12/15/15 3D Design

Today's Class- Our final meeting of the semester.  Once everyone had arrived we started the process of inflating the projects.  Some needed quick repairs, but we had tape handy and two blow driers to provide air.  Below are the results from today's projects:

How to make this up- Everyone still in the class showed up today and turned in the final, and they all inflated as planned.  I also collected some museum papers- updated ones, late arriving ones, hard copies and e-mails.  

And with that, the semester ended.  Some projects are still on the shelves- if there is something you wish to reclaim, try to get in there and do it as soon as possible.   Before the first day in the spring I will dispose of everything left on our shelves.

I'll start working on the grades this week and submit them to the school as soon as I have finished.  How long it takes them to distribute them to the students I don't know.  Good luck with the rest of your fall semester and enjoy the break.

12/8/15 3D Design

Today's Class- No snow today, so we could have a traditional second to last week of the semester.  Other than turning in a few late items, today was mostly spent working on the final projects.  Students were very busy and at times it sounded like some kind of surgical hospital for clear plastic animals.  By the end of the class period, several inflatable projects were just about finished, except for some minor details.  

Homework- Next week is our final meeting of the semester, so everything is due.  Final Projects, museum papers, books, plastic assemblages, figure installations- if it hasn't been graded yet and is worth points, next week is the last chance to have me see it.

For next class 12/15/15-  We can start looking at finished inflatable projects first thing.  Once it's been shown inflated and critiqued by those present, if you're up to date on everything else, you can leave.  However, if you still need to finish your final, or anything else from the semester, you can have the whole class period to work on it.  Nothing will be accepted after that.

Anything left behind on the class shelves will be disposed of at the end of the day, so if you treasure any of your previous projects, make sure to take them with you.

12/1/15 3D Design

Today's Class-  We looked at few more proportional/installation pieces, and some of the book sculptures.  But most of the day was spent working on the Final Project, the large scale inflatable pieces.  This project comes to us from John Siblik, a classmate of mine from grad school in the midwest.  Primarily a painter, while we were there he also did some sculpture, including participating in an outdoor sculpture exhibition, for which he first produced sketched proposals, and eventually constructed and installed the actual piece. Years later when I started teaching this class, I contacted him for 3D ideas and sent me photos of a large scale inflatable project his class in Iowa had luck with.

The first step was to do simple sketches of 5 animals or plants, things people were considering as subjects for the final piece. The next step was to build a small model of one of the sketched items using bristol board.  Above and below are student sketches and models from previous semesters.  The model will help you work out how to construct the final piece from the plastic drop cloths, including the inflation strategy.  

For this project, students have the option to work individually or in groups of two or three.  Everyone must complete the first two steps, which are part of the individual portion of the grade.

Then, whether you work on your own or with others, you will make the large scale inflatable artwork.  Above is a model ant, and below the piece that was eventually created. 

The final piece should be at least 8 feet long in some dimension, and must have some articulations, such as a separate head, legs, tail, fins, antenna, or whatever else is appropriate for what you are creating.

More examples of completed Inflatable Projects from previous semesters:

 Barracuda

 Bat

 Lizard

 Snail

Turtle

More examples of completed projects from previous semesters can be found on last week's blog post.

Homework- The Book Sculpture projects are due at the beginning of class on December 8, 2015.  

The inflatable projects are due by the end of class on December 15, 2015, our last meeting of the semester, though we will start looking at them at the start of class that day, and once your project is graded (and you are sure everything else is graded) you may leave.  If you need it, you may have the whole class period to finish your piece.

Museum papers and other late projects will be accepted through the end of class on December 15th.  Once the class ends, no more work will be accepted.

For next class 12/8/15-  Work will continue on the inflatable projects.  Bring plastic drop cloth material and clear plastic sealing tape, as well as scissors.  You may also use the time to work on anything related to the class.

11/24/15 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we looked at the proportional room/installation projects, where students were asked to build a room to house one of the pair of figures from the proportional figures exercise from a few weeks ago.  The design of the room could be made to reflect the artist's view of what might make sense for the figure.  They were graded and returned.

Otherwise, students could continue work on the book project started last week.  Some have already finished, while some will continue to work on it until they are due next Tuesday morning.

The first museum paper came in today, even though they are not due until next week.  

Homework- The book carving project will be due on Tuesday, December 1, 2015.  The Museum paper is also due on December 1st.  Any reasonably complete paper turned in that day will be considered on time.  I will quickly review them that day, let the student know if there are any obvious omissions, and allow them to fix and resubmit them again for full credit by the end of the semester.

For next class 12/1/15- At the request of several students, I gave a bit of a preview today of next week's project, which will be the final project of the semester.  I will go into much more detail next week, both in class on here online, but for now here's the basic information and a few examples from previous semesters.  

You will be creating some large scale inflatable pieces, using thin plastic drop cloth sheets (sold in home improvement stores and anywhere house paint is sold) and clear plastic sealing tape (home improvement stores and anyplace that sells packaging materials).  They will take the form of animals, at least 8 feet in one dimension.  The finished pieces will be blown up with a hair dryer or a shop vac in reverse on the final day of class.  Below are several examples from previous semesters.

The first step will be to create a 6 to 8 inch model of the creature using bristol board, and then to use that to figure out the size and shape of the clear plastic pieces that will be used to build the inflatable animal.  I will bring some animal books to class next week, although you may also provide your own reference materials as well.  All students will be asked to do pencil sketches of 5 different ideas, and then to turn one of them into the small 3 dimensional paper model.  Students will have the option to work individually or in groups of up to 3 people on the inflatable piece.  Groups will have to choose one of the models to expand into the large inflatable piece.  

For the first week you will definitely need a sketchbook or loose drawing paper, pencil and eraser, scissors or a knife to cut paper, and glue.  That is as far as most people get the first week, but if you wish to be prepared past that, have a clear plastic drop cloth and at least one roll of clear plastic sealing tape.  You will have the last three weeks of class (next week plus the two more) to complete the project.

11/17/15 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we opened with a critique of the plastic and other discarded manufactured materials projects, and then the students completed the course evaluation forms.  After that, I introduced the career of designer Buckminster Fuller, whose approach to design influenced much of what is covered in this class.  With all that out of the way, I introduced the new project, creating sculptures using old books as the medium.

How to make this up- The modern book is based on the codex design, an invention of the Ancient Romans.  Multiple sheets of paper are bound along one edge, and may be manipulated, while still staying in the same order.  As a book is opened and the pages turned, the overall dimensions continually change, and since the block of pages can be treated as a sculptural material, the result can be a sculpture that can change and be returned to its original state.  You will need an old book that you don't mind cutting up, at least 250 to 300 pages is recommended, and hard covers are more stable than soft covers.  You will have two main options in how to approach this project:

A. Single View

With this style, the book is opened to a single point, revealing a three dimensional artwork.  The point can be just inside the front cover, or anywhere in the block of pages.  Some student examples from previous semesters-

Portrait head in deep relief.  Those dark marks are not pigment used to draw, but shadows created by the carving.

Above and below two landscape scenes with multiple layers of content.  Part of each page left as a frame connects all the positive shapes to the book.

Adding images or color to the pages is not allowed, but you may make use of any that are part of the original book.  In this piece, the student took advantage of book's many full page color glossy photos to create a complex multi colored and multi layered design.

B. Changing View

With this option, you create multiple sections, with various negative spaces passing through the whole book.  The negative and positive spaces change as viewers move through the book, resulting in an ever changing sculpture.

This student example has four basic sections, and aspects of all four can be glimpsed as soon as the first section.  Negative spaces change shape, and appear and disappear as one proceeds through the book.

This example is very geometric, but the same idea can be applied to more organic shapes, such as figures or landscapes, realistic or abstracted.

General Rules:

1)  The book must be able to open and close.

2)  Glue may be used to repair torn pages, but not to build sculpture.  Everything in the piece must be part of the original pages as bound inside the cover.

3) You may not add color or images to the pages, but may make use of any such things that are part of the original publication.

4) No specific subjects are required for this project.  You may work abstractly or representationally.  

Keep in mind-

Sharp blades cut better than dull blades, which may just tear the paper.  Have replacements ready.

This will take a lot longer than you expect, especially if you've never tried something like this before.  Don't try to rush through it.

If you're not sure how to make it work, it may help you to visualize it if you do sketches first, or even cut out sample templates and stack them on top of each other, to see the visual interactions and the best places to have everything be attached.

Placing something hard under the page you are cutting may make it easier.

Homework-  Due to the lengthy time required to do this project, it will be continued in class next week.  Based on the progress in class next week, by the end of class I'll announce the due date, some time in December.

The proportional room/installation piece is due at the beginning of class on November 24, 2015.

The due date for the museum paper is December 1, 2015.

For next class 11/24/15-  Other than reviewing the scale room project, you'll have the whole class period available to work on the book project.  Bring your book from today (or a new one if you have decided to start over) and knife.

11/10/15 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we made use of one of the products of an earlier exercise, and used it to explore another variation of sculpture- the installation.  Installation art became popular beginning in the mid to late 20th century, the idea that sculpture need not be a single object created by the artist to be seen in isolation, but that it could be a group of objects made by or assembled by the artist, and that the whole resulting environment is the artwork. We looked at slides of two famous artists from early in the movement, George Segal and Edward Keinholz, and then students began creating environments for one of their previously constructed figures.

How to make this up- In the past I have had students take the original proportioned figure from the pair and use foam core and bristol board to build part of our classroom, maintaining scale proportional to the figure piece.  Above and below are some of the examples.

I'm changing it a little bit this semester, allowing the students a little more creative control over the environments.  Option 1: reproduce a portion of the classroom.  Include one worktable, one stool, and one piece of wall, cabinet, or other furniture.  These items must be of proportional scale to the figure, and made from the foam core and bristol board.  Option 2: create a new environment that your figure can be a part of.  No specific theme is required, though you should have a plan and be able to explain your choices.  You need to construct some kind of defined space (backdrop, floor, etc) and at least one other object, using foam core and bristol board. Because Segal and Keinholz regularly made use found objects in their large installations, you have the option to make use of some other materials to set up your theme or decorate the environment.  

Homework- This proportional room/installation graded project is due at the beginning of class on November 24, 2015.  They will be critiqued, graded, and returned that day.

The plastic and manufactured materials project is due at the beginning of class on November 17, 2015.

The deadline for the museum paper is December 1, 2015.  All will be evaluated that day, and you will be informed of any missing information so you have the option to redo it an resubmit it for grading.  As long as you have it in that day, the regraded paper will still be considered on time.  Papers will be accepted after the 1st, but will be considered late, and there will be no opportunity to rewrite papers submitted on the last day of class.

For next class 11/17/15- We will begin a new graded project using old discarded books as a medium.  You will treat the block of pages as a sculptural material to be carved and use your knives to do it.  Rules include that the book must be able to be opened and closed, and that the pages must be attached as originally bound.  Color and images from the original pages may be incorporated into your design. No required subject.  You will have two options-

A.  Single view sculpture-  The book is opened to reveal the sculpture.  It can be a single item in heavy relief, as in the portrait piece above (those dark marks are shadows, not pigment), or a layered scene as in the example below.

B. Changing sculpture- A multiple layer design where the negative and positive spaces gradually change as the viewer moves through the book, resulting in an ever changing sculpture.  Below are four different layers in the same book.

Bring a book of at least 250-300 pages, your x-acto knife and spare blades are recommended, as they will get dull and sharp blades cut paper much better.  You won't be constructing with glue, but you may use it to repair torn pages.

10/27/15 3D Design

Today's Class- Today we started a new graded project, making use of textures and colors from found objects, which in this case were cast off manufactured products.  Using absolutely no natural materials, students were asked to create something based on an actual 3D item, which could be inspired by an object or a living thing.  I posted photos of some good examples on last week's post to give students a chance to think about it and maybe find some suitable materials to bring in.  I brought in various bits of packaging that I have accumulated since last year (some of which can be seen below).

Meanwhile, some students had brought in stuff from home, or went out dumpster diving, or even made some purchases at the dollar store, which can be a great source of inexpensive colorful junk.

How to make this up- There are two ways to approach this project.  You can start with a bunch of plastic and junk and see if the items inspire any ideas, or you can start with an idea and then search for materials to make it.  What you make must be based on a recognizable three dimensional thing.  All visible parts must be made with discarded manufactured materials, such as plastic, metals, glass, synthetics.  These items can be cut or broken up to make pieces that better suit the appearance of the inspiring item.  All color and texture must come from your materials- you can't use paint.  For size, it must be at least 8" in one dimension, but can be larger if you want.  Below are some student examples from previous semesters.

Homework-  This graded manufactured objects project is due at the beginning of class on November 17, 2015, three weeks from today.

***School is closed on Tuesday November 3, 2015 for election day.  No class next Tuesday*****

For next class 11/10/15-  We will continue with the canon of proportions project, the figures based on a magazine photo.  Bring in the figure based on the measurements of the original photo, along with some foam core, bristol board, scissors and/or x-axto knife, and glue.  We will explore the idea of the figure in an installation setting. 

10/20/15 3D Design

Today's Class-  Today we opened with a critique of the natural materials projects due today.  They were graded and returned this afternoon, or left on our shelf for those who weren't ready to take them today.  Then we moved on to a class exercise involving the material of coffee trays.  These are pulp cardboard trays designed to hold coffee cups, generally available anyplace coffee is sold to take out.  The cheap disposable trays have a surprisingly complex design, so students were asked to spend a few minutes looking at the shapes found on both sides, and then see what was inspired (kind of like we started with the sea shells a few weeks ago)  Below are examples from previous semesters, as well as some from today. 

How to make this up-  Everyone was present today for at least part of the class so you should all know the assignment.  Essentially students cut up their trays and glued the pieces together to make new sculptures.  Their new creations could be based on known objects or living things, or could be pure design and geometry.  This is a portfolio exercise, so if you did not complete it during today's class, you can make it up for full credit any time before the last day of the semester.

Homework-  Nothing new this week, though some still owe me some back graded projects, and getting your museum visit out of the way is always a good idea.

For next class 10/27/15-  We will begin our next graded project in class.  Sort of a companion piece to the recent natural materials project, our medium will be discarded manufactured materials, such as plastic, metals, and other junk.  The student example below includes on old cell phone, plastic utensils, and parts of hair clips, among other things.

This project is partly inspired by Lisa Bagwell, a shore area artist I have known for years.  She specializes in making sculptures from discarded materials, a mixture of stuff that has washed up on the beach and donations from friends who know her tastes.  Below are photos of examples of her recent works.

Two views of a 3 foot "hoagie", where the bread is made from wine corks strung on wire, the garnishing olive from plastic bottle caps, and the filling from such items as plastic can lids, disposable razor blades, and old gloves.

These two birds are mostly made from thin white plastic tabs with care information, included in plants purchased from nurseries.  Plastic mouthpieces for small cigars are used in the shell above and bird feet below.  The egret at the bottom is mostly plastic utensils and #2 pencils.

The two main rules for this project will be no use of natural materials, and that all colors and textures must come from the used materials.  Subjects can be anything you want, but the sculptures should physically resemble the intended subject.  These are just a few examples of the kinds of materials that can be used for this project.  Bring with you next week whatever you would like to use to start construction of your piece.