Keith Haring Poster Design

Submitted by: Kris Fontes
Unit: Art with a message- Graffiti
Lesson: Hallway Graffiti

Summary:

My sixth grade computer art class spent a few days at the haring.com site, researching and experimenting with Keith's images. I then took a Black Paper Rolls (like you use on bulletin boards) and taped it to both sides of a short hallway in our school.  The height of the paper was about 48" (122 cm) and the hallway was 15-20 ft. (4.6 x 6.1 meters) I separated the boys and the girls (based on my experience with these students) and gave each group a few boxes of white Chalk.  The students were told to pretend they were in the subway and the black paper was the walls that Haring drew on... the kids loved doing this! I would definitely do it again. Be careful that they don't sneak in any inappropriate images or words AND do not let high school kids contribute or alter the images/ words. The hallway stayed up for an entire semester and kids often stopped and looked at the images... I had a small sign posted with info about Haring and the web address for those unfamiliar with his work.

Submitted by: Christa-Maria
Unit: Art with a message- Figure drawing
Lesson: Keith Haring "Paper dolls"

Summary:

I used his "outline guy" (in the style of Keith Haring figures)... Kids all made their own, this guy was their buddy for a semester - just an outline... no facial features, etc... They traced him, cut him out of cardboard, put on black paper, outlined with chalk, white Drawing Paper with black Washable Markers, he tumbled over the  pages, linked like a monkey, or he cloned himself over the whole page with no pattern, just fitting into each other, where the end result looked like a puzzle. The outline guy got a name, had his little folder... Became the subject of a cartoon. We even made him clothes with tabs, like a paper doll.. To my surprise, the boys liked that as much as the girls. He was the 'logo' for an advertising campaign (I did not like the graffiti part for it can so easily spin out of control)* ..so I went for big bucks - advertising ideas (There was a lot of Keith Haring merchandising). The outline guy was a great hit  with kids grade 6-12. Kids, were very attached to 'their' guy and  always took him home at the end  of the year.

Alternate lesson plan by Kimberly M. Thompson and Linda Hatch (See more lessons on Haring)
http://www.haringkids.com/lesson_plans/learn/painting-with-a-message

Resources

Books

GRAFFITI VERITE' - The GV ART AND REVIEW BOOK creatively captures the Artistic Genius rendered upon the abandoned building walls and alley ways of Los Angeles,CA by LA's finest Graffiti Artists. You can also watch the movie on Netflix.