4/29/14 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we began the final project of the semester.  You will be creating a large scale inflatable sculpture with the subject being some kind of living thing.  The first step was to do pencil sketches of potential designs.  The second step was to create a scale model using foam core or bristol board, so you could think about the design of parts to make it.  Construction of the sculpture will begin next week.  

Everyone was there for at least part of the day, so you all should know the assignment.  Above is an example from last semester of some pencil sketches of animals and plants, as well as a 3D model of one of the creatures, a shark.  Below is a photo of the inflatable shark that was eventually made by a group of students.

Use the scale model to determine what kind of pieces of plastic will be required to make the sculpture.  You'll be needing to get some clear plastic drop cloths (available wherever house paint is sold), and they'll be held together with clear plastic sealing tape, sold in home centers and wherever packaging materials are sold.  Use your model to estimate the required square footage of plastic and length of tape needed.  What you make must be at least 8 feet long in one direction, and it must have some kind of articulations- legs, fins, wings, so you're not just making a simple tube.  More details of the assignment and more student examples can be found here.

Homework- This Final Project is due on May 13, 2014, our final day of class.  The sooner that day that you have shown me your inflated sculpture, the sooner you will be done, so try to get there early.

For next class 5/6/14-  This will be a general work day for whatever you need to do, and I imagine most will use it to construct their inflatable sculptures.  However, you may also use the time for anything related to class, such as any back projects that you sill owe, or portfolio exercises that you haven't completed yet, or to work on your museum paper.  Bring with you whatever you need to complete whatever you plan to work on.

Images for Final Project 4/29/14

The Final Project will require creating a large sculpture.  The process will begin with sketches, and then expanding one of the sketches into a small 3D bristol board model.  The subject must be a living thing.

The last part of the project will be to build an inflatable sculpture based on the model, using clear plastic drop cloths and plastic sealing tape.  The final piece should be at least 8 feet in one dimension and must include articulated projections.  You may work in groups of 2 or 3 on one inflatable piece.  You will have the next two weeks to work on it as well and it will be due the last day of class.  Below are examples of pieces made in last semester's class.

4/22/14 3D Design

Today's Class-  We opened today by looking at completed projects, particularly the natural found objects pieces that were due today, but also any back projects that had come in , such as book sculptures or plastic found objects.  The rest of the day was spent working on a portfolio exercise, a sort of a continuation of last week's proportions exercise, this time involving creating an environment for the figures.  I also collected and reviewed museum papers, letting students know what needed to be done in order to complete the assignment.

How to make this up-  We started by looking at slide examples of installation art involving figures, specifically examples from  Edward Keinholz and New Jersey sculptor George Segal, each creating environments for life size figure sculptures.  You need to select some portions of our classroom to reproduce at the same proportions as the first constructed figure, the one that looks like the figure in the original photo from last week.  You need to make one major piece of furniture, such as one of the work tables, or one of the big power tools (table saw, drill press, etc), a cabinet, a portion of the wall with a specific feature (chalk board, doorway)  If you make the work table, include the top, the base, and one of the mounted vice clamps; if not the work table, bring what you make to a similar level of detail.  Also make one small piece of furniture, such as one of the stools.  

The furniture/classroom pieces should be to the same scale, and should be of the same scale as your figure.  You need to decide how tall your figure is.  The tops of our tables are 5' 6" long, a very typical human height, so if you make that your figure's height, you have a handy measuring resource.  Some students used their own bodies, standing next to items and noting where parts lined up with knees, hips, etc.  Construct the pieces using foam core, and when showing it, include your first figure in the created environment.  Above are examples created last semester, a project that required two major pieces of classroom, but you only need one and the stool for today's assignment.

This is a portfolio exercise that must be made up by the last day of the semester to receive full credit.  You may need to wait until next week to gain access to the classroom and select what parts you'll be reproducing.

Homework-  Nothing new, but anyone who still owes a back graded project or the museum paper should get them done as soon as possible to receive partial credit.

For next class 4/29/14- We will be starting on the Final Project of the semester, where we'll take something from sketch, to scale model, to large three dimensional sculpture.  For the first stage you'll need a sketchbook (or equivalent paper for drawing), pencil and eraser, bristol board, scissors or knife, and suitable glue.  

4/15/14 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we talked about the idea that cultures often establish a set of idealized proportions for portraying the figure.  Sometimes it's very rigid, like the 18 fists = 1 body ratio favored by the Ancient Egyptians, or just advocated by influential artists, as in the varying head to figure ratios found in different phases of Classical Greek sculpture.  I also showed a few examples of this in two dimensions, such as the extreme distortions of the late 15th century Mannerist painting and some contemporary advertising.  Then the class worked on a portfolio exercise involving varying proportions of figures, which will be the starting point of something we do in class next week.  We also did the course evaluation forms.

How to make this up-  Start with an image of a full figure.  It can come from art history, but most students just got one from advertisements from a pile of magazines there in the classroom.  Can be male or female, but should be standing and we must see head to toe.  You will construct two figurines based on the chosen image.  For the first one start with a piece of foam core of the same proportions and pose, and then glue pieces of bristol board around it to approximate the assumed 3D proportions of the figure.  Use educated guesses to create parts of the body we don't see directly, such as partially hidden limbs.  It needs to stand on its own, so if it doesn't, you can fix it to base.

Above is an example of a reproduced figure in progress, bristol board adding roundness to the flat core.  When the first one is done, you need to create a second figure based on the same source, but this one with specific parts of the body changed to different extreme proportions.  Below is an example from today, the figure on the right being the original, the one on the left the altered version.  Additional student examples from a previous semester, as well as the specific alterations to make, can be found here.

This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit, but the original scale figure is needed for next week's assignment, so get that one done by then.

Homework-  No new graded project this week, but the natural found objects assemblage and the museum paper are due next week.  Students who still owe the plastic found object project or the book sculpture should turn them in as soon as possible for partial credit.

For next class 4/22/14- We will continue with an exercise related to proportions.  Bring the first figure from today, sheet of foam core, pencil and eraser, sketchbook or notepad, x-acto knife, and glue.  

4/8/14 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we began a new graded project involving found object assembly, but unlike the plastic (manufactured) version from a few weeks ago, this time the requirement was all natural materials.  I showed few slides of cave art, including figures and animals carved from stone, wood, bone, antlers, and other materials available to, and workable by, people of that time.  The subjects of these pieces often took forms that resembled the shapes of the materials.

How to make this up-  In class today I provided an assortment of shells collected from my local beach, and dried bamboo from a grove behind my home.  As with the coffee trays, I asked students to take some shells, consider the shapes and what they might resemble, and then come up with an idea of what might be made from them.  Also available were small pieces of wood from the scrap boxes in the room, and some went out foraging for stones, or brought in things from home, such as pine cones, twigs, etc.  Our one nod to the 21st century was to allow hot glue to be used to assemble things.  

Since the most common subjects of the cave period were human figures or animals, your subject must be one of those. They can be whole, a recognizable portion (such as a human hand, an animal's head), or even a mythological creature (human animal hybrid, unicorn, etc).  They don't have to be anatomically accurate, but recognizable to average person.  All materials must be found in nature, and can be used whole or broken up.  Wood can be carved.  At least one of your materials must be something hard (not easily carved or modeled) like stone or shells.  Although not required, paint may be used on the sculptures if you want.  Below are some student examples from a previous semester:

Above, a bull made from classroom wood scraps, shells, and bits of bamboo.  Below, a spider made from acorns and sycamore seed pods.

Additional instructions and student examples of this project can be found here.

Homework- This natural found object graded project is due at the beginning of class on April 22, 2014.

The book sculpture project begun a few weeks ago is due at the beginning of class on April 15, 2014.

The museum assignment is due on April 22, 2014.

For next class 4/15/14- We will return to using foam core and bristol board, with an exercise and project involving proportions.  Bring those items, plus scissors or x-acto knife, glue, and pencil and eraser.

4/1/14 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today was a continuation of last week, continuing work on the book sculptures.  We also devoted some time to critiquing the found object (plastic) assemblage sculptures, which were graded and returned.  We also were given a new water collection system for our ceiling leak.  They haven't stopped the leak itself yet, but they are looking into it.

How to make this up-  The specifics of the assignment and some student examples can be found at last week's blog post.

Homework-  The book sculpture graded project is due at the beginning of class on April 15, 2014.

The museum assignments are due on April 22, 2014 for those who want to get the maximum points available.  Paper will be accepted at dates after that for partial credit.

For next class 4/8/14- We will be starting our second assemblage project, this one using exclusively natural materials- things not created by humans.  I will provide an assortment of sea shells and bamboo pieces to get everyone started, and you'll have to gather whatever else you might need on your own.  Last semester, students continued their pieces using such items as stones, wood, acorns, seed pods, leaves, and pine cones.  You may bring such things with you to class, or add them later when you continue work on the projects on your own time.  Bring hot glue sticks, the one artificial material you will be allowed to use.