Soap Carving

SOAP CARVING IS GOOD CLEAN FUN!!

Soap Carving a figure in the round

Draw or trace your image unto the bar of soap. Start with a profile view. Use a tooth pic or a pen cap to trace your image
Begin shaving pieces away from the shape you drew. As you get closer to the outline, be careful and cut smaller pieces
Make sure to cut away from yourself if you are using a knife
After cutting out the profile view, draw your front view
Determine which features will go on what layer (which feature will pop out and which will be carved down)
Take your time and be careful as you remove soap shavings from the soap bar so you don't erase important details.
Once finished, use a wet brush to smooth some areas
Clean up your soap shavings

Materials:

A plate to catch the shavings.
A bar of soap
A toothpick or pen cap or anything that will create a thin line
A sheet of paper to trace unto your bar of soap (optional)
A knife or a spoon or anything with an edge to cut your soap pieces
A paper clip to scrape away pieces
A brush to smooth edges
A cup to hold the water where you dip your brush into
A paper towel to clean up

Soap Carving a relief image

Unlike the sculpture in the round, this image will still appear to be attached to the bar of soap

Draw your image outline using a toothpick or a fine tipped object
Once you have your outline, slowly shave away the extra pieces of your sculpture to establish the negative space.
Determine your layers (which will pop up and which will sink in)
Slowly carve and angle your cutting or carving tool accordingly
Use a wet brush to smooth areas
Make sure to continue to check your forms from all sides as you work
Experiment with different ways to carve at various angles, to punch holes in your soap, and different patterns and textures.

Examples:

Soap Carving videos

Watch some of these videos, to get some ideas of how carving works

Assignment:

Soap carving is a subtractive form of sculpting. That means that material is removed from a base or foundation object. As opposed to sculpting with clay which is an additive process which involves building up a form.

Assignment 1: Figure in the round

Students will create a soap sculpture of a figure in the round. The sculpture must include the following:

The sculpture should be smooth and appear finished
The sculpture should resemble the object which is being depicted
The sculpture must not have unintentional breaks or cuts
The sculpture should be balanced both visually and physically. In other words, physically it must be able to stand on its own without tipping over. Visually it should be interesting to see from all sides.
The sculpture must depict features of the creature, animal or object. Don't just create an outline, create a finished detailed piece.
It must be in the round and must be interesting to see from all sides.
Students must incorporate texture

Assignment 2: Representational Relief Soap Sculpture

Students must create a soap sculpture that is an example of a bas-relief. The sculpture must include the following:

The sculpture must be an original image
The sculpture must include at least 2 different textures
The sculpture must include at least 2 patterns
The image must be balanced both physically and visually
The sculpture should appear finished with all marks being intentional
The image must be representational (In other words, not abstract or geometric)
The sculpture must not have unintentional breaks or cuts
The sculpture must be detailed
Painting or dyeing your sculpture is optional (watercolor and food coloring work great)

Assignment 3: Free sculpt

The first time you create a sculpture, it tends to look bad. You get better by practicing and experimenting with different cuts, angles, techniques and tools. For this last soap sculpture, create something amazing. It will not have a rubric or prompt, just turn in a sculpture which you are proud of

Submit your soap sculpture to the appropriate places on google classroom

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