This term, Haffydown have been diving into the bold, expressive world of Jean-Michel Basquiat, a ground breaking neo-expressionist artist known for his energetic lines, vivid colours and powerful storytelling. Basquiat’s art combined words, symbols and abstract forms to express ideas about identity, culture and creativity and he continues to inspire artists around the world today.
Just like Basquiat, who was fascinated by anatomy and often drew from Gray’s Anatomy, the children began by sketching different body parts to explore proportion, structure and expressive mark-making. Over the weeks, Haffydown began to focus on drawing portraits of their own heroes, thinking about how to capture personality and emotion through line and colour.
Building on these drawings, the children then started experimented with paint, collage and acrylic, layering textures and tones to create lively, expressive pieces in Basquiat’s style. They have learned to be fearless with their marks, to mix materials freely, and to let their creativity lead the way.
We are now working towards our final pieces, where the children will bring together everything they’ve learned by combining drawing, painting and collage to create vibrant artworks that celebrate individuality and imagination.
