5th graders are starting the year off with a 3 dimensional project. The students will receive a Powerpoint presentation based on the artwork and life of the artist Keith Haring. Keith Haring was an American artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s by expressing concepts of birth, death, love and war. Haring's work was often heavily political and his imagery has become a widely recognized visual language of the 20th century. Haring used lines to create figures that were implied to be moving. He used short lines around his characters to dictate which body parts were moving. Keith Haring was interested in creating his own language through the symbolism of his non-gender specific figures in bright colors with a stark black outline.
Our students will be creating a 3d version of their own Keith Haring inspired figures out of cardboard and plaster gauze. They will be working in groups of 3 or 4 in which each group needs to come up with a theme for their figures in order for them to cohesively relate to one another but can also stand on their own. Keith Haring is very well known not only for his flat 2 Dimensional designs but he had also been commissioned to create huge sculptures of his work as well. (One that you can visit that is still standing today is outside the Schneider's Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park!) 

Here is a video in which the students have watched based on the life of Keith Haring in a documentary series. (2 parts!)

Click here to view the powerpoint the students will receive based on the artwork and life of Keith Haring.

5th Grade is currently creating the cover of their very own, hand made sketchbook! Sketchbooks are like an artists journal or notebook. 5th graders will be utilizing these sketchbooks for taking notes, creating preliminary sketches or drawings and during "free-draw" time. On the cover of these sketchbooks, students have created a drawing of their choosing to decorate their sketchbooks. Some students have created a beautiful abstract drawings by just using colors and lines as their artwork and others have created a representational drawing of something of their choice. Sketchbooks are a great way to store ideas, drawings and notes about artists and artworks that they are learning about to later refer to after leaving 5th grade. 

Learning objectives: Techniques in using watercolors, listening to guided instruction. 

ART WORDS: 
Sketchbook: a journal or book used for ideas and drawings by artists. ​

Welcome back students and welcome to PS31q to any of our new students! I am so excited to get creating in the art room! This year we will be looking even more closely at the foundations of art, the elements of design! We will also look at some of the more difficult foundations that are called the Principles of design. In each lesson we will be learning about a different element or principle as well as learning about some artists too! I can't wait to get messy with you all! ​