3/29/17 3D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we began a new graded project, working with a new medium.  You are going to be carving a book.  A book is a solid three dimensional object that has the ability to be opened and closed, pages looked at in any order and yet can be returned to its original state instantly.  Most are made pretty much from tree based products, and so they can be carved.  Students were asked to bring in an old book that would not be needed for its original purpose any more, as it will be turned into a sculpture.

How to make this up- Two options were given for this project:

A) Single view sculpture- here the book is opened to a specific point and a three dimensional image is revealed.

B) Changing View sculpture- positive and negative spaces in the book change places, coming and going, so as a viewer turns pages, the sculpture continues to change.  Yet it can be returned to the original state at any time.  The following student example is geometric, but it can work with organic shapes as well.  Through the spaces we can see the shapes of the upcoming sections.

A few basic rules:

The book must be able to open and close as originally designed.

All pieces must remain part of the original structure, bound as created by the publisher.

You may not write or draw on the pages, but you may take advantage of words and images printed by the publisher.

You may use glue to repair torn pages, but not to build three dimensional shapes.


Homework- Carving a book is a lot more difficult than it seems that it should be, so we will continue working on this same project next week.  Due date will be determined next week.

The cast off manufactured materials project (plastics, etc) is due at the beginning of class on April 5, 2017.  Projects will be critiqued and graded that night.


For next class 4/5/17- We will continue work on the book carving project.  Bring with you the book you are working on, and whatever tools you are using.

3/15/17 3D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we started the next major project of the semester, a sequel to our stone age natural materials project.  This time, the materials are all cast off manufactured materials.  Once again the shapes, textures, and colors of the materials will have an influence on the final pieces, though this time the subjects are completely open.  

How to make this up- Come up with an idea for a representative sculpture, made from manufactured cast off materials, such as plastics, glass, metals, rubber- anything not found in nature.  The materials used can be broken up and manipulated in any way you want, though you may not paint it- all color must come from the materials used.  I posted a bunch of examples last week, and here are a few more that I showed in class tonight.

Above, bird pieces from Lisa Bagwell, below, student example from the fall semester.

Pieces may be attached by any means you prefer- nails, screws, staples, and good old hot glue.  Hidden structures are acceptable, but all things we see should have some resemblance to the intended subject.  I had provided a supply of plastic caps and other packaging materials I had saved, but anything you can find will work.  The above pieces and things posted last week should give you ideas about what kinds of things you can work with.

Homework- Next week is spring break, which gives you an extra week to get this done.  It will be due at the beginning of class on April 5, 2017.  

For next class 3/29/17- We will start our next major project, the book carving project.  This will be a multi-week project.  You will need a book that you don't mind cutting up (a back up book is a good idea in case you need it), x-acto knife, and extra blades are recommended, as blades will get dull and dull blades tend to tear paper rather than cut it.  Before our next meeting I will post examples of different approaches to this assignment so you can think about what you may want to do before class.

3/8/17 3D Design

Today's Class-  Tonight we continued the idea of making use of the inherent shapes of objects and turning them into art.  Unlike last week's natural materials, this time we are working with something that is manufactured, and not for the purpose of making art.  The medium tonight was pulp cardboard coffee trays, simple disposable, given out wherever coffee is sold to go, to help move it to the next location.  It turns out that these simple throw away times have some very complex surfaces, which like the things we looked at last week, can be adapted to other things.  Students had the option of making something familiar or just creating an abstract 3D design, but something about this project seems to make students want to create critters.  Below are some examples from tonight's class- a lion and a pig.

How to make this up- Everyone was present tonight and completed this portfolio exercise.


Homework- The natural materials projects begun in class last week are due at the beginning of class on March 15, 2017.  

For next class 3/15/17- We will begin our next graded project, a sequel to last week's stone age style project.  This time the materials will all have to be cast off manufactured materials.  All things that were created for purposes other than art, and disposed of when no longer needed, not unlike tonight's coffee trays.  Below are some examples from local artist Lisa Bagwell, who has made this way of working her specialty.

Her "Giant Hoagie" has bread make from wine bottle corks, an olive garnish made from plastic bottle caps, and is filled with plastic cup lids, gloves, disposable razors, and scraps of cloth, yet from a distance very much resembles a tasty sandwich.  

Below, bottle caps, small cigar mouthpieces, and care instruction inserts for plants are easily put to work as other things.

And now here are some examples of this project from 3D students of past semesters-

Some rules to keep in mind:

1) Sculptures should resemble something that actually exists, but can be objects or living things.

2) All colors in the finished piece must come from the items used to make them-  no painting is allowed.

3) Materials may be manipulated in any way you want.

4) Hot glue is probably the easiest way to put things together, but you can use anything you want to attach stuff- glue, nails, staples, screws, etc.

I will bring in a bunch of cast off plastic that you are welcome to, but feel free to bring in any discarded manufactured materials you want to work with. (things designed to build with are not allowed- like lego bricks, tinker toys, etc)

3/1/17 3D Design

Today's Class- Tonight we opened by looking at the positive/negative space projects (skeletons) and having a quick critique.  They were graded and returned.  Then we moved on to the next project, what I usually refer to as the stone age project.  Art made in the days when humans were cave dwellers was made with natural materials- no choice as there wasn't anything else.  What we find in looking at this ancient art, is that often the shape and design of the artwork is very much influenced by the material used to make it.  For example, a living thing might have its pose twisted to fit the shape of a particular bone or rock it would be carved into.  We did a quick exercise where I had the students take several seashells from a supply I brought in, and see if they could make something based on the shapes and textures of the shells.  Based on that idea, students were asked to design and build a small sculpture using only natural materials and hot glue, with the subject being human, animal, or a mythological hybrid, the most common subjects of that era.

How to make this up-

The whole class was present tonight, and so everyone was able to start it in class.  Students were able to use the shells again, plus anything they had brought in, so lots of rocks, twigs, pine cones, sticks, and other natural materials were put to use.  Above and below are student examples from tonight.

Homework- This stone age graded project will be due at the beginning of class on March 15, 2017.

For next class 3/8/17-  We will continue this idea of using the inherent shapes of our art materials as and inspiration, and build something from pulp cardboard coffee trays, things generally given away wherever coffee is sold to go.  The objects have surprisingly complex surfaces with a variety of concave and convex shapes that reveal themselves with careful observation.  Bring  two or three of the cardboard trays, something to cut with (knife or scissors), and white glue.