10/21/16 3D Design

Today's Class-Today a portfolio exercise that relates to other recent explorations of visual relations to already existing shapes in our art materials.  In recent weeks we have looked at skeletons, and at seashells, both natural materials.  This time around we started with pulp cardboard coffee trays, available as a giveaway at almost every place that sells coffee to go.

For items that are generally treated as garbage, they have surprisingly complex surfaces that can be repurposed as both representative and abstract art.  An interesting mix of convex and concave surfaces.  Above and below are student examples from previous semesters of sculptures derived from the found shapes in the coffee trays.

How to make this up- Get two or three such trays.  Spend a few minute looking at them, all sides, and see what associations you might have with some of the inherent structures of the trays.  Then use your knife to cut pieces from the trays and assemble them into some kind of sculpture.  Below, an assortment of animal themed pieces constructed today. (no specific subject required- most students just wanted to make critters)

This is a portfolio exercise and can be made up for full credit any time before the end of the semester.

Homework- Nothing new, but some students still owe me the Make 100 module project, and/or the skeleton/relief sculpture project.  The longer the delay in completing these, the fewer points they will be worth in the end.  

The stone age/natural materials projects are due at the beginning of class on 10/28/16.

For next class 10/28/16- We will open with a critique of the natural materials project then move on to the modern update of this project- what I call the plastics project.  Once again it's a found objects project, but this time everything must be manufactured items, things created for non-art purposes but that we can repurpose as art materials.  Can be plastic, but also metals, or any synthetic or industrial material. 

This project was inspired by the work of a local artist, Lisa Bagwell, who specializes in using repurposed materials in her sculptures.  Below are some examples of her work.

The bird feathers are information tabs found in plants purchased from plant nurseries, and the feet are made from plastic cigar tips

A "giant hoagie" seen from a distance and close up.  The bread is corks strung on a wire, the olive on top is plastic bottle caps, and the sandwich contents include plastic cup lids, gloves, and disposable razors, among other things.

Below, a pizza made from plastic bottle caps, with a cork crust.

Below are some good student examples from earlier semesters:

Other rules-

1) No specific subject, but all should be representative images, looking like the things they are meant to be.

2) All colors and textures must be from the materials used- no painting of the sculptures is allowed.

3) Materials can be manipulated as needed to make the pieces to be used.

4) Any form of adhesive is acceptable for building the pieces.

Bring to class whatever you need to work on your idea.