Figurative Sculptures Assignment Guidelines

Assignment:

Produce two small-scale, figurative, bust sculptures that use the elements and principles to visually communicate a social commentary. Incorporate color and a innovative base for each sculpture. 

A bust depicts the upper part of the human figure; head, neck, shoulders, upper chest. For this assignment, students will be influenced by the concept of bust sculpture and reference head, neck and shoulders (upper chest optional). Create a base for each sculpture that unites with the formal and conceptual qualities of the figurative sculpture. 

Social commentary is an element of a narrative that critiques a societal issue. 

Objective:

• Explore the histories associated with figurative bust sculpture. 
• Practice research in developing an idea that exists beyond one's immediate knowledge. 
• Practice analyzing the elements and principles that can be used to visually communicate such ideas. Consider how scale, texture, shape, line, color, repetition, pattern and focal point can visually communicate an idea. 

Before you begin, review the following information:

Figurative Bust Sculpture History

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Figurative%20Bust%20%20Sculpture%20History 

Figurative Bust Sculpture Research

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Figurative%20Bust%20Sculpture%20Research

Figurative Bust Sculpture Artists

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Figurative%20Bust%20Sculpture%20Artists

Figurative Bust Sculpture Student Work

https://foundations3ddesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Figurative%20Bust%20Sculpture%20Student%20Work

Materials:

• Amaco Air Dry Clay (figurative work). 
• Various clay tools (available in the studio and/or you can use non-traditional items for tools - such as toothpicks, butter knife, an old plastic card (gift card/credit card), sponge, toothbrush (for clay only). 
• Wood (base) (use scraps from wood shop). Foam board is also an option but should not appear as foam board - you will need to cover in another material. 
• Surface treatments. Choices for color include ink or brush on pastel dust. Watercolor and nail polish also give great results. Acrylic paint does not always translate well on the air dry clay. If interested in using acrylic paint, speak with me and I can guide you. 

Guidelines:

• Each student producing two sculptures. Each sculpture consists of two parts., a clay figurative bust and a base. 
• The sculptures must engage viewer from all sides - front, side, back. To achieve this, work on a banding wheel so you can see your sculpture from all sides as you are building. 
• Each figurative bust air-dry clay sculpture should be between 3 and 6 inches in height. Note: A dollar bill is 6 inches in length. 
• Each figurative bust will be placed on a base that you design and construct from wood or foam board. 
• Each sculpture will visually comment on a social issue. 
• The social issue can be the same for each sculpture with each sculpture depicting a different opinion. 
• OR each sculpture visually communicates a different social issue. 
• Your final solution does not have to visually communicate a realistic depiction of the human head/neck/shoulders. Additionally, your idea may call for you to "cover" or "distort" human features or replace the "head" with an object or animal figure. 
• Carefully consider how you can incorporate props with the figurative bust to visually communicate your perspective. What do certain objects symbolize and/or how can objects be arranged/combined to visually communicate an idea. Develop ideas utilizing concepts of color, value, line, texture, pattern, space, balance, scale and focal point. 
• Consider how you can use facial features to visually communicate an idea.
• Consider orientation of the bust. What happens when you place "upside down" or at an angle? 
• Must incorporate color into the clay figures and/or base. Additional materials/objects an option. 
• All ideas about color and additional objects will be discussed during group or individual in-process critiques. This is necessary because these elements should enhance the content and meaning, not simply be added for decoration. 

Step 1

Look over the blog checklist for this assignment so you have an idea of what information you need. Checklist can be found in File Section of Canvas. 

Step 2

Compile a list of social issues that you wish to comment on. A social issue is a problem that reduces the quality of life of people. This includes current problems and risks that represent a probability of future problems. 

Go to the link below and select two (2) social issues. Make sure you scroll through the website to see the many categories. Come to class with a print out of information or an image for each social issue. DO NOT share/show me info on your phone or computer. 

https://simplicable.com/en/social-issues

Step 3

Come to class prepared to share the two topics you selected. As a group we will brainstorm ideas. Decide to on what social issue you will portray in your sculptures. You can have the two sculptures represent one issue, or each sculpture can represent a different social issue. On this day I will also introduce a basic exercise for the clay as a "warm up" (to be completed in class). 

Step 4

Once you have decided on a social issue(s), begin to collect visual and written research. Use this information to develop your idea and post research on your blog. Research includes at least two different sources. Follow the blog checklist for when posting research on your blog. The blog post due at end of semester with completed blog. However, I recommend posting your research while working on this assignment while you have links/info readily available. 

Step 5

Begin using the air dry clay to sculpt ideas. See process images below for basic approach. Sketching beforehand is optional. 

Step 6

Once figurative sculptures are complete, set aside to dry. Begin to explore the scrap wood in wood shop. Decide on a base for each sculpture. Consider the height and width of the wood. You may change the shape of the wood by sanding or impose marks with Dremel tool or drill press. You may apply color to the base. Again, discuss ideas for bases in group or individual critiques. 

Step 7

When air-dry clay pieces are dry, apply color. Use ink and crushed pastel. You may add acrylic paint to the ink if needed. Do not use straight up acrylic paint. You may incorporate additional objects/materials if these elements enhance the content and meaning, not simply added for decoration. 

What do I post on my blog? 

• Refer to document in File Section in Canvas. 
• Blog posting for this assignment due during final exam day and time. 

Above images from Alisa Burke

https://alisaburke.blogspot.com/2014/09/air-dry-clay-bookends.html

MOS Architects

Ordos 100. [Credit: via www.archdaily.com]

Source

https://placesjournal.org/article/paper-architecture-emerging-urbanism/?cn-reloaded=1

 

Paper Sculpture

Source has templates

https://mrprintables.com/play-fruit-templates.html

 

Paper Sculpture

Source

http://www.minieco.co.uk/paper-gems/

 

Packaging

I do not have a source. 

Please email lmongiovi@flagler.edu

 

Paper Sculpture

Source:

https://richardeflanagan.tumblr.com/post/14986562077

 

Paper Construction, Innovative Shapes

I do not have a source for this image. 

Please email lmongiovi@flagler.edu with a source link. 

 

Janine Antoni, Artist, Bahamian- born American, 1964

Saddle

Rawhide

2000

 

Tyler Ott, Student Work

THRILL AND SORROW

Movie Inspiration: John Wick (2014)

 

Etoile Gelman, Student Work

FRACTURE

Movie Inspiration: To The Bone (2017)

 

Makala Stamboni, Student Work

SOCIAL CONSTRUCT

Movie Inspiration: My Man Godfrey (1934)

 

Daelynn Murphy, Student Work

CHAOTIC MEMORIES

Movie Inspiration: Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

    This piece is balanced between the chaos of transition and nostalgic references to childhood. The crowded composition and layers of imagery lead the viewer to investigate and find uncomfortable moments. The brightly colored cereal are realized to be beads, the coloring book pages are ruined with spilled juice, a raw egg floats in the milk and the dollar bill is perceived as unusable for the moment due to being soaked. The discomfort that slowly sneaks up on the viewer is accompanied by a sense of chaos, similar to the way one feels when viewing a collection of unrecognizable objects. The image conveys a transition from a dreamlike hazy memory to a chaotic sense of discomfort.

 

Gillian Gray, Student Work

DYSTOPIA

Movie Inspiration: A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)

Emma Lofland, Student Work

TRANQUIL

 

Everett Kentworthy, Student Work

 

Grace Tolbert, Student Work

 

Bianca Charles, Student Work

TRANSLUCENT MEMORIES

 

Daelynn Murphy, Student Work

 This piece, inspired by the painting The Death of Marat, is a surrealist interpretation of escapist bathing. The figure is tightly wrapped around his legs, with the same black fabric draping down from his head and melting into the floor, cascading out from the bathtub like a faucet. The viewer stares down at the subject, the form is vaguely recognizable as human from the exposed flesh of the shoulders. The figure adopts a pose of mourning, hunched over the edge of the tub with his thoughts, represented by the black fabric, pouring out unrestrained onto the floor. The parallel horizontal lines of the image are slightly skewed, creating an unfocused, dreamlike perspective. The shadows from the faucet and dial almost unrealistically distorted, dripping down the wall and into the tub, leading the eye to the figure and then around with his contorted body to the pool of fabric at the bottom left corner.

 

Emely Rodriguez Perez, Student Work

 

ISOLATED

The artwork explores national identity. I am from Costa Rica and have family in Cuba and Spain. I used flamenco shawls to show my nationality and cultural background. The flamenco shawl covering the face is significant. In Spain, women wear black veils over their face when going to a Catholic church and cover their hair when dancing flamenco and getting married. The image reflects a lonely  figure in an empty space.

Ben Tran, Student Work

DESPONDENCY

This work explores the loss of self. I was thinking about my depression and how lonely I oftentimes feel. A sense of loss is portrayed through how the figure isn't easily recognizable as human. The figure, on their hands and knees in an isolated space, further expresses the idea of being defeated by pain and loneliness.

Katarina Glinski, Student Work

 

“Not Just Ovaries” 

Watercolor and ink 

14"x11" 

“Far more women than men claim to have cold hands and feet, which isn’t surprising. When the body gets cold, it protects the core organs first (which is why it’s easy to get frostbite in your extremities); in women, it protects the reproductive organs.” (Natural History of The Senses, Ackerman, page 91) 

I was motivated to create this art piece because not all people simply identify as women even if they have ovaries. Even people who identify as women don’t necessarily think that their reproductive organs are the most important part of their bodies. For Diane Ackerman to suggest that our wombs are protected because they are the most important part of our bodies is absurd- especially when you consider the fact that not all people who have ovaries identify as women. I purposely blurred the watercolor because I wanted to make a point that she is ignoring and erasing transgender and non-binary people. 

Jenny Pack, Student Work

 

Shield

Photograph

“Our skin is what stands between us and the world. If you think about it, no other part of us makes contact with something not us but the skin. It imprisons us, but it also gives us individual shape, protects us from invaders, cools us down or heats up as need be, produces vitamin D, holds in our body fluids.” - Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses, p. 68

Statement: 

I used an empty orange bag to cover my face. Its structure is similar to fishnet leggings, I found the color and texture striking. The work is to symbolize the skin as a weak but essential barrier. The folds in the material and it’s grid pattern clearly show the shape of the face- “gives us individual shape.” In addition, hopefully the viewer is familiar with the texture and can imagine the feeling- “no other part of us makes contact with something not us but the skin.” The bag holds my face, while it’s stretched it does not break. The material was strong enough to hold oranges, and while they can still be bruised and harmed, the bag was moved from several locations without damage. The parallel is drawn to skin as a protector from outside harm.

Daelynn Murphy, Student Work

Unfired Earthenware

Approx. 1.5" x 2"

"The touched infants, in these studies and others, cried less, had better temperaments, and so were more appealing to their parents, which is important because the 7 percent of babies born prematurely figure disproportionately among those who are victims of child abuse... A 1988 New York Times article on the critical role of touch in child development reported 'psychological and physical stunting of infants deprived of physical contact, although otherwise fed and cared for...'" (Ackerman, 73)

Human babies are brought into the world from an encompassing world of touch, allowing them to grow and mature into something living and beautiful in only 9 months’ time. A whole new life is created from microscopic cells through this process of gestation within the mother’s womb. However, once they exit during birth, they are only beginning in their process to becoming a fully functioning human being. Without a continual exposure to the loving warmth of those who care for them they will remain immature and unformed. In this same way, a clay sculpture remains a blank block of dirt and water, the grains of sand comparative cells, until a pair of hands comes along and, through loving and gentle touch, forms it into something mature and complete. The more touch and attention that are given to the piece, the more it is shaped into something individual and unique. This piece of clay, yet incomplete and unfired is awaiting its fate as forever unfinished, to be neglected and used for another project. Or, through loving attention, brought into its own as a fully formed piece of art, just as infants are reliant on their parents to form them into the best that they can be from the day that they are born.