Project 7: Miniature Circus. Final Critique December 23rd

Project Description

Together the class will make a miniature working circus. 
Students will work in pairs to make miniature circus acts. 
Each act will be 30 seconds long. 

You will perform your act on critique day. You may use any materials that 
you think are appropriate for your idea. We will set up on a table in front of 
the black wall, so scale your pieces accordingly (2' x 2' x 2'). Describe your 
act in the comments section, and make sure not to do something someone 
has already signed up for.

Stills of Alexander Calder's Circus

Soundtrack for your Act

Your act will use the following song for the background music:

Entry of the Gladiators

Project Schedule

12/09-

 For homework (due 12/16) Immediately contact your partner to begin brainstorming ideas. For our next class (12/16) please bring sketches, materials, and your circus act 50% complete. This is what 50% looks like:

1. Stage set is well under way. You have a banner, platform, and backdrop started and you have the materials with you to finish in class. You can use anything to make these. Cardboard with paint and collage could be a good start. 

2. Lighting is thought about. What will you use? Your cellphones? Flashlights? stationary or moving? need a spotlight (could you cut something to fit over your phone)?

3. Performers are partially made (what will you need to finish them?) 

4. Animation- How will you move your performers? How will you construct them? They can be puppets, or dolls, or marionettes- How will you control them? wire? string? magnets? hand puppet? 

5. Props- started and materials with you to finish them.

6. Music and Narrative- How will you use the music? What is going to happen??? THIS IS THE MAIN THING :)

12/16-

Come to class prepared to work, with all sketches & materials for your projects

12/23-

Final critique for this project will be an actual performance.

Pairs 

student names paired together

Student name (ringmaster- you will have the job of coordinating all the acts and performing the role of ringmaster for the actual performance day. You will need to make a character for yourself complete with costume. We will talk about this together. Email us)

Research

Many artists have been inspired by the circus. For this project you will research 
Alexander Calder- please look up Calder's circus on youtube. 

Project 6: Abundance and Nourishment- deconstructing the cornucopia. Due Dec 9th

Project Description

For this project, you will be making a sculpture based in the idea and form of a 
cornucopia and filling it with objects. The objects that fill the cornucopia can 
be made or found, but transformation is important.

Both the cornucopia and it's contents must communicate the ideas of 
abundance and nourishment. The sculpture you are making will be based 
in the historical shape of the cornucopia- a horn-shaped container. 

The cornucopia has a long history in Western Art and culture. The word 
originates from Latin - cornu copiae. It is also know as a horn of plenty. 
Today we often associate the cornucopia with the US holiday, Thanksgiving. 
This is because of its reference to abundance and nourishment. 

For this project, you will go back to the roots of the cornucopia as a symbol, 
not of Thanksgiving, but of abundance and nourishment. 

What does abundance mean to you? What could it look like? What form may it take?
what does nourishment mean to you? What could it look like? what form may it take?

IMPORTANT: You may not use any objects or images typically associated with
 the Thanksgiving holiday. Absolutely no turkeys, pumpkins, pilgrim clothes, or 
Native American imagery. 

Now, what do you have left? This is your starting point. 

Process and Limitations

For this project, you will use all the techniques you have learned so far this year.: cardboard, hybrid, packaging, soap carving, color relationships, platonic solids, colleague, and narrative.

Your sculpture must be a minimum of 2 feet in length (front to back). Remember, both the opening and the interior space have to be large enough to hold your objects.  It should be substantial enough to communicate the two key concepts: abundance and nourishment. 

Be resourceful and take advantage of all the free materials around us. There is a saying: "One person's trash is another's treasure".

Rubric

You will be assessed on the following:

• Creativity/Concept- Communicating key concepts: abundance and nourishment.
• Craftsmanship- Command of Materials, looks intentional, nothing falling apart.
• Elements of Design- Composition, line, balance, texture, contrast/similarity, color, etc
• Volume- Activating the space. Remember, this is sculpture class. Move beyond 2-D.
• Time-management- Is the project finished, and well resolved.  

Due Date

Critique is December 9th

Project 5: Platonic Solids and the Natural World. Final Project Due (extended) to Dec. 9th

Make sure that your project is amazing because it has been extended to Dec. 9th!!!

Project Description

You will be making a sculpture based in the platonic solids as a way to examine the 

relationship between nature and geometry. This project has three main parts: 
1. Build a set of the platonic solids (craftsmanship is key here)
2. Use collage to change the surface/further develop the forms. 

How will the introduction of color, texture, image and text, transform the objects?
3. Carefully choose elements found in nature to build a relationship between the geometric 

solids you have made and the natural materials. Examples of materials include tree branches,

palm fronds, coconuts, rocks, vines, etc). Examples of ways to approach relationship include: 

tension,semiotic, complimentary, contrasting, camouflage, parasite/host, opposition, etc. 

Through this project you will continue to develop your craft skills (cutting, measuring, ways of 

attaching). 
Conceptual skills through the building of a narrative exemplified by the relationship you set up 

between the elements of your sculpture. (How does material and form communicate?)

Found object and assemblage (one of the four basic means of creating sculpture)

Project Schedule

November 4th

1. Introduction to project

2. Workshop building Platonic Solids using provided nets.   https://www.mathsisfun.com/platonic_solids.html

Homework- Complete a total of fifteen (15) platonic solids using the nets provided in class. 

You must have three (3) of each kind. 15 objects total. 

For homework, you will complete a set of fifteen total solids. Three of each kind:

3 total tetrahedrons
3 total Octahedrons
3 total Cubes (Hexahedrons)
3 total Icosahedrons
3 total Dodecahedrons
-----------------------------
15 total platonic solids

November 13th

1. Homework due: 100 points total. 

A. Your 15 platonic solids along with your collage materials, and the natural materials 

you will need to work on your sculpture. (up to 75 points)

B. Sketches and notes that show a clear direction of how you will move forward with 

your project. (up to 15 points)

C. Title and what it means. Why you selected it. (up to 10 points)

Class time

You will have time to construct your sculpture in class. 

Please bring any tools and materials (glues, strings, branches, magazine clippings, etc) 

you will need to assemble your project.

November 18th- Critique

Projects must be ready to show at beginning of class. 

Please come prepared to set up the room for critique. 

Rubric

You will be assessed on how well you meet the following goals: 

Craftsmanship

Creativity

Time-management (homework finished by due date, and sculpture ready for critique)

Elements of Desigh (particularly volume, transformation and unity). 

Narrative. (Developing a relationship between different elements in a work of art. 

Creating narrative through form). 

Note: 

You will be aloud to use any gluing techniques that you have acquired from previous 

assignments, hot glue might be the best solution. 

Tape is not recommended, your modular/geometric objects will be covered 

with collage and attached to the natural materials you have purposefully selected.      

Relationship to Ms. Samimy's class

You will have class time in Ms. Samimy's class to work on the collage aspect of your project. 

When choosing collage materials, pay close attention to texture, color and image/text. 
Your  approach toward the color will come from what you are learning about color 

relationships in your 2D foundations course. You will be working with muted colors 

and will choose from the following color schemes:

     - Split or Double complimentary

     - Analogous colors

     - Monochromatic colors

     - Triad

Cursory info from wikipedia, also check the NWSA 2-D blog. 

Color Theory RYB (red, yellow, and blue) is a historical set of subtractive primary colors. 

It is primarily used in art and art education, particularly painting.[23] 

It predates modern scientific color theory.

In the visual arts, color theory is a body of practical guidance to color mixing and the 

visual effects of a specific color combination. 

There are also definitions (or categories) of colors based on the color wheel: 

primary color, secondary color and tertiary color. Although color theory principles 

first appeared in the writings of Leone Battista Alberti (c.1435) and the notebooks 

of Leonardo da Vinci (c.1490), a tradition of "colory theory" began in the 18th century, 

initially within a partisan controversy around Isaac Newton's theory of color (Opticks, 1704) 

and the nature of so-called primary colors. From there it developed as an independent 

artistic tradition with only superficial reference to colorimetry and vision science.

Fun Links

Icosahedron with compass and straight edge video

Pdf worksheet to construct platonic solids with synthetic geometry from Canton.org 

Project 4A: Carving Out A Story. Carvings Due October 28rd. Animated GIF Due November 3rd.

Project Description

For this project, you will carve 3-5 (choose any number between three and five) objects from common household bar soap. You will then use your objects to create an animated gif that addresses the idea of narrative. Fear not! This is all explained below.


A. Important points on carving

Carving is one of the four basic techniques used to make sculpture. Carving is known as the subtractivetechnique, because you physically subtract, or remove, material from a larger mass to create form. For this project, your soap carvings can be either representational or abstract.

Representational Art- 
An art form that seeks to depict the physical appearance of reality; also called objective art and figurative art.

Abstract Art- 
An art form that represents ideas as opposed to depicting (or trying to directly recreate) the things we see in the the object world. This is also known as non-representational work. Abstract art is often communicating ideas through an investigation of geometric and/or organic form.

B. Important points on animated GIF

An animated GIF is a digital image file that shows motion by presenting a series of still images in sequence. Please see the example below. An animated GIF loops endlessly. The sequence of images doesn't stop until you close the file. That being said, the content of the animation may, or may not, have a defined start and end. It can look like a continuous action, or it can read as a linear progression. Animated GIFs are frequently used on the internet.

This is an example of an animated GIF, and also of narrative.

Rubric

You will be assessed on how will you meet the following goals. A project grade will be determined by looking at how well your work addresses each of the following categories: Carving, Interaction, and Narrative. In addition to the final project grade, you will receive a grade for your homework assignment (Due Oct 16th). 

Unfinished projects will receive no higher than a C. Late assignments will be reduced a full letter grade. 

Goals

This project has THREE PRIMARY GOALS: 

Carving

Goal- Practice the subtractive method of sculpting. 

Your carvings should address the following elements of design: positive and negative space, line, composition, texture, volume, contrast and similarity. Your goal is to achieve as much detail and to make the most interesting object that you can make. Craftsmanship and creativity count. 

Interaction

Goal- create an interesting relationship between your objects, by considering how they can relate to each other. The relationship/interaction between your objects should be BOTH physical AND conceptual. Here are some examples of things that have both physical and conceptual relationships: A nut and bolt. An acorn and a walnut tree. A peach pit, and a peach. A mother and her child. Note: These are not suggestions for sculptures, just examples of how things can relate to each other. 

Narrative

Goal- to create narrative using form, interaction, animation, and context. Your animated GIF will be between 15-30 seconds in length. 

Your main idea should be kept simple and be apparent to the viewer. Remember: Narrative is a form of story-telling. 

The carvings themselves, and their relationship to each other, should tell a story. 

Your animated GIF should reinforce the story you are telling through the carvings you make. The sculptures and animation should work together to communicate your main idea. Lastly, a decision should be made as to how you will address the looping quality of the animated GIF. 

Ok, so what is narrative? 

Narrative is the process of conveying meaning through story-telling in an art form. Many believe that the interpretation of an art form's narrative is subjective. In other words, different viewers may ascribe different meanings to the same sequence of visual images (or to the same grouping of objects). This is another way of saying that we all see the world from our own distinct viewpoint. We all see things differently. 

When we read a story, watch a movie, or look at a piece of art, the choice of meanings is dependent on the viewers' personal characteristics and experiences. The artist can try to communicate basic ideas, but the interpretation is ultimately up to the viewer. 

Your goal in this project is to understand the potential for story-telling in the making of both objects and through their animation.

Class Schedule

Homework Due: October 21st

Please come prepared to work, and with the following:

1. Four Patterns (see dog example below). These should be drawn to the actual size of the soap bar, and should include the 6 views: Front, Back, Top, Bottom, and both sides.  Note: I know that the example of the dog carving only has two drawings/patterns. You need to have six. 
2. Four bars of soap. Be sure to test their carving properties before coming to class. Also, think about color, size, and texture of the soap. Ivory soap is a good consistent soap to use. Stay away from soaps with lotions and moisturizers added to them. They don't carve well. 
3. Carving tools. Test out different things you have around the house that you can use as carving tools. You will have to make your own tools for this project. Please bring them with you to class. Ideas: Silverware, hairpins, wire, pins, needles, screws, dental tools, nail files, butter knives, X-acto, etc. 

Project Due October 28th- at start of class. 

Please be prepared to talk about how the projects addressed the goals of the assignment. 

Process

There is a lot going on in this project, and we will break it down into the three primary steps. 

1. Planning out your carvings (sketches, and patterns). 
2. Carving your objects.
3. Creating your animated GIF.

How to get started on the carvings

Here is a visual breakdown of the process of soap carving, starting from creating a pattern to the steps of carving. 

Please note: You should have a set of six drawings for each bar of soap. Six drawings per bar of soap x four bars of soap = 24 drawings total. The drawings should be the same size as your bars of soap. You will transfer the drawings onto the actual soap before you start carving.  

WARNING: Please do not make this dog, just look at the drawings!!

Click here for step by step instruction on the process of soap carving

Creating an animated GIF

Before you can make a GIF, you will need to take a lot of photos using a technique known as stop-motion animation.

You can use your smartphone, digital camera, the built-in camera on your laptop, the built-in camera on your home desktop computer, or the built-in cameras on the computers in the school computer labs to take your photos.

You can edit them, and even create an animated GIF in photoshop, if you don't want to use an app or website.

Once you have your photos, you are ready to create your GIF.

Start with the following links to get information on how to create your animated GIF. There are hundreds of apps, websites, and ways to do this. Use your research skills and find the best one to fit your needs.


Gifmaker

Imgflip

How to make animated GIFS- PC Magazine

GIF app for iPhone

Turning in your GIF

Each student will save their animated GIF, and post it in the comment section of this blog post. We will view the animated GIFS on the first day of class, second quarter. 

YOUR GIF MUST BE UPLOADED BY November 3rd. We will view them on November 4th. 

Good luck, work hard, and have fun!

Project 3: Structural Packaging. Due October 7th

Project Description

For this project you will design and create a custom-made 
package for your Hybrid Sculpture. 

The package must both contain your sculpture, and stand 
on it's own. This type of packaging

 is called, Structural Packaging. 
That basically means that 
it has its own structure, as opposed 

to a plastic bag, or shrink wrap, which is not rigid. 

struc•ture (strŭkˈchər)

1. n. Something made up of a number of parts that are held or put together in a particular way: hierarchical social structure.
2. n. The way in which parts are arranged or put together to form a whole; makeup: triangular in structure.

pack•age (păkˈĭj) 

n. A wrapped or boxed object; a parcel.

1. n. A container in which something is packed for storage or transportation.
2. n. A preassembled unit.

Goal

The goal of this project is three-fold. The package should:

1. Fit your sculpture very well (custom-designed, not a rectangular box)

2. Provide a new context for the viewer- change/reinforce the way we view the sculpture.

3. Be Structural, or rigid (not wrapping paper, plastic wrap, or other soft material)

Important Details

Not a rectangle-

Use the templates and information provided on the blog, to design and create packaging 

that will fit the unique size, shape and idea behind your hybrid sculpture. Your design will 

be custom-made for your object. Again, this is more complex than a rectangular box. 

Integrate your design- 

Design the package to integrate with your sculpture. Consider the meaning of your hybrid 

sculpture, and try to create a box that reinforces that meaning. Your package may include 

windows, lids, flaps, or drawers. Use the information we have provided, along with your own 

research and creativity to make an, innovative, sturdy, and functional container to securely hold 

your Hybrid sculpture. Your container must have a ‘lid’. Your primary material will be cardboard- 

any type or color. You may use your choice of tapes and glues to construct your Structural 

Packaging.

Brand your box- 

You will also design and create a label to brand your structural packaging. 

The brand name must be taken from the title of your Hybrid Sculpture.   

Process

Here are some questions you should ask yourself in the beginning stage of the process. 

A. What/How does my hybrid sculpture communicate? What is it called (title)?

B. What is the most appropriate shape for my package? Think of the shape of your sculpture.  

C. How will it conform to the shape of your sculpture?

D. How do I make my package integrate with my sculpture? The goal is unity.

E. What are the best material choices? Colors, textures, weight of cardboard, etc.

Schedule

HOMEWORK

You will have only one week to complete this assignment outside of class. 

REMEMBER TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TIME MANAGEMENT. 

There is no class-time for this project.

MATERIALS - You will be responsible to gather all your supplies- cardboard, glue, tape, etc 

Project Due October 3rd

Your Hybrid Sculpture must be secured inside your package during critique.

All projects must be ready for presentation at start of class. 

Rubric

You will be evaluated on the following:

A. Ideation (making sketches, doing research, writing about your ideas)

B. Process (time-management, research, asking for help, meeting deadline)

C. Creative problem solving (The creativity of your idea and solution)

D. Material research (experimenting with and choosing materials)

E. Craftsmanship (how well you cut and build your package)

F. Overall concept (does the package reinforce the idea behind your sculpture?)

Research and Inspiration

Article: a crate is more than a crate

Andy Warhol

Marcel Duchamp

Joseph Cornell

Ryan Syrell- click here for info on this project

Exhibition at Atelier 37.2- click for more info on this project

Great book with examples on Structural Packaging

How to Deform a Cube

How to Create Tabs of the Correct Shape

How to Improve a Net (what is a net?)

How to Fold Up a Box

Package Design Inspiration (not all structural examples)

More Package Design Inspiration