Gregor's Room, Assignment Guidelines

Assignment:

• Using only white copy paper and no tape or glue, design and construct a collection of paper sculptures that visually narrate your perception of the short story The Metamorphosis. 
• Employ elements and principles of design to visually communicate your perceptions of the story.
• Perception is a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression
• All sculptures must have height, width and depth. Do not construct flat pieces that only have a front and back. Must have depth. 

Objective:

• Provide students with the experience of extracting design elements and principles such as line, color, texture, shape, scale, space, pattern, focal point, balance and repetition from the written word and apply to visual work that reflects their perception of the story. 
• Challenge construction skills through the use of minimal materials and the process of transformed plane.

Materials:

• White copy paper. Do not use card stock. 
• Winsor and Newton eight color ink set
• Winsor and Newton white ink
• Scissors
• Cut matt
• Exacto knife
• Brushes
• Optional - colored pencils, black or colored ink pens, graphite pencils

Student Examples (Completed Work):

• See right column for "Gregor's Room Student Work". If you are viewing this blog on your phone and right column not visible, scroll to bottom of page and click on "web version". 

Student Examples (In-Process):

• See right column for "Gregor's Room Student Work In-Process". If you are viewing this blog on your phone and right column not visible, scroll to bottom of page and click on "web version". 

Inspiration and Ideas:

• See right column for "Gregor's Room Artists". This category provides ideas for paper construction.  If you are viewing this blog on your phone and right column not visible, scroll to bottom of page and click on "web version". 

Guidelines:

• In class we will discuss how line, color, texture, shape, scale, space, pattern, focal point, balance and repetition can communicate content. See Step 2 below. 
• Use white copy paper. Do not use card stock. 
• Do not use tape, glue or any other form of adhesive. 
• You may use water to deconstruct paper and activate glue embedded in paper.
• The sculptures are small scale. Estimate no larger than a sheet of copy of paper, 8.5" x 11". 
• The bed should be no smaller than half a sheet of copy paper, 4.25" x 5.5". 
• The sculptures need to be sturdy/stable. 
• The sculptures should demonstrate time, effort and innovation. 
• If white is part of your design, white ink must be used.  Do not rely on the white copy paper. You must ink the paper with white ink and consider a tint to suggest the reflection of light. 
• All forms are to be three-dimensional - have height, width and depth. Example, a mattress has six sides (planes).
• The sculptures are to represent the setting discussed in The Metamorphosis and will be miniature. You have freedom how to interpret each sculpture. For example, you do not have to produce a traditional bed or piece of furniture. 
• Gregor. You choose how to represent the character. Do not represent in the form of a bug. 
• A piece of furniture, your choice. 
• A bed. Must contain the following six components. All six components do not have to attach. You can choose to replace an item below with an additional piece of furniture or a wall. 
• Mattress
• Box Spring 
• Bed Frame
• Headboard. Be careful here - do not use one sheet of paper to make a headboard. Make a shape with height, width and depth or use multiple shapes. 
• At least one pillow
• At least one blanket

Step 1:

Using white copy paper (not card stock - card stock is heavier weight) and no adhesives such as tape, glue and no staples, construct the following shapes:

• A beam with two "peg/hole". Approximately 6 inches in length and 1/2 inch width and depth. Note: A dollar bill measures 6 inches. 
• A solid sphere. Approximately 1 inch diameter. 
• A cube. Approximately 2 inches. Does not have to be a perfect cube - can be a rectangle. Goal is to achieve an enclosed rectilinear shape. Do not use origami. 
• Another cube (or rectangle). Do not use origami. 

Note: Go to right column index, "Gregor's Room Student Examples" to search examples of construction process. 

Step 2:

• Read The Metamorphosis and make note of your perceptions. Perception is a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression
• I suggest printing out the story so you can make notes in the margins while reading and highlight areas that resonate with you. 
• Important - Make note of how you visualize the story. What colors, shapes, textures, patterns, use of space, implied lines do you associate with the story. These are elements and principles. Go to link to see examples of elements and principles: http://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Elements%20and%20Principles%20Visual%20Examples 
• To read the short story, go to this link: https://web.english.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Kafka_Metamorphosis.pdf

Step 3:

• Bring your notes to class and be prepared to take further notes as we will discuss the reading and ideas for the visual work. 
• Be prepared to verbally share your perceptions of the story as well as the elements and principles you associate with the story. 

Step 4:

• Begin constructing your ideas. Sketches are optional. 
• Keep in mind, this construction process is new to you so your first attempts may be learning experiences. 
• Refer to the list of required sculptures in the above "Guidelines" section. 
• Remember to take in-process pics as you are working. 

Post the following information on your blog in the order listed below. All images of the final solution are to be professional quality. See right index bar for category "How to Photograph Your Work". 

• A professional photo of the entire collection of sculptures. 
• Make sure this first image is not an aerial view. 
• Make sure all sculptures are visible. Each sculpture should be at least 75% visible. 
• Title. 
• Underneath the photo, state the title of your work. Use Italics. 
• Explanation. 
• Include the following information under the title, "A visual response to the short story The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka."
• Materials. 
• Underneath the explanation list the materials and highlight no adhesives used. Use this language: White Copy Paper, Ink (No Adhesives)
• Dimensions. 
• So the viewer has an idea of scale, state the largest dimension. 
• Use this language: Largest sculpture measures 8" x 6" x 3".
• Additional Images:
• A second view of all the sculptures (different from the first). 
• A third view of all the sculptures (different from the first and second).
• Detail #1. Select an interesting area for a close-up. 
• Detail #2. Select an interesting area for a close-up. 
• Artist Statement. 
• Do not use language such as the assignment asked me to read the story...". 
• Suggestion, begin with this statement: "The sculpture collection reflects my perception of the short story The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka."
• Discuss how story content influenced your decisions for color, texture, line, shape and scale as well as principles such as focal point, pattern. 
• Do not write about how you built/constructed the work. This is info is made apparent in the stating of materials. 
• Continue to discuss the overall meaning of the work. 
• Writing should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Use capitalization. Writing should be efficient - do not ramble. Do not submit the first statement you write. Take time to review and edit your writing at least twice.
• Review examples of statements in student work posted here on the class blog. 
• Process photos (images of the work in progress). At least one image. 
• Optional - notes/sketches.

"The Metamorphosis, first published in 1915, is the most famous of Kafka's works, along with The Trial and The Castle. The story begins when a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Curiously, his condition does not arouse surprise in his family, who merely despise it as an impending burden. As with all of Kafka's works, The Metamorphosis is open to a wide range of interpretations. Most obvious are themes relating to society's treatment of those who are different, the loneliness of isolation, and the absurdity of the human condition."