Keith Haring Cubes

This project is great for older kids to use examples of Keith Haring's fun pop art paintings to create their own sculptures.  I begin by showing lots of examples of the repeated symbols Haring used in his work (people, hearts, babies, barking dogs etc..) and we also discuss pop art.  Using slabs of clay we cut 6 equal squares, you can use a template to make it easier or cut one square and use it to trace the rest.  5 of the squares will get a Keith Haring design of the students choosing, 1 square will become the bottom of the cube.  Using their scrap pieces of clay students can cut out shapes of hearts, people, flying saucers etc and scratch them onto a square, each panel should have a different Haring inspired image.  Students can also show the horizon line, energy lines and a texture for the background or floor area using their tools or additional pieces of clay.  Once the squares have been designed, all the edges need to be scratched really well, without destroying the designs and then assembled.  I find that it's easiest to start with the bottom one and attach each wall, then put on the lid.  After they have been bisque fired and are ready to be glazed, remind students again about the color palette that is seen in Haring's work--bright primary colors! 

 !B CR8IV!