Stretch and Explore & Understand the Arts Community

The Studio Habits of Mind that will be explored in this unit are Stretch and Explore and Understand the Arts Community.

To stretch and explore as artists we must learn to use all of the Studio Habits of Mind, and artistic concepts and conventions to go beyond what we perceive as our limitations - or what we think we can't do or aren't good at. We must remember to explore new ideas, mediums, and tools, stretch beyond our comfort zone by trying new things, take risks, and make mistakes. Most importantly, as artists, we must learn from everything that we engage in, the progress we make, and all of the opportunities for growth and development.

To better understand the arts community and our place as artists within it, we must learn as much as we can about the artists, artworks, methods, processes, and history of art forms that interest us throughout the ages. By learning about them and analyzing the visuals and their meanings, we can be inspired to create our own work. To better understand the arts community we must also interact with our fellow artists. We have to be open to sharing our work, looking at the work of our peers, discussing and reflecting on it, and giving and taking constructive criticism and feedback.

Just as in all of the Studio Habits of Mind, the ability for an artist to stretch and explore and connect to, and better understand the arts community takes repeated practice.

Artistic Concept

A concept is an abstract idea. Artists use different concepts to take those ideas from abstraction to reality. The concepts being explored through the lens of the Studio Habit - Stretch and Explore & Understand the Arts Community is Conceptualization and Reflection.

Conceptualization lies in an artist's ability to create "something out of nothing" by seeing it in the mind's eye. It is the practiced, abstract ability to visualize the end product and the process of creation to get there. Artists conceptualize by imagining the artwork before it is actually created.

Reflection lies in an artist's ability to seriously think and talk about the in-process and finished artworks that are created. Reflection also applies to the ability to analyze the process of creation. Artists constantly, and willingly reflect on their work and the work of their peers, fully knowing that honesty through reflection is the only way in which growth can occur. Artistic reflection occurs through formal and informal critiques, analysis, and looking inward at one's own strengths and weaknesses.

Conceptualization

Reflection

Elements of Art and Design

The elements and principles of art and design are the foundation on which all art is created. They can be thought of like a sentence. There has to be words in order to make a sentence; no words, no sentence. The elements of art are like the words. Without the elements - line, shape, color, value, texture, space, and form - there is no art. That doesn't mean that all elements of art must be used in an individual artwork, just like not every word has to be used in a sentence, but at least one must be present.

Stretch and Explore & Understand the Arts Community will focus on the following elements of art & design:

Element of Art & Design

Discover some interesting aspects of the element of art & design: space.

Element of Art & Design

Discover some interesting aspects of the element of art & design: color

To understand the element of art: space better, complete the guided practice worksheet.

To understand the element of art: color better, complete the guided practice worksheet.

Principle of Art & Design

If we think of the elements and principles of art & design like a sentence, with the words being a metaphor for the elements, then the principles of art & design are the ways in which the words are arranged. The way in which you arrange the words of a sentence dictates the feel and meaning of it. More descriptive words, and the sentence gives more detail; less words, and the sentence reads sharp or abrupt. The principles of art and design are the way in which an artwork is arranged. Does it appear uneasy, or relaxed? Without the principles of design - pattern and repetition, contrast, movement, emphasis, balance, rhythm, and unity - an artwork would not have a unique look and personality to it. The principles of art and design are more subjective as well. This means that they can be viewed and interpreted by one person differently than they are viewed and interpreted by another.

Stretch and Explore & Understand the Arts Community will focus on the following principles of art & design:

Unity

Discover some interesting facts about the principle of art & design: unity. Explore how unity is created by mixing the principles of art & design.

To aid in better understanding the principle of art: unity, complete the guided practice worksheet while you watch the video.

Artistic Conventions

A convention is an accepted way in which something is done. It's a variety of things that artists do to create a piece of artwork. Artists use their knowledge of the numerous different artistic conventions with corresponding methods and techniques to portray meaning in an artwork.

Each Studio Habit of Mind will explore different artistic conventions. In this example, the artist is using the artistic conventions that this unit will explore - scale, exaggeration, and color theory. Scale can be seen in the size of the objects. The strawberry and worms are so much larger than actual life size. Exaggeration can be seen in the poses of the worms and in their posing and overall design. Color theory will be demonstrated in the values and lighting effects added once the painting step is complete.

Scale

This convention refers to the artist's use of size to the advantage of the artwork. Scale refers to the difference between two similar elements of art & design. Forms can be scaled up - and get bigger, or scaled down - and get smaller. Scale can be a comparison between two different artworks/forms.

Ack Ack by Matt Doebel

Color Theory

This convention refers to the artist's use of basic color theory when choosing colors to use on a sculpture. Color is built up in layers with different techniques used to create visual effects. Color is very closely tied to emotion, memory, and action.

Exaggeration

This convention refers to the artist's use of taking at least one area on a form and altering it to represent something different than it really is. Exaggerated elements of art & design - such as line, shape, etc. - tend to become an area of emphasis. Exaggeration can be achieved in numerous ways.

Composition

Composition refers to the arrangement of the elements of art & design according to the principles of art & design in any given artwork.

Composition is the key to creating a strong, aesthetically pleasing artwork in any medium. The previous units explored some of the guidelines to creating strong compositions: rule of thirds, leading the eye, depth of field, and negative space, and focal point or emphasis. This video explores those concepts as it pertains to visual storytelling.

Getting Started

Plaster Sculpture

PLASTER SCULPTURE

Objectives

National Art Standards

Thumbnail Sketching

Create 3 different thumbnails sketches that show your conceptualized idea in a visual format. You can create 3 different "food with a twist" sketches; 3 different "fantasy taxidermy" sketches; 3 different "play on words character" sketches; or a combination of the three.

Ideas from Professional Artists

Step One

Learn to create an armature out of wire using basic measuring and bending techniques.

Things to Remember:

The wire is like the skeleton of the sculpture - it should go through all of the main parts of your design
- Examples:
  - if you're making a circular shape - one length of wire should be made in a circle and taped together where it joins; a second wire should be made in a circle of the same size and taped perpendicular to the first circle making it 3D
  - if you're making a cone shape - one length of wire should be made in a circle for the top of the cone; a second length of wire should be made into a smaller circle for the bottom of the cone; 4 lengths of wire should be taped on to each circle at the top and bottom that are in the four cardinal directions
  - if you're making a box shape - sheets of cardboard can be cut out in the right size and shape and hot glued together
  - if you're making a taxidermy sculpture - wire should be shaped like your sketch and extend down the creature's neck; second and third wires should be taped on that go across the first wire perpendicularly
You can use just wire, wire and cardboard, or just cardboard to build your armature

Step Two

Things to Remember:

Sculptures should not exceed 12 inches tall
Volume can be added by using cardboard or pieces of paper
You can rip or cut the paper if it is too big; cardboard can be cut with scissors or X-acto knives if more precision is needed
All of the sculpture's volume comes from the crumpled and attached paper or from cardboard - don't rely on the plaster to add mass
Don't scrunch the paper into a tight ball before adding it to the armature wire - if you keep it more open it will be lighter weight and you can add volume on faster
use as much tape as needed to hold the piece of paper in place on the armature
make sure you turn your sculpture all the way around and add volume to all sides of the armature - it needs to look 3D and good from all angles
keep adding paper or cardboard until the main body of the sculpture has all of the volume needed
Small pieces of paper can be added for details like teeth or eyes

Learn to add volume to an armature using newspaper or newsprint and tape.

Step Three

Learn to add additional wire for anything that stands out from the main "body" of the sculpture - including arms, legs, tentacles, horns, wings, etc.

Things to remember:

At this point you will be adding additional, thinner gauge wire to your sculpt to add on parts that stick away from the main "body" or part of the sculpt
Bend the wire to the shape you need for the parts that you are adding on
Make an oval shape at the end of arms and legs for the hands and feet - this will make it easier later on to add volume with paper
Carefully poke holes into the paper or cardboard using an X-acto knife where you will insert the wire
after the wire is inserted in the correct location, hot glue it in place so that it does not move
anything that sticks a fair distance away from your sculpture should have wire to support the weight of the form
add as much additional thinner wire to your sculpt that you need to make it as unique as your design

Step Four

Learn to add volume to the additional wire added on to the form using newspaper or newsprint and tape. Also learn to add any details to the piece using small pieces of fabric.

Things to Remember:

Add volume to these new wires in the same way that you added volume to your forms in Step Two
Wire needs to be covered with paper, even if it is just a small amount, or the plater we add during the next step will not stick
Add as much detail in this stage as you can - the plaster only lays across the form, it doesn't add volume
Fabric pieces can be glued on using the hot glue guns for additional texture if needed - the color of the fabric doesn't matter as it will later be painted

Step Five

Learn to add wet plaster as a layer over the form created by the armature and newsprint. Details can also be created with smaller pieces of the plaster.

Things to remember:

Cut the plaster into about 10 to 12 in. lengths and thin strips - each length should be cut into 3 separate strips
All cutting of plaster strips should be done on the supply cart - this will make table clean up easier at the end of class
Only use the scissors provided on the supply cart to cut the plaster
Only use the water cups provided on the supply cart to dip your plaster
Add a layer of newspaper under your sculpture before you begin for easy cleanup at the end of class - just throw it away
Dip the whole strip of plaster in the water and then "squeegee" off the excess water between your fingers over the water cup
Slightly overlap each strip of plaster over the others
The direction you lay down the plaster strips on your sculpture doesn't matter - you can go vertical, horizontal, or diagonal - what ever works best for your sculpt
You only need one layer of plaster strips, but your entire sculpture must be completely covered (unless you added fabric - you don't have to cover this
Smooth out all of the bumps or creases or folds in your plaster that may have happened while you were laying the strip on - just wet your fingers in the water and smooth the plaster over
Fill all of the plaster in so that it is easier to paint later on - there should be no visible holes or gaps in the smoothed out plaster

Step Six

Learn to create value, texture, and an enhanced illusion of shading using acrylic painting techniques with an emphasis on craftsmanship.

Things to remember:

base color
darker shadow in the corners, bottom side of limbs, natural shadow spots
highlights at the top of forms, limbs
texture
details

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