on the Styrofoam boards. Our eager,
young artists collaborated in groups
of three on this project.
First, the outline of the enlarged
figure was drawn with a black
marker on the board. Next, color
was added with tempera paint. During the next art session, bold lines
and patterns were added to the artwork.
Students filled in the entire board
with color, line, and pattern. Their
creative characters took on lives of
their own. Some of our groups came
up with amusing titles and stories
to go with their creatures. This project, from introduction to completion, took five fifty-minute class
periods. Our hallways took on a
new personality when we displayed
these colorful and exhilarating figures.
Resource
Drawing the Line: A Portrait of
Keith Haring. West Long Branch,
NJ: Kultur Video, Ltd. DVD,
1995.
Materials
• slides, books, and reproductions of Keith Haring’s
art for examples
• large pieces of Styrofoam
board
• black markers
• tempera paint
Sara Schickle Kirker is an art teacher at
Apple Glen Elementary in Bentonville,
Arkansas. skirker@bentonville.k12.ar.us
NATIONAL STANDARD
Students use visual structures and
functions of art to communicate
ideas.
WEB LINK
www.haringkids.com
Objectives
Students will:
• become familiar with the
life and work of artist
Keith Haring.
• identify, discuss, and create a variety of lines and
patterns.
• successfully work collaboratively on a project
that emphasizes creative
expression and teamwork.
• effectively explore ideas
of scale, space, and presentation.
