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 August 31, 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)
September 7: Second in-class work day. Bring all materials necessary to work on your projects.
****DUE DATE**** September 14 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.
