Keith Haring Elementary-Aged Art Project Idea
My son learned about the famous artist Keith Haring in his 2nd-grade art class. The drawing he made during this Pop Art unit is hanging on our kitchen art wall.
Example of 2nd Grade Keith Haring Art Project
Make your own Haring-inspired Dice Game for Kids
My son’s art teacher used the “Roll A Haring” dice game by OneEyedPak to help introduce students to Keith Haring’s work and to help students identify consistent features of Keith Haring’s work. My son loved this game in class, so he asked us to find it at home. We’ve played this game for several years and have made our own renditions of Roll-A-Haring themed dice games, too.
The art dice game he played in class inspired him, and he’s since made two of his own, a Roll-A-Haring Sports and Roll-A-Haring Christmas edition. Both are printable from our site.
Haring’s Graffiti Aesthetic Style
We’re drawn to Keith Haring’s graffiti aesthetic style because it is full of movement, vibrant colors, and bubbly shapes. As a professional artist, Keith consciously involved children in the art-making process. In fact, he reportedly LOVED teaching art to youth and running workshops for children.
Features of Keith Haring’s Work
Keith Haring’s iconic work became famous in the 1980s. Keith created his unique visual vocabulary — specifically, symbols — that he used repetitively in his work. For examples: The Barking Dog, The Radiant Baby, Three-Eyed Monster, The Flying Devil, and The Angel. The Dancer and the SpaceShip are also very well known.
How to Draw like Keith Haring
Encourage children to make their own artistic renderings made in the style of Keith Haring. Point out these characteristics:
- Cartoonish Style — thick black lines
- Bright, Vibrant Solid Colors — flat spaces
- Add Ons — hearts, boomboxes, televisions
- Rays — thick black lines that arc around people’s faces and bodies
- Motion Lines — arcs and straight lines depicting movement and emotion
- Grafitti-Style People — faceless and fingerless
Kid-Friendly Bio of Keith Haring
The Keith Haring Foundation is a FANTASTIC teaching resource. The Foundation was established by Keith before his death and helps to fund AIDs research and help kids in need. You can read and share Keith Haring’s child-friendly bio and take a more in-depth look at Keith Haring’s life on HaringKids.com. There are also great FlipBook videos of his work, too.
Keith Haring Art Project for Kids
This week my son asked if we could make another project together using Keith Haring’s Pop Art style. Of course, the answer was yes, and we started our plans for SATURDAY ART DAY!
Floss Dancin’ Dude, Hairy Dog, and Blue Lego Brick
Here’s what we made! Introducing our own Keith Haring-inspired symbology:
- The Hairy Dog
- The Dancin’ Dude
- The Blue Lego Brick + Baseball Cap
And our characters are FLOSSING!!!!!
Building Confidence in Young Artists’ Psyche
I’m a big proponent of encouraging and building confidence in young artists’ minds. One of the ways I do this is by reproducing my children’s favorite artwork. This shows my kids that their creative endeavors are valuable and worthy of being displayed and turned into derivate artwork.
During the COVID-19 mask-wearing mandate, my son LOVED wearing his Keith Haring-inspired Blue Lego Brick and Baseball Cap Dancing the Floss personalized mask! Isn’t it cute??? We also turn many of our children’s drawings and LEGO MOCs into wall and window decals proudly displayed around our home.
Save this Pop Art Project for Later
We’d love to see what you make! Pin this for later and don’t forget to share your creations! We’re @artsandbricks and #artsandbricks on social.
