Themes
THE THEMES
HOW IT ALL WORKS:
You will work at your pace, but you ALWAYS MUST BE WORKING. This may mean you are building, doing research, sketching/planning, or glazing. You may pick any theme you like. You do not have to go in order. If you would like to do a theme more than once, that is okay. Once you pick a theme, build style, size, and surface treatment are up to you.
ANIMALS MORPHING
What would combining 2 animals look like?
What would the stages look like
if one thing turned into an animal...say an onion turned into a kangaroo?
INTERACTION
How can one object interact with another object?
What kind of interaction would it be? good, bad, comfortable, loving, strained, uncomfortable?
What kind of gestures can help you to display that interaction?
MAN-MADE
What does it mean to be man-made?
Obviously, anything you build by hand will be "man-made". So how can you take this further?
Does it need to be a machine? Can it be non-mechanical?
Does it need to look like an exact replica?
Can texture and showing your finger marks be a factor?
INSIDE-OUT
Can the inside of a piece be just as important?
What goes on inside an object?
Can you highlight the inside or the outside to make it stand out over the other?
How can you show equal importance?
SURREALISM/FANTASY
What is surrealism? Unsure? Here is a quick video about it.
NATURE
What is nature?
How can you incorporate nature into your piece?
Is it inherent in your design? Meaning, do you replicate a natural element as an artwork?
Is it surface decoration?
Is it a feeling that nature gives that you try to bring out through your sculpture?
IDENTITY
How do you identify yourself?​
How do other identify themselves?
Is it something visible?
Is it a mask? Is it hidden?
Is what is on the outside the same as what is on the inside?
MASKS
Masks can be formed to how you see fit
Design a mask in a style that pleases you
You don't have to be able to wear your mask
If your mask is to be hung on the wall, include hanger pieces on the back.
LAYERS
What is a layer?
How can you depict layers?
Do you want to show something that has layers?
Do you want to create layers with the clay or the surface treatments?
MOVEMENT
Movement can be shown in several ways. You can have moving parts or you can imply movement.
If you were to have parts move, how would you do that? Do they move on their own? Does someone move them for you? How do the moving parts attach to each other (if applicable)?
If you want to imply movement, how could you do that? How can you get the viewer's eye to keep moving around the sculpture? What types of images can you show? Can you capture a moment of movement in time? What types of lines, forms, textures lend themselves to giving off a feel of motion?
TIME
What is time?
How can time be shown in a piece of art?
Going beyond a clock or a watch...what others ways can one depict the passage of time?
Is this artwork a single piece or is it multiple pieces?
OBSERVATION
What does it mean to observe?
How can you see beyond ordinary seeing?
Does creating a sculpture from observation always mean a realistic piece?
Do you need the actual object you are observing to create your piece?
INSTALLATION
What is an installation?
What permissions would you need to do an installation?
Where would you put an installation?
How would your artwork work within that space?
Does your installation need to work with that space?
Can it work against that space?
Is your installation stand alone pieces?
Is your installation comprised of many pieces?
Is your installation a wall piece?
How do you "hang" your installation?
CREATE A BUST
What is a bust?
How much of the body does a bust show?
What is the best method for building?
Do you want to use a structure underneath?
A SERIES
What is a series?
What is your "thread" that ties the pieces together?
Read this article to find out more about series.
A SET
What is a set?
What makes a set different than a series?
What "theme" do you want to work your set around?