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.
