Year 8 students were inspired by Pop Expressionist artist Keith Haring to convey social issues within their artworks. 

Together we looked at how we can use different lines to create movement or emphasis. We analysed how we can use different colour schemes to symbolise mood, and we were challenged to use large, organic shapes to take up the A3 page.

While learning about Haring, we learnt how to mix secondary colours, how we can communicate meaning into our work, and we strengthened our written responses when analysing art elements (such as describing line, colour and shape). Students developed their own message and practical ideas to create their final artwork. Painting large areas helps students to generate more control over painting media, builds up hand-eye coordination, and simplifies the overall composition so students can create works that they are proud of.

Mel Cavanagh of 8HGL4 wrote: 

"I incorporated the fact that so-called 'gamers' are often separated from the rest of the world. I show this in my painting by portraying the main character in a glass box, devoid of colour, and the outside world vibrant and full of colour. I symbolised the outside world by painting greenery, houses and blue skies. My colour scheme is inside the box; grey, black and white. Outside the box is; colourful, blues, greens, pinks,  I chose this to show how these colours represent the mood of inside and outside. The inside mood is gloomy, in stark contrast to the mood outside, which is happy and joyful.

My artwork is in the style of Keith Haring because I used line, shape and colour. I used small lines to represent the sound coming from the device, and other lines to show the movement in the outside world. My one human character is in the style of Keith Haring, and it has no facial features. I also used solid colours, which are flat. Everything in my painting is outlined in black, like in the style of Keith Haring".

The Year 8s have worked very hard this term to create these masterpieces and they will conclude the term by learning observational drawing techniques to develop how they perceive objects around them. 

Many of these works will be on display in the Student Exhibition later this year. 

Amy Tilbrook