Sculpture
A thematic based arts project modelled in wire
Approaches to sculpture Method
Ground rules
Character
Structure
Level of abstraction
Joint form
Joining firm pieces
Non-homogeneous; inorganic connections and form meetings
Open
Concrete
Modelling
Organising and marking soft material
Homogeneous; organic connections and form meetings
Open or closed
Concrete
Carving
Subtraction from a Homogeneous; compact, lump of material as firm volumes; organic a starting point connections and form meetings
Closed
Abstract
Modelling in WIRE From observation to creating a figure Aims/ objectives The teacher will: Challenge the student to observe the proportions of a human being. Challenge the student to understand the body proportions Stimulate the visual, tactile and kinaesthetic senses of the student.
Outcomes At the end of this element the student will be able to: Draw the proportions of a human figure 2- dimensionally by measuring and sketching a supportive drawing on A4 paper. Use the drawing as support for bending a figure in wire.
Take an A4 and divide it horizontally and vertically with slight lines with a soft pencil.
Key Questions To help the student to see the proportions of the figure and relate them to the proportions on the A4, the teacher can ask: 1. Where is the middle of the figure? Where is the middle of the paper? 2. How big is the head compared to the rest of the body? Where can you place it on the paper? 3. How long is an arm; where does the hand end? Draw it on the paper. 4. How long are the legs? Draw them on the A4. 5. How about the feet? Where are the knees and elbows? Each student receives 1,50 – 2 meters of wire. Bending it in the middle, s/he then forms the figure according to the drafted figure on the A4.
Be careful when buying the wire for this project. It has to be the right dimension; - Not too thick and difficult to form for young hands and for adults when forming details. - Not too thin, so it becomes unstable under construction.
To help the student to understand the right proportions of a human figure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
How can you form the head and neck? How can you form/show the shoulders, the elbows, the hands? Where is the waist? Do you have enough wire for the legs? For the feet? What can you do if you have too much wire? Can your sculpture bend its arms and legs? Look at its head and tell us what mood it is in!
From a static form to a figure in movement Aims/ objectives The teacher will: Challenge the student to observe different body shapes and positions. Stimulate the kinaesthetic sense of the students. Challenge the student to choose a body position and create it by bending wire.
Outcomes At the end of this element the student will be able to: Understand the importance of body shapes and positions in a 3-dimensional figure. Define the difference between a static position and a dynamic movement of a figure.
Body shapes and positions give signals. 4 examples of positions are explained below Body shape
Vowel
Expression
Feeling
Open
A
I am ready
Glad
Long/peak
E (i)
I am “high”
Happy
Closed
O
Don’t contact me
Sad/concentrated
The four positions can be connected into a rhythmical flow, so one movement is following the other. Vowels can be added and the sound combined with the shape makes the expression stronger.
From wire figures to an expressive story Aims/ objectives
Outcomes
The teacher will:
At the end of this element the student will be able to: See new possibilities in bringing their figures into new constellations. Use the frame of the topic and maybe an item to create an expressive story in pairs, groups or as a whole class.
Challenge the student to bring their figures together. Stimulate the students’ creativity.
From a sculpture in wire to a modelled sculpture Aims/ objectives The teacher will: Introduce modelling in paper mass. Challenge the student to give the wire figure “body” Stimulate the student’s further understanding of proportions.
Outcomes At the end of this element the student will be able to: Use paper mass to model a “body” on the figure in wire. Use the gained knowledge about body proportions and shape when modelling. Understand the possibilities of modelling with paper mass.
From a plain sculpture to a painted figure Aims/ objectives The teacher will: Create an inspiring and strong starting point for the painting process Challenge the students to know how to paint properly/ the technique of painting. Help students catch and understand the expression of colours. Inspire the students to give their figures identity.
Outcomes At the end of this element the student will be able to: Create a beautiful product according to his/her own idea. Assign to distinct identity to their products. Present the idea of their figure verbally by understanding the identity.