3/15/16 3D Design

Today's Class-  Back from Spring Break, and easing into the second half of the semester.  Today we worked on a portfolio exercise, one making use of pulp cardboard coffee trays that one can usually get for free wherever coffee is sold to go.  I opened by showing a few slides of architecture that makes use of some of the same kinds of shapes found in the cardboard (mostly Spanish architect Gaudi), and we also took some time to go down to the gallery to see the student art show.

How to make this up- Get at least two cardboard 4 cup coffee trays, and spend a few minutes looking at both top and bottom sides, seeing if (like the shells we started with last time) any familiar objects are suggested by the complex shapes in the trays.  Then when you are ready, start cutting up the cardboard and gluing it together to make sculptures.  No specific subject required, can be representational or abstract, by do try to make specific use of the shapes found in the cardboard.  Below are some student examples from previous semesters.

This is a portfolio exercise that can be made up any time before the end of the semester for full credit.

Homework- Nothing new, but the cave art style natural materials project is due at the beginning of class on March 22, 2016.  Previous graded projects can still be turned in for partial credit, though the amount decreases with each additional week late.  

I received the first museum assignment today.  The official due date is April 19, 2016, and any reasonably complete paper turned in by then can be resubmitted for a better grade by the end of the semester, but completing this assignment sooner means you don't have to deal with it at the end of the semester. 

For next class 3/22/16- We will begin the next graded project, what I generally refer to as the plastic project.  Similar to the natural materials project, except that now all the materials must be discarded man made materials.  The subject can be anything, but the piece should be representational.  Colors and textures should come from the materials used, not from painting.  The materials should be discarded objects designed for other purposes, not items designed for people to build with (like Lego bricks or Erector set parts)  Pieces can be held together any way you want.  Below are some examples of this style of sculpture.  The first five are from a professional artist from my area who specializes in this kind of thing, the rest are from students in previous semesters.  Bring whatever materials you wish to use to make what you plan, or just bring a whole lot of garbage and figure it out in class.

 Hoagies from Lisa Bagwell using corks, plastic bottle caps, gloves, plastic lids, disposable razors, etc.

plant care tags, small cigar tips, etc

student projects

Student Art Show

If you haven't seen it yet, the current Fine Arts Student Exhibition is up in the Howe Gallery, the main one on the first floor, down the hall from our classroom.  The gallery is open when it's open, and it's not always open on Tuesdays, but it will be open for the reception on Monday, March 21st, from 4 to 6 pm.  Don't know for sure what is planned, but typically there will be some refreshments out in the hallway.  Expect a good crowd of the student artists, perhaps some of the professors (I don't have to be at Kean that day so I'll be skipping the event), and if there is a piece or process you are particularly interested in, it may be an opportunity to learn more about it.  If there is a day when the doors are open and we can take a break from what we are working on, I will take the class on a brief trip to see and discuss the show.  It's mostly flat work, so not much that applies to our class, but at least one of our current students is represented with something else. In any case, if you are a Fine Art student, you should see what your fellow students are up to and start getting in the habit of exhibiting your own work.

And speaking of visiting art shows, we are now nearing the halfway point of the semester, so it's a good time to remind you that if you haven't made your museum visit yet, consider going soon.

3/1/16 3D Design

Today's Class- A nicer day today than last week, so we were able to go ahead with the natural materials/stone age art project.  I showed examples of art from the cave era, the focus on 3D art.  We did a quick exercise, looking at shells I collected from beaches in my area, and seeing if the shapes if inspired any ideas, as many sculptural pieces of that time seem to be influenced by the size and shape of the material- rocks worn in water, bones and tusks, etc.  Then students started on the project, creating a three dimensional artwork using nothing but natural materials, the kinds of things that would have been available to artists 20,000 years ago.  

How to make this up- 

The project is to create a sculpture relating to that ancient period, so the subject will be figural, such as a person, animal, mythological/ hybrid,  and the materials need to be from natural sources, things like sea shells, rocks and stones, solid wood, plant products (bark, twigs, leaves, flowers, berries, seeds, etc), earthen clays, natural fibers, but NO plywood or concrete, and certainly no plastics.  Hot glue may be used to attach parts, and because the ancient artists often used color, you may use paint on your pieces.  It should be at least 6" in length, and if your subject is small, you may give it an environment to meet that minimum size.  Above is a life size human made from seashells and cement that was in an art show in Belmar last year, much bigger than what you need to do.  Below are student examples from previous semesters.

bird (wood scraps and shells) 

 bull (wood scraps and shells)

 mermaid (shells, stones, leaves)

 owls (shells, twigs)

 peacock (stone, sticks, flowers, evergreen needles)

spider (seeds, spiky seed pods)

Homework- Normally I give two weeks for this stone age natural materials project to be completed, but we have our spring break next week, so the due date will be March 22, 2016.  Those who have not yet submitted the Make 50 module project and/or the foam core Relief panels (skeleton) project should turn them in as soon as possible to receive partial credit.  

We are at about the halfway point in the semester, so if you aren't planning to withdraw, make sure you are caught up as soon as you can.  

***Spring Break March 7 to March 12, 2016.  No Classes that week***

For next class March 15, 2016- We will be doing a portfolio assignment related to complex shapes.  The medium will be pulp cardboard coffee trays, the four cup holders that are commonly given away wherever coffee is sold to go.  You will need at least two, but a third would be good.  Besides those, bring scissors or a knife for cutting and some kind of glue.  

2/23/16 3D Design

Today's Class- We opened by looking at the foam core relief projects that were due today, then we moved on to something new.  The topic was Canons of Proportion- a concept of having a specific set of proportions for portraying figures in art.  It might be a rule in a society (like the Ancient Egyptians and all figures based on multiples of the widths of the figure's fists) or of a period (such as Classical Greek idealized ratios of head to body that changed over the centuries), or even temporary trends (like the odd exaggerations of the Italian Mannerist period, which sat between the anatomical accuracy of the Renaissance and the extreme accuracy of the Italian Baroque).  Also brought up contemporary examples like the sometimes extreme photo shopped advertisements, as in the example below.  I showed some examples of all of these in slides, discussed the art of each period, then we went on to start a new portfolio exercise/graded project.

How to make this up-  Find a photo that includes a whole human figure, head to toe.  The pose doesn't matter, nor gender, amount of clothes, just as long as we can see the proportions of the whole individual.  You will then recreate the character as a three dimensional object, using foam core and bristol board, matching it as best you can.  If you need to attach it to a base (as if to make it stand), that's fine.  With that finished, you will then create a second figure.  Same pose, but changing some very specific figural measurements.  For the second figure:

Neck 2 x the length
Shoulder 2 x the width
Waist/Hips half the width
Forearms and Lower legs 3 x the length

Below are several examples from previous semesters.

The pair of figures will be a portfolio exercise, and as such must be made up by the end of the semester to receive full credit.  However the first figure will be used as part of a graded project in several weeks, so you should try to get that one done soon.

Homework- Nothing new, but anyone who still owes me the foam core relief panels or the Make 100 Modules project should turn them in soon for partial credit.

For next class 3/1/16- We're going to try to take on the nature based project that we postponed from last week (and seeing today's weather, you should be glad you didn't have to run around campus looking for materials.)   Taking a cue from artists of the cave dwelling era, your materials will be only things found in nature.  I'll provide some sea shells from a local beach and some bamboo pieces from my backyard as options, but you may make use of anything from nature, plus I will allow the use of hot glue to attach these items together.  Possibilities include natural wood pieces, rocks, seeds, etc.  Keep in mind that leaves and other plant materials have a limited life span once picked, so should be harvested and used as close to the due date as possible.  Below are a few student examples from previous years-

Also keep in mind that if it snows considerably before next week, I may have to delay this project until after spring break, so check back here by next Monday to see if we are substituting something else.

2/29/16 Update- Current forecasts are looking good for the short term future, so we will be going with the natural materials/cave art project.  We will open by discussing stone age art, doing a quick exercise, then I'll give the assignment. Bring hot glue/gun and any appropriate materials you can find at home or on campus.

2/16/16 3D Design

Today's Class- The focus today was on planes- broad surfaces of three dimensional objects.  Planes can be any size, move in any direction, can be flat or curved or move at any angle to other elements.   I opened with a few slides of art featuring planes, such as the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (lots of flat horizontals influenced by the midwestern landscape) and industrial steel sculptures of Richard Serra.  

Then we moved onto a portfolio exercise that made use of automobile design as a starting point.  Besides being the most powerfully advertised commercial product of this century and our most potent consumer durable (to borrow a few lines from British author JG Ballard), cars have been a source of inspiration for visual art across the last century. 

How to make this up- I asked students to select a motor vehicle solely on its visual appeal to them.  Any style, vintage- just something they thought looked really cool.  The first step in this exercise was to build a three dimensional model of the car using foam core and bristol board- didn't have to be a perfect scale model, but should reflect the observed exterior surfaces.  Windows could be open or treated as solid planes.  As they were creating the pieces for the car, they were instructed to prepare a second identical set.  After assembling the model auto, the second set of pieces was to be used to make a sculpture that was anything but a car.  My working theory is that if we find the cars made from those shapes attractive, the same is likely true of anything else made from those parts, and many students in today's class found this to be the case.  Below are some student example from previous semesters.

This is a portfolio exercise and can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing new this week.  The graded project involving foam core relief sculpture and positive/negative space relationships that we started last week is due at the beginning of class February 23, 2016.  

For next class 2/23/16- Although we have not missed any 3D class time this semester to weather, a lot of winter has been occupying our area in 2016.  Our next scheduled project had involved using materials found in nature, but I think it would be safer to postpone that one just a little bit.  So next week we will start a two part graded project related to the concept of figural proportions.  Bring foam core, bristol board, scissors/knife, glue, pencil and eraser, pretty much the same stuff as today.  

2/9/16 3D Design

Today's Class- We opened by looking at the finished Make 100 projects, a group critique.  Those pieces were graded and returned by the end of class.  After that we began the 2nd graded project of the semester, with a focus on positive and negative space.

How to make this up-Today we adapted a process related to both sculpture and printmaking- the relief.  As a form of sculpture, it only is viewed from one side.  For a subject we started with skeletons.  Skeletons are nature's perfect structure, bones providing a framework and protection for internal parts, as well as means to move the body from place to place.  The relationship of the bones to the rest of the body  can be seen as a root of our aesthetics.

First I had students pick out a skeleton to work from, such as one I provided, as in the student line drawing above from a human skeleton, or finding one on the internet. Either human or animal is fine.  Next, a foam core relief based on the skeleton diagram is made, with the bones used as the high parts of the relief.  Cut out the bone shapes and glue them to a 12" x 12" piece of foam core.

The second part of the project is to create a second relief image that shares shapes, patterns, and rhythms with the skeletal drawing.  In this example, positive and negative shapes created by the ribs are echoed in the grass and weeds.  The shape of the shoulder blade is similar to the shape of the frog.

Some student examples from past semesters:

Most students use all white, but I do allow the use of a second color to create a higher contrast between the positive shapes and negative space background.

Homework- This skeleton graded project is due at the beginning of class on February 23, 2016.  

Students who still haven't turned in the Make 100 project can still do so for partial credit.

For next class 2/16/16- We will be working on a portfolio exercise related to planes, as in surfaces.  You will need foam core, bristol board, pencil and eraser, knife or scissors, and glue.  Part of the assignment will involve car design, so you will need to choose an automobile that you like based only on its appearance.  Have images of this car from all sides.

2/2/16 3D Design

Today's class- Today we are exploring the formal design property of symmetry, generally defined as exact duplication in a mirror like appearance on both sides of a real or imaginary line.  There is also a radial variety, in which things are identical all around the center of a round item.  The assignment today was an exercise- start with some symmetrical object, and build an asymmetrical composition featuring the chosen item.

How to make this up-  The assignment will call for you to start with memory sketches of five symmetrical (bilateral or radial) objects in a sketchbook or on scrap paper.  Choose one of them to make the focus of a three dimensional sketch done with bristol board, built up on a base.  Something stiff, like foam core or mat board, in the vicinity of 9" x 12" will do for the base. In these student examples from previous semesters above and below, it was radial symmetry from flowers and other plants.  Main rule is that the resulting finished piece should not be a symmetrical composition- because of the angles you've chosen, or the arrangement of elements on your base.  Consider how the piece will look from multiple angles- with these two examples I showed the view from above and the side.

This is a portfolio exercise, that can be made up for full credit any time before the last day of the semester.  

Two views of another student piece, demonstrating how viewpoints can make a difference in how things are balanced in a composition.  The mix of black and white is not part of this exercise, but this being an ungraded assignment, I decided to allow it. 

And another good example of creating a complex asymmetrical composition from a bunch of symmetrical pieces, in this case radial symmetrical snow flakes.

and two more examples from today's class:

Homework- The Make 100 Module project begun in class last week is due at the beginning of class on February 9, 2016.  At that time we will look at all the results and have a group critique.  The pieces will all be returned graded by the end of class.

For next class 2/9/16- We will start a new graded project with the topic of positive and negative space, which will take the form of a relief sculpture made from foam core.  The pieces will be inspired by skeletons, human or animal.  I will bring in diagrams of several, though you are welcome to bring your own or find something online.  Below are two student examples from previous semesters.

You will be required to make two pieces.   For the first you will start with an image of a skeleton (or a detail of one) and turn it into a relief image.  For the second piece, you will come up with a second item which has similar positive and negative shape relationships, and create a relief image based on that.  In both cases, you will use your x-acto knife to cut through a piece of foam core and glue the piece with negative spaces on top of the the base piece to create a low relief sculpture.  In the student example above, the skeleton hand inspired the hand grenade- overall shape and bones and spaces led to the surface texture of the classic pineapple style grenade.  In the example below the student started with the image of a flying fish skeleton and found the similarities to an ear of corn, still on the stalk.  The bottom piece shows an option, pairing black foam core with white to create a more high contrast relationship between the positive and negative space.  In such a situation the black can be used for either the top or bottom piece.  Your grade won't be affected, just giving you an option for your art.

Bring two 12" square pieces of foam core, and two more or the equivalent amount in smaller pieces to make your eventual top piece, x-acto knife and spare blades, pencil, and glue.