Sculpture
Unit
Art 3200
This unit consists of wire sculpting, paper mache,
foam carving, clay sculpting, and metal embossing.
History of Sculpture
Throughout history, monuments in marble, wood
and bronze have been fashioned to glorify the
divine and the human.
Sculpture is different from drawing, painting,
and printmaking, in that it occupies 3dimensional space.
Sculpture has mass or volume.
History of Sculpture
Sculpture should be viewed from as many angles
as possible.
Sculpture interacts with its environment.
It influences the space around it and is
influenced by the space surrounding it.
History of Sculpture
Modern sculpture has moved beyond museums
and galleries.
Artists have moved out into the natural and
synthetic environments.
Elements of Design
All art is made up of 4 elements of design:
 Line
 Form/Shape
 Colour
 Texture/pattern
In sculpture these elements are different than 2
dimensional art.
Elements of Design
In 2D artwork, showing movement relies on the
visual suggestion of movement with lines and
colours.
In 3D artwork, movement and balance are both
visual and physical.
Elements of Design:
Line
In sculpture, line has 3 dimensions.
It moves through and occupies space.
Line may be irregular, free flowing, or rigid.
Line in space implies movement as the eye, hand,
and/or body follows its path.
Line may sometimes define or imply a form.
Elements of Design:
Form
Form is the 3D equivalent to shape.
Form indicates mass, volume, bulk, solidity, and
weight.
Forms may contain empty space or holes which
are called voids or negative space. These are
sometimes as important as positive space.
Elements of Design:
Form
 Form may be made by building up materials
which is additive sculpture.
Form may also be made by taking away material
from a solid form which is subtractive sculpture.
Elements of Design:
Texture
Sculpture uses 3D materials and surfaces.
Texture in sculpture is actual texture instead of
implied texture in 2D art.
Artists can use materials with specific textural
qualities and materials with which they can
create texture in their art.
Types of Sculptures
 Sculpture: A three-dimensional work of art.
Sculptures may be carved, modelled,
constructed, or cast. There are different types
of sculptures such as assemblage, in the
round, and relief.
 Assemblage: A three-dimensional piece of
art made of various materials such as found
objects, paper, wood, and textiles.
Types of Sculptures
 In the Round: Sculpture which is viewed from all
sides and is freestanding. The opposite of relief.
 Relief: A type of sculpture in which the form
projects (or “pops up”) from a background. There
are three types of relief: high, low, and sunken. In
high relief, the forms stand far out from the
background. In low relief (bas-relief), they are
shallow. In sunken relief, the image is carved into
a flat surface and the highest parts are level with
the original surface of the material being carved.
Assemblage
 Raoul Hausmann
(Austrian, 18861971)
 Mechanical Head
[or, The Spirit of
Our Time]
In the Round
 Salvador Dalí
(Spanish, 19041989)
 Lobster
Telephone
 1936
Relief
 Greece
 Little girl with
doves
 450-440 BCE
 Parian marble
relief
Sculpture Project 1:
Wire Animals/Creatures
 We'll start this unit by building wire figures in motion.
 When building your character, think of the following:
What happens to my body when I stand or walk?
Which arms and legs go forward?
How does my body express my mood?
What would be a unique action to sculpt?
Which techniques will work the best - twisting the wire with my hands
or pliers?
How do I make my character stand without falling?
It's best to build your character from just one piece of wire, since adding
separate limbs will make your character flimsy and weak.
Sculpture Project 1:
Wire Animals/Creatures
Project Requirements:
 Sketchbook Sketch: Pretend that your pencil is one continuous piece
of wire. If you were to draw your character in one line, how would it
look? Sketch several figures in motion in your sketchbook by using only
one line for each.
 Wire Sculpture:
- Sculpture must be made in as few pieces as possible.
- Sculpture must have at least 2 legs, 1 head, and 1 torso.
- Sculpture must have no moving parts (if you add pieces of wire, make
sure they are attached well).
- Sculpture must be freestanding.
- Sculpture must be creative, unique and cannot be copied (you may
use images from books as references).
Sculpture Project 1:
Wire Animals/Creatures
Project will be marked on the following:
 Followed Instructions (sketchbook sketch)
 Followed Instructions / Included all requirements
(sculpture)
 Effort/Neatness
 Level of Completion
 Quality of Sculpture/Techniques
 Creativity
Sculpture Project 2:
Metal Embossing
• For this project we will experiment with making lines and shapes in
thin pieces of metal.
• Then we’ll give emphasis to our designs by adding a layer of black
India ink. (You may want to wear an old shirt while using the ink
because it can be messy).
• The main thing to remember when embossing metal is to work from
both sides of the metal to make your lines and shapes really stand
out.
Sculpture Project 2:
Metal Embossing
Project will be marked on the following:
 Followed Instructions (sketchbook sketch)
Followed Instructions (sculpture)
 Effort/Neatness
 Level of Completion
 Quality of Metal Embossing (Carving)
 Quality of Metal Embossing (Inking)
 Creativity
Sculpture Project 2:
Metal Embossing
Sculpture Project 2:
Metal Embossing
Sculpture Project 2:
Metal Embossing
Sculpture Project 3:
Foam Carving
• The purpose of this project is to carve a Newfoundland scene depicting
different grounds in a 4" x 6" piece of foam.
• It is extremely important to show at least three grounds in your piece the foreground, the middle ground, and the background.
• Foreground - the area which is closest to the viewer and carved the
least.
• Middle ground - a bit further away and carved a bit deeper.
• Background - the area which is furthest from the viewer and carved the
deepest.
Here are a few important tips to remember:
1. You need to begin with a good, clear sketch that has
each ground labeled. This will help you in your
carving stage.
2. Keep the outlines in your foam light - don't carve
over your outlines because some may need to be
shallow.
3. Use delicate carving tools for delicate areas and
carve in a short, gentle motion.
4. Use wide tools for wide areas.
5. Don't carve too deep or you will make holes in your
foam.
Sculpture Project 4:
Clay Creature
• For this project you will create a sculpture in-the-round from clay.
• Your sculpture will be a fantasy creature (you may invent your
own creature).
• This sculpture will also be a practical because it must also be a type
of container (ex: bowl, box, etc.).
• Your sculpture must also be freestanding.
Sculpture Project 4:
Clay Creature
Clay Sculpting Tips:
• Always score (or scratch up) the back of small pieces that you'd like
to add, and score the area on the sculpture where you'd like to add
this piece.
• Put a bit of water in between and really press the two pieces
together, smoothing the join with your finger.
• Try to include many textures in your sculpture - this will create a lot
of interest in your piece.
Sculpture Project 4:
Clay Creature
• For this project you will create a sculpture in-the-round from clay.
• Your sculpture will be a fantasy creature (you may invent your
own creature).
• This sculpture will also be a practical because it must also be a type
of container (ex: bowl, box, etc.).
• Your sculpture must also be freestanding.
Sculpture Project 4:
Clay Creature
Sculpture Project 4:
Clay Creature
Project will be marked on the following:
 Followed Instructions (sketchbook sketch)
Followed Instructions (sculpture)
 Effort/Neatness
 Level of Completion
 Quality of Clay Modeling and Shaping
 Quality of Painting
 Creativity
MARKING SCALE
•4 = Excellent
•3 = Very Good
•2 = Average
•1 = Poor
•0 = Incomplete
MARKING SCALE
•4 = :D
•3 = :)
•2 = :S
•1 = :(
•0 = >(