Submitted by Linda Hoffelt, Mickelson Middle School, Brookings, South Dakota
Unit: Sculpture- Personal Identity - Keith Haring
Lesson: Paper (Papier) Maché Figures
Grade level: Upper elementary - through high school

Untitled, Keith Haring, 1985, Painted Steel, 19 x 52 x 30 inches	Untitled, Keith Haring, 1986, Painted Aluminum, 40 x 33 x 23 inches

Objectives:

1. Understanding of how an artist gets ideas
2. Critique works of art
3. Use a variety of sources to gain an understanding of an artist and/or and arts form
4. Combine the elements of two or more arts forms to communicate ideas or information
5. Use dance to inspire a work of art
6. Integrate planning- develop and use personal symbols
7. Develop skills: painting and sculpture

Materials:

18" x 24" newsprint (or smaller), scissors, corrugated cardboard, Styrofoam cups (or blocks of Styrofoam from packing materials), newspapers, brown paper grocery bags (or other cheap paper source for final layers - like newsprint rolls from local paper), Wheat paste (flour and water paste -- or thinned Elmer's glue), Masking tape, Acrylic paints (or latex). wide brushes, White and black acrylic - smaller brushes. Optional: Paint markers, puffy paints.

Procedure:

1. Design simplified figure on 18 x 24" newsprint (12 x 18 could also be used).
2. Cut out patterns shape - trace onto corrugated cardboard. Cut two figures the same size.
3. Tape some small Styrofoam cups between the tow cut outs (or Styrofoam blocks from packing materials).
4. Cut 3" (to 4" - depending on spacers used) cardboard strips. Tape strips between the two layers.
5. Apply a layer of wide masking tape to the cardboard surfaces to prevent warping. May tape on a layer of aluminum foil.
6. Tear newspapers into strips - apply a minimum of two very smooth layers.
7. Add a finishing layer of brown paper bags, brow paper toweling end rolls - or other inexpensive paper source. The local newspaper often will give school white newsprint end rolls.
8. Paint with acrylics when dry.
9. Select a contrasting color for lining and symbols. Paint a thin border around shape and fill in with personal symbols to show "self". Fill in negative spaces with line and pattern.
10. Allow to dry - critique work.

Motivation:

• DVD: Keith Haring- Drawing the Line
• DVD: Universe of Keith Haring
• Book: Keith Haring: I Wish I Didn't Have to Sleep! (Adventures in Art Series)
• Book: Keith Haring- 25th Anniversary Special Edition
• Scholastic Art: Keith Haring
• Jazz music- Dancers from the school (student can in and did some dance)
• Demonstrations of sculpture and painting technique

Alternate Lesson:

Combine the crime scene lesson with Haring. Students will draw crime scene figures in the style of Keith Haring.

Links

Keith Haring- Official Website