can template on each rectangle of cardboard. Then add the curved line for the middle of the label, a circle in the middle, and an ellipse for the can top.
4. Use your cutting machine to cut out your the label letters and stars. Make sure that you assign your intended colors to each piece of lettering! Most cutting machines can sort the shapes by color, which makes your cutting job a lot easier.
5. While your cutting machine is whirring away, paint the colorful cans.
6. For details on the can top and bottom, use big gestural strokes and squeeze paint directly out of the tube in big swooping lines. Let the paint dry.
7. Arrange your letters on the can as pictured.
8. With a glue gun, glue all the letters in place.

Make the soup can costume body

Now you have two big painted posters on cardboard, and your costume’s almost finished! Here’s how to turn your posters into a costume.

1. Cut 2 strips of ribbon that are 2 inches wide. Depending on the size of the person who will be wearing the costume you can make the strips from 12″ to 18″ long.
2. Glue the strips to the back of each poster to connect them. Let the glue harden, then wear with pride! You may need to attach with duct tape.

Make a can lid fascinator

We decided to dress up our Andy Warhol pop art costumes with a metallic can lid fascinator. Here’s how you make it!

1. Use your Cricut or other cutting machine to cut out two pull tabs in silver construction paper.
2. Glue the two pull tab cutouts together with the shiny side out.
3. Attach the bottom of the pull tab to the silver plate with hot glue.
4. Fold the pull tab up so that it rests at an angle.
5. Glue a hair clip to the bottom of the paper plate. Once the glue cures you’re good to go!

Colorful Bob Wigs

We used these wigs to complete the costume

Pink Bob Wig  |  Purple bob wig  |  Green bob wig  |  Blue bob wig

Other posts you might like

If you liked this group costume you might also be interested in our rainbow ghost group costume.

You might also be interested in our Andy Warhol Great Artist course over at The School That Lars Built