Ceramic Bust

For this project I created a ceramic bust, meaning a 3D sculpture of a head out of clay. At the beginning of this project we were instructed to create a bust of a famous person that we liked, because we would eventually have to add something to the sculpture to make it creative in the end. The person I chose was Emre Can, a soccer player who plays for Liverpool FC in England. For the creative aspect of the piece I made his face have a pattern of a soccer ball because he plays soccer. I chose him because he is my favorite player. To make this I used clay and then painted it with watercolor and acrylic. One specific principle of design I used was contrast, which I used by making his face mostly white, and then having black lines and hair and a red jersey. One Element of design I used was texture. I used texture to make his hair and beard look more realistic and life like.

One composition rule and technique I showcased in my art work was formal balance. This technique was used to make the bust look as realistic as possible, with a creative spin on it. Over the course of this project it evolved in many different ways. First I had to change the way the clay was shaped a lot because it kept losing its shape, and unfortunately the neck wouldn't stay as straight up as I wanted it too. Also I had to figure out how to make the creative aspect on the bust, and after my teacher recommended it to me, I decided to add a soccer ball pattern to his face.

I made this artwork because I wanted to take the opportunity to create my favorite soccer player. I especially wanted to create him because I like his hair, and wanted to create that in my artwork, which I liked doing. Additionally, I love soccer, so it was more meaningful to me to create something that had to do with soccer. If I could do something again, I might take a little more time to try and exactly replicate his features, and I would definitely make the neck taller and straighter. I think the part of this that I am most proud of is how the hair turned out, because I think it looks exactly like his. I think the most challenging part of this was creating small detailed parts of his face like his eyes. This shows my strengths and weaknesses as a learner because I was able to adapt to clay, a material I haven't used in a while, and create a lifelike bust of a head.