“Do It Yourself (Sailboats)” by Andy Warhol, created in 1962 in the United States, is a ready-made screenprint that reflects the Pop Art and Conceptual Art movements. This artwork falls within the landscape genre.
In the artwork, two sailboats are prominently set against a background of vivid blue skies and fluffy clouds tinged with pink hues. The numbers on the sails and the water refer to pre-made ‘paint by number’ kits, symbolizing the intersection of art and consumer culture, a hallmark of Warhol’s work. The large sailboat marked with the number ’15’ is in the foreground, capturing attention with its pristine white sails edged in green and sharp black outlines. The secondary sailboat is smaller, more distant, and slightly obscured by the first. The numbered sections throughout the composition are part of Warhol’s commentary on the democratization and commodification of art. The scene is serene and orderly, underscored by the neat division and numbering which guides the viewer’s eye methodically across the canvas.
