Today's Class- Today the focus was on the idea of planes, broad surfaces on the exterior of three dimensional objects. I showed some examples from art (Richard Serra, David Smith, Frank Lloyd Wright), pointing out how they used sizes, angles, curves, etc to various effects. Then the class started a portfolio exercise using cars as a general subject.
How to make this up- Students were asked to select an automobile from a purely design point of view- a favorite car based solely on how much they liked the way it looks. Then they were asked to build a model of that car using foam core and bristol board, matching the proportions, body lines, and major structures. As they were doing that they needed to make a second identical set of parts, which would later be used to make something else that was not a car. Above is an example of both halves of the assignment from a previous semester. Additional student examples and more specific instructions can be found here.
Homework- This car related assignment is a portfolio exercise and can be turned in any time before the last day of class for full credit, though it's recommended to get it done sooner before other work builds up.
The foam core relief project started last week is due at the beginning of class on October 6, 2015.
The Make 100 Module project may still be turned in for partial credit.
For next class 10/6/15- We will begin our next graded project, where we take a Stone Age approach to designing a sculpture, and mostly use materials that would have been available to the artists of that era. This is the origin of art, made using those materials that would have been available 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. You will be asked to create a three dimensional work in the nature of the art of that time, so the subjects will be humans, animals, mythological hybrids, or portions of those things. Ancient man often let the shapes of the materials influence the art, subjects inspired by the size and shape of the modified surfaces. Other than hot glue to assemble it, all the materials must be things found in nature. These materials may be modified by physical means (carving, breaking) and can be colored (common among cave artists). Below are some student examples from previous semesters:
I will bring shells from my local beach and bamboo that grows around my apartment, and you may be able to forage for materials on campus, but if you have something else in mind to use, bring it with you. Eligible materials include rocks, wood (naturally growing and milled planks, but not plywood), bones (please clean all flesh from them), seeds/seed pods, and plants. Keep in mind that leaves and flowers dry up quickly so if you want to use them, you may want to wait until closer to the due date to attach them.
