The Story of Stuff

Natural Material Exploration (crit Dec. 10)

For this project you will work exclusively with materials that occur naturally. You will have to collect AT LEAST 100 of the same type of item for this project and figure out how to join those items together to make an interesting object. Material suggestions: Palm fronds, driftwood, long grasses, tree pods, anything interesting that you can access a lot of. Try weaving, braiding, sewing, tying, bending or whatever technique you come up with to make an object out of the separate materials. At home and during the in-class work day you will try different techniques of arranging or joining your objects together to make one unified form. SIZE The sculpture must be 3 feet long in at least one dimension.

Schedule:
November 19 We will watch the movie Rivers and Tides, about Andy Goldsworthy and his sculptures, in class.
Thanksgiving break Gather and experiment with your materials (100 of the same natural material)
December 3 In class work day, come prepared with all of your materials, sketches, and experiments you've already done.
Deecember 10 Critique

Inspiration for the project: Andy Goldsworthy

Documentary on the man-made floating islands of Lake Titicaca, Peru, which are made of woven reeds.

Last year's projects

A Note on Homework

Your grade in sculpture class depends on your final project, as well as the amount of time and effort you spend on your project both in class and out of class. A good rule of thumb is that you should spend at least the same amount of time outside of class on your project as you do in class. Class is approximately 3 hours long. You should spend no less than 3 hours actually working on your project between classes. Really good projects can take longer, and it is always worth the effort. Students who put little or no effort into their preparations (sketching and collecting materials) or project during the week will see their grades suffer. The same is true of in-class work time, use it wisely.

Alter Ego Mask due Nov. 19

Think of an aspect of your personality that the world doesn't normally see. Your challenge is to create a mask (think of it as a sculpture for your head) that represents that concept without illustrating it. This “mask” shouldn't look like anything you've seen before; approach the project in any way that makes sense to you. The materials are up to you. Let the forms, lines, colors and materials you use speak about your concept. You will wear the mask during critique on November 6.

Requirements
• The mask must obscure most, if not all of your face. 
• NO STORE-BOUGHT MASKS. This is not a Halloween mask.
• Some element of the mask should extend at least 12 inches from your head.
• Think about how you will wear it and don’t be afraid to get your shoulders and upper body involved as part of the mask, or as a way to wear it.
• You will be graded on your effort as well as your creativity, thoughtfulness, technique, and skill in making the mask.

You will have two weeks to work on the project, use your time wisely. There will be an in-class work day on Nov. 12.


Pencil Mask by Rebecca Horn
http://www.mediaartnet.org/works/bleistiftmaske/




Native Alaskan Inuit mask
http://www.glenbow.org/collections/museum/native/inuit.cfm


a Soundsuit by Nick Cave
http://badatsports.com/2008/nick-caves-soundsuits/


Stuck on You by Lucy and Bart
http://www.architectradure.com/2008/06/30/organic-prosthesis/

Last year's projects
http://newworldsculpture9.blogspot.com/2009/10/alter-ego-mask-due-nov-6.html

Soft Sculpture (Crit 10/29)

Definition of Pop Art from Wikipedia

Like Claes Oldenberg, you will create a soft version of an everyday object that is normally hard. Choose an object that has interesting contours, no cell phones or iPods.

Homework for next week 10/15:
1. Collect materials you will use and bring them to class. You will need fabric (any kind, thick or thin, old or new), stuffing (old pillow, packing peanuts, crumpled newspaper, shredded paper), needles and thread.
2. Detailed drawings of the object you will create. Study and draw all sides of the object. Think about the planes and contours that make up the form.

Next week we will teach you how to sew by hand and also using machines. Come prepared to work.
You will have two in-class work days, and will be graded on preparedness, time management and class participation as well as your final project.

Project requirements:
Minimum size 3'x3'x3'
No glue
Design and construction well-planned

Considerations
Scale: Blown up, shrunk, or 1:1
Choice of materials
Surface details(you can finish the sculpture however you want, by adding things to the surface, painting, it's up to you)

Claes Oldenburg pictures for inspiration










Claes Oldenburg's Club Sandwich


Upside Down City


Ice Bag

Transformation and Unity (crit 10/8)

Object Transformation and Unification
You will change two objects of your choice into something new by taking them apart and combining the pieces together. You must reuse ALL of the material in your existing objects, and combine them into a single unified work. This is not a collage (objects attached to a flat surface). We want you to physically join the parts of these objects together and create a new 3-D object.

What you are responsible for bringing in to class
October 1 two objects not bigger than 12" that you feel comfortable changing. You should begin to disassemble your objects at home and bring ALL of the pieces to class.
Any other supplies you would like to use while altering your object, such as glue, tape, sewing supplies, etc.
October 8 Finished project due. Critique day.

Important concept:  unity = a sense of order or completeness

Look at artworks by these artists for inspiration. 

Robert Rauschenberg

Sara Sze

No electronics. If you want to know why, watch this video.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Soap Carving (9/24 crit)

Homework due in class September 17:
1. Read this article about carving soap.
If the link won't work, copy and paste the url:
http://www.dimidumo.be/Lester%20Gaba%20text%203.htm
2. Collect & bring soap carving tools. Example: paring knife, anything used for manicures, hairpin, needle, toothbrush
3. Sketch 3 ideas for for soap carvings.
4. Experiment at home (provide your own soap).
5. You will get a bar of soap for  your project in class on the 17th.

Photo Soap carving by George Ferrandi.

Final soap carving project due September 24.

First Project: Cardboard Replication due 9/10

For this project, you will replicate an object from real life, using cardboard to recreate its volume, form and textures. Choose something that you can hold in your hand, no bigger than four inches in any direction. Your sculpture will be larger, between 18 and 24 inches in every direction. Your project will be more successful if you choose an object that isn’t too simple.

Bring to class:
On September 3, bring the following to class & be prepared to work:

1. A small object that fits in your hand. It can be something from nature or something from culture. When you choose your object, ask yourself:
*Will this object be more interesting when I make it bigger?
*Is it too simple or too complex to re-create?
*Does it have interesting form and textures?
*Will changing the size of the object change how we perceive it?

2. Sketchbook: Measurements and sketches of every side of your object, and notes on its texture.
3. An Xacto blade or a box cutter. Keep this safely put away when you are not in class. Everyone will need a blade to complete this project.
4. A ruler.
5. Cardboard. Collect interesting kinds of cardboard (thick, thin, printed, shiny, plain)

****DUE DATE**** September 10 bring your finished project to class.

Important concepts:
Texture refers to the properties held and sensations caused by the external surface of objects received through the sense of touch. You will experiment with tearing, scratching, peeling, crunching, and folding your cardboard. These techniques will allow you to mimic the texture of your object.

Shifting the scale of an object in an artwork forces the viewer to pay more attention to it and think of it outside of its everyday context. Artist Tom Sachs’ NASA space shuttle, made of foam core at human scale, makes a high-tech object seem more approachable and unsound. On the other hand, his mammoth bronze sculptures of Hello Kitty show us a cheaply made child’s toy on a scale usually reserved for Generals and Presidents, making it seem absurdly important. Think about how the scale shift you’re dealing with will change your viewers’ perception of the object you’ve chosen.

Look at these links for inspiration:
Puppy by Jeff Koons.
In Bed, a large lady by Ron Mueck.
The Crawler space shuttle sculpture by Tom Sachs
Chris Gilmour's cardboard sculptures.