Little Monster Sculpture

Objective: Concept:

• Students will create a sculpture using basic techniques.

• Student will be introduced to a famous artist in the field of ceramics.

• Students will define ceramics related terms.

• Students will create several images of little monster sculptures using front and side views.

• Students will create a designs they would like to see turned into a sculpture.

Specific Objectives: •

Create a series of drawings that represent a little monster. Each concept needs 2 views of the monster; one from the front and one form the side as this will be a 3 Dimensional project. • Demonstrate basic ceramics skills by using air dry or low fire cay. • Define terms: CERAMICS, SCORE, SLIP, TEXTURE, & SPACE. • Students will create a final sculpture that will be painted and a minimum of 6 inches in height.

Required Materials:

• Paper

• Ruler

• Pencil

• Air Dry Clay / Low Fire Clay

• Acrylic Paint.

• Clay tools.

• Bowls or cups.

• Air tight Bin to hold clay

Introduction/ Discussion: Anticipatory Set:

This project is meant to instruct students on basic clay construction. Students will demonstrate their creativity by creating a series of drawings of a monster. Two concepts are required and each concept needs two drawings. The Drawings will show the sculpture from a front and side view to allow the students to visualize a 3 dimensional form.

Step-By-Step Procedures:

1. Start the lesson by asking the students to define terms related to Ceramics.

• CERAMICS - Art made from clay to produce pottery or sculptures.

• KNEADING - is a step in preparing clay for shaping.

• SLIP - Small amount of clay mixed with water and used as a ‘glue’ to join pieces together

• SCORE - Scratching the surface of clay so that 2 pieces can be joined together.

• TEXTURE - The perceived surface quality of a work of art.

• SPACE - Is a two or three dimensional volume that can be either empty or filled with objects.

• POSITIVE SPACE - The shapes or forms that occupy two and three dimensional space.

• NEGATIVE SPACE - The empty space surrounding a two or three dimensional object.

2. Students will be shown how to attach clay (like an arm to a body) using slip and score as well as how to work with clay. At the start of the project each student needs to draw at least 2 concepts for possible monsters. Each concept needs a front view and a side view to show a 3 dimensional structure. Once completed students will have four drawings total.

3. It is important to demonstrate to the students how to create a sculpture out of clay. To prevent the clay from drying out students need to bring in a plastic bag or zip lock back to keep the sculpture from drying out. Place the clay on wax paper and / or a damp paper towel on top of that. Place the sculpture into the bag and seal so as to keep air from the clay. This should keep the sculpture from drying until the project is finished.

Students should be given clay to knead into a shape and attach different features and body parts. Use a board of linoleum, leather mat or piece of plastic covered material to roll out the clay. Each piece needs to have score and slip used to attach different sections together as well as light carving into the clay to add shapes and designs. When complete all parts need to hold together without any added materials or braces.

4. Once the project is completed it will air dry for 2-3 days and fired in the kiln for 2 days.

5. The final part of the project is to paint the monster. Use either acrylic paints or glazes to cover the monster. If using a glaze a second firing will be required.

Summary / Closure:

After completing the project students should have mastered a basic understanding clay.

The students will have a completed a series of drawings as well as developed a basic understandings of the historical importance of a famous sculptor.

A final piece of art will be completed depicting a student’s representation of their monster sculpture. Using Ceramics students will have gained an understanding of space texture and shape, and form.

Evaluation: Assessment Based on Objectives:

The final grade will be based on the evaluation of the art piece, participation, effort, and quality of paper and art work.

• Students will earn a percentage for their Portfolio Review, both as presenter and as audience. An Artists Statement and Rubric will be completed prior to the portfolio review.

• Quality of the work done will be a large part of the grade based on how well they have demonstrated an understanding of the concepts and their depiction. Overall condition of the final pieces will also have a factor in the grading.

• Effort put into the project will be demonstrated by both the final images and the how well the student worked in class on each project. (Factors include: is the project completed, and does it look like the student worked on it and not other things?)

• The final drawing / painting / etc… as well as the several examples of different images will be combined to make up half of the project’s grade.

• A six week test on the vocabulary will also be used as a grade to determine the student understands of the subject matter.

• The Rubrics are made up of 5 categories: Project completion (30%), Participation (20%), Originality (20%), Quality of art work (20%), and Follows directions (10 %).