Tuesday, December 6, 2011

reminder: sketchbook assignment

1. Write down the basic idea for your project, and how it relates to the idea of a self portrait.

2. Write down the major material you will need for the project, how much of it you need to obtain to make a life size piece, and where you will get it.

3.At the final critique, I want you to find two living artists whose work has inspired you for this piece. I want you to talk about how they define themselves through the material they use and the piece they make out of that material.

Final

The time for our final is:

Wednesday, December 14 from 11:30 to 2pm

We will be displaying your works for project 4 in the Fine Arts Gallery. You will present your work and your artist statement. You will turn in your sketchbooks, and those will be available for pick up at 4pm in the classroom.

I expect to have the finished Project 3 Music Box by that time, as I will be grading them then as well.

Review of Monday's tutorial

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Post it note art

Final Critique Day

Wednesday Dec. 14th from 1130 to 2pm

sketchbook assignment

1. Write down the basic idea for your project, and how it relates to the idea of a self portrait.

2. Write down the major material you will need for the project, how much of it you need to obtain to make a life size piece, and where you will get it.

3.At the final critique, I want you to find two living artists whose work has inspired you for this piece. I want you to talk about how they define themselves through the material they use and the piece they make out of that material.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Project 4: Self Portrait as Utilitarian Object




Build an life sized self portrait using 1 material that you have never seen used in a sculpture before and/or you have a lot of them lying around. The content of your sculpture most show a conceptual link to the material you have choosen. Whatever material you choose, you must have enough of it to create something that can be life size, however the sculpture does not have to be figurative. The material you select must be the only visible material used to construct your piece, with the exception of skeletal, adhesive, or presentation materials such as hanging wires or supports.


You must work on the projects in class. Your grade will go down with each unexcused absense, or if you come in unprepared to build.

Definitions

Self Portrait: a portrait of oneself done by oneself. This does not have to be a literal representation of your body.
Found Objects/Assemblage: a sculptural technique of organizing or composing into a unified whole a group of unrelated and often fragmentary or discarded objects. How can you use found objects to represent yourself?
Utilitarian: pertaining to or consisting in utility, having regard to utility or usefulness rather than beauty, ornamentation, etc. What utilitarian objects best defines you? Try to think about what a specific utilitarian object is meant for, what job does it perform? For example, a light bulb is meant for illuminating darkness, whereas a recliner chair is meant for relaxation and comfort, and a hammer is meant for repair, but has a forceful element to it.

Artists

Adel Abdessemed
Tara Donovan
Cai Guo-Quiang
Rebecah Murtagh
Valerie Powell
Jean Shin
Chiharu Shiota
Ai Weiwei

Downloading Youtube video/audio using Safari

Steps for downloading youtube videos/audio

Visit the specific Youtube page for the video, for this you must use the Safari browser.
Open the Safari Activity window (window - activities on the upper toolbar)
Look for the biggest file in the list of files that open up, probably the only MB file.
Open your Downloads folder and control - click on this get video .flv file then "Open With..." and choose MPEG Streamclip.
Export the video to Quicktime for video files, and Audio for audio files (duh).
If you do Audio, it will save as an .aiff file, which you can later edit in Audacity.


If you do this at home, you might have to install the Perian plugin to get the .flv files to play in Mpeg Streamclip.

Monday, October 31, 2011

sketchbook assignment (week 10/31-11/4)

What did Cornell collect?
How did he make his artwork?
What inspired Cornell?
Find a picture of Cornell's work that inspires you or reminds you of yours...
Interpret the meaning of that piece
What have you learned in your investigation of Cornell that you can apply to your work?
What sound would you add to your work?

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Materials for Audio

The school will be providing the materials for the audio portion. You guys/gals are in luck.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sketchbook Assignment

find 5 objects of any kind that seem to have outlasted their use.

in your sketchbook, draw a composition using all these elements, consider relationships in form, how would these things look like they belong in the same place.


write a story about these objects, one that considers the content of why these objects would be together. be as surreal as you like.

consider the size and shape of the container of these objects and bring the wood to class on Monday. The size of the wood depends on the size of the box.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Project 3 Memory Music Box




You will be creating a boxed assemblage sculpture, one that plays sounds when opened, like a music box. Inside the box you will create a sculptural scene using found objects. Also inside the box will be the speakers for the sounds, and these may be hidden or used in the sculpture.

Music boxes are often known for being an early escape into a fantasy world for young boys and girls before the age of electronics. They are precious objects that were meant to strike the imagination. They are often frequent used symbolically in movies such as Citizen Kane, The Silence of the Lambs, and Black Swan. In these contexts, the music box becomes a reference point for the main character's momentary decent in the realm of fantasy.

We will be looking at the assemblages of Joseph Cornell, among other artists. Cornell had a knack for creating sculptures using found materials that were both evocative yet mysterious. The narratives in his works were often irrational, surrealist you might say, and contained a certain childlike quality. The addition of audio in your pieces can add an interesting counterpoint to your sculptures.


Due Dates, more will be announced

Oct 24: come to class prepared with materials for box construction, wood and hinges. Wood should be around 3/4 of an inch to 1 inch thick. You may use a prezisting box for this project as long as it is sturdy and nice enoughto be considered a "precious" object.

Collect materials for electronic portion.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Guide to Writing Artist Statements

1. Start off well right out the gate

Avoid starting off with the words "My work is", "In my work", or anything that address you in the first few words. Probably 70 percent of artist statements start off this way, and the first thing you want to do is position yourself away from the pack. Any gallery owner, grad school, scholarship committee, after looking through possibly hundreds of statements, will appreciate the effort you take to make something unique.

2. Keep it simple, straightforward.

Run on sentences are the most common mistakes I see in artist statements. It is like the artist is literally trying to use the sentence to illustrate the long journey it took them to get to an idea. Be ambitious, but also economical. Read your statement out loud before turning it in to make sure it sounds good. Ask someone else to read it aloud back to you.

3. Put the same love into your writing as you do your work

Short doesn't mean it must be so simple it is boring. Writing is an art in of itself. Please understand the use of active tense as opposed to writing in passive tense. Break out a thesaurus and use different words to describe things. Instead of saying "I carve plaster" say " I methodically chip away at the brittle surface of the object until it becomes as smooth and tactile as skin". Don't be afraid to use facts in your work, like talking about how you made the work. As long as it supports your artist intentions.

4. Avoid Cliche

It is easy to get carried away with your words until the words say things that the artwork doesn't. Avoid cliches such as " I am interested in beauty in art". Too vague, be specific. Unless you are prepared to write a paper about how you define beauty and how culture as a whole defines beauty, your work probably can't honestly speak for such a huge concept by itself. It is safe to stick to your experience until you have studied your subject enough to cite research on a broader social level.

5. Use words that match the work.
Is your work whimsical? Or is it violent? What is the scale? Make sure your prose reflects the qualities of what it describes. Using verbs and adjectives that really match the qualities of your creative output will create a statement that both excites and informs. Have you found a great quote from an artist, writer, philosopher, or theologian that you feel speaks to your process, form, or content? Consider using it as an introduction to your statement, or even as the statement itself! I recommend looking for inspiration online or in the art theory books gathering dust on your shelves.

Answer these questions in order in your artist statement and you will have a pretty good start. An artist statement for one body of work should be 1 paragraph average, and 2 to 3 or more for a whoe body of work.

WHY YOU MAKE YOUR ART, WHAT IT'S MADE OUT OF (briefly), and HOW YOU ART SYMBOLIZES A LARGER CONTEXT (connect it to personal memories, research, sociology, other interests, relationship to the viewer.

Jessica Stockholder



Jessica Stockholder statement from 1996

Artist Statement

Write a two paragraph statement about your piece, and how it reflects your interests as an artist, and reflects what your art relates to culture as a whole. Talk about the decisions that you made in constructing and displaying the work.

Due date:

You will turn in your artist statements when you present your projects Monday, along with your sketchbook. I want the statement printed out on paper, though....typed.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Plaster Project due next Monday (the 17th)

You will be presenting your installation on Monday October 17. The critique will begin at 1:30pm, you will be expected to have your piece installed by then, with your artist statement ready.

Get your copies made in and out of class this week.

(it was Wednesday, but had to be pushed back due to the Chancellor visit....we will be going over the next project in class this Wednesday.)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Sketchbook Assignment #4 - Investigating Space

Decide on a possible space for the installation of your artwork.


Spend about 15 minutes in your space.


Make a list of everything you notice, for example, how many people walk by the space, where are they going, what are the sounds/smells of the space, what color is the walls


Draw the space. Include as much detail as possible. Consider making note of the materials of the floor, walls, ceiling. Are there any interesting uses of line, space, color, or texture that you could play off of.


Why/How does the space fulfill your needs for the concept of your space?


How will your piece be placed, do you need pedestals, wire, anything to prop it up?


How does light hit the space, do you need to bring light?


Does your piece integrate with the space in anyway, or is it meant to contrast?


How will the viewer see the piece?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Silicone Molding Instructions

Info on Silicone Mold Making

file is a pdf file, to be opened with Acrobat reader

Monday, September 19, 2011

Sketchbook assignment 3

Write a short paragraph about the object you have choosen for your plaster sculpture assignment. In the paragraph, address the following concerns.

What object did you select and what does it mean to you?
What does this object mean to culture as a whole?
Do your ideas relate with the mass ideas or do they not?
What will it mean to see multiples of this image?
If this sculpture could be installed anywhere where would it be? (name something outside of the box, like don't just say, a toothbrush belongs in the bathroom, a horseshoe belongs on a horse)

Art and designer Kate Cox presentation (extra credit)



Tomorrow during my art-381 digital media class we will have a guest speaker, Kate Cox, who is an artist/designer out of Perrin, TX. She is currently working as a graphic designer by the Mineral Wells Index. She also runs her own photography business, which is linked below. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tarleton State University in 2o09, and enjoys painting and drawing as well as digital media. She will be giving a short presentation discussing her work, and will be talking about life after graduation and her experience in professional fields.

This is not required for your class, but is highly recommended. Anyone who comes to the presentation and write about it on your sketchbook will get extra credit on the next assignment.

www.katecoxphotography.com


Monday, September 12, 2011

Sketchbook Assignment #2

What are things you do countless times a day you don't think of? In what ways do you collect waste or expend energy based off these tasks? If you were to confront the visual evidence of a habit you do everyday, what would it look like? Make a "divergent thinking" list of answers to these questions.

Think about the Chris Jordan video we saw in class. You don't have to focus on trash per se, just things we do repeatedly out of habit that we don't think of. It doesn't have to be something that has direct emotional value either, it could be something as common as opening doors or breathing.

Bring in your sketchbook and at least 2 objects to class that you have written about to class on Wednesday the 14th

Buy this kind of Silicone Gel



DAP Silicone 100% Silicone Sealant, Clear - 10.1 fl. oz.

You must buy 100% Silicone, and it would be preferable if it is labeled "clear" so you can see what you are doing. I have only had success with the DAP brand, if you buy any other kind it may not work as well and you will fall behind. This goes especially for the brands they sell at Wal-Mart. Those never work.

Chris Jordan "Running the Numbers"



Take a look here for more images of Chris Jordan's work.

Project 2 Student Work

Project 2 Confrontable Multiples


Description: Using plaster, you will carve a small sculpture which reflects a minor object or issue that you deal with on a daily basis. This can be something tangible or intangible. You will then create several “copies” of your original object, and install them into a public space in the fine arts building.

Due Date

Molds must be finished and installations installed on the afternoon of October 17, 1:30 pm sharp the critique will begin.

Things to think about: This project is meant to get you thinking about the minor details of your daily life, and your ability to make a large confrontational piece out of small components. What types of things do you engage in every day? Think about your habits. Think about all of the small things that you do each and every day (many of these things may be done unconsciously due to routine habit). Examples: brushing teeth, taking medication, tying shoes, sitting in chairs, blinking, breathing, eating, walking, etc. Think about the ways that you are using positive and negative space, unity and variety, grouping, containment, proximity, continuity, repetition, closure, balance, scale, proportion, emphasis, and rhythm. Are you using dominant and subordinate forms? How can you use color as an element? Do you want to use color, or leave the objects white?

Note: you may want to practice a bit with carving plaster before you carve the object that you will use for your multiples. Simple shapes will be easier to work with, and your objects will have a flat area (there are a few ways to work around this that I can show you).

Materials: (* notes materials provided by the Fine Art Department)
Plaster*
Some Plaster Tools*
Plastic Gloves
Shellac*
WD40*
Paint brush
DAP 100 percent Silicone (clear) - look for at ACE, true value, NOT SOLD AT WALMART - DO NOT BUY ANY OTHER KIND OR RISK YOUR MOLDS BREAKING
X-Acto Knife (for removing clay mold from plaster object).
Plastic trash bag
Carving materials, use something cheap, like screwdriver, spoon, potato peeler, knife

Minimum Requirements:
Must carve an original object out of plaster using subtractive methods.
Must have at least 8 “copies” of your object. If you feel that you need to make more, then do so.
Must Install your multiples into a public space in the fine arts building.
Must use sketchbook and or maquettes to sketch/plan out ideas.
Must write a brief 1 paragraph Artist Statement

Theo Jansen



Theo Jansen is the Dutch creator of what he calls "Kinetic Sculptures," where nature and technology meet. Essentially these sculptures are robots powered by the wind only.

click here for his website

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Sketchbook assignment #1 (due next monday)

#1 (9/7 - 9/12) On a minimum of two sketchbook pages, collect images and information about an artist, architect, or designer that has work that is appropriately "robotic". Feel free to be creative about your interpretation of what robotic is. It can be mechanical, kinetic, or just something that seems to have a life of it's own.

Sketchbook Project

Throughout the semester, you will be assigned sketchbook assignments that will supplement the current assignment you are working on in class. The assignments will, in most cases, be assigned early on Monday, and will be due the following Monday, when another assignment is announced.

Your sketchbook will always be turned in with your projects, and will count towards your grade on the specific project. Sketchbooks that have content that suggests an active thinker and a dedicated student will receive full credit. Sketchbooks should always include sketches and writing that shows the process of your work.

List of Assignments

#1 (9/7 - 9/12) On a minimum of two sketchbook pages, collect images and information about an artist, architect, or designer that has work that is appropriately "robotic". Feel free to be creative about your interpretation of what robotic is. It can be mechanical, kinetic, or just something that seems to have a life of it's own.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Reminder: Bring robot building materials to class!


Don't be left without nothing to do!

Bring materials to work with, both hard and soft, chunky and thin, bring glues and tapes, bring wires and string....just bring enough to work...make sure to think outside of the box of what a robot is and what it could be. Aside from address the specific attributes chosen for you, the project is very open ended, how do you make the attributes work with your idea?

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Robot Inspiration

Kidrobot

Boing Boing.net

Jeff's Robot Site

Kajui Big Battle! - robot wrestling

Just in case you need some ideas, it is not expected that you copy any of these, or that you even make your robot look like a 50's style toy, but if you are short on ideas this might help.

Project 1 Robots


Description: To start out the semester, we will do an activity to get your creative juices flowing, and to give you an opportunity to play around with some materials. In this open-ended mixed media assemblage project, your assignment is to create a robot. Your robot will have 5 components that you will select in class that will help shape his/her personality and vitality. Should you select a “wild card” you have the ability to choose any item within the bounds of the category. Example: if you select the “profession” wild card, you can opt to make your robot a janitor. How you resolve and address each component is completely up to you, but all 5 must be present in the final project. We will be working on our robots all day in class Wednesday, and the full of class on the Wednesday after labor day. (you are welcome and encouraged to spend extra time outside of class) So work hard, because what you don’t finish in class is homework, and I will be collecting them on Monday the 12th at the end of class!

Due Dates : Monday September the 12th at the end of class!

Helpful hints: Be creative about the kind of objects you select to work with. It's probably good the first day to bring in a whole bunch of materials. Bring some material that is flexible, and bring some material that you can use as binders. Think of smaller pieces as well to add flair. Remember the principles of divergent thinking, consider many different possibilities of what a robot could be. Do not rely on cliche or accepted answers to design problems. Also try to incorporate texture, either invented (drawn or fabricated) or physical (existing). Think about the spaces you are leaving empty around and between elements of your robot (aka negative spaces), and the areas that you are building on (aka positive spaces). Try to think outside of the box when creating your non-traditional robot!


You will select (at random) one component from the following categories:

1. Profession: cowboy, businessman, college drop-out, pro wrestler, astronaut, wild card!
2. Article of clothing: cape, sunglasses, belt, bow tie, kilt, helmet, wild card!
3. Number of appendages: (includes but is not limited to; legs, arms, tails, wings, etc) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, wild card!
4. Hair: mohawk, mullet, bald, afro, facial hair, wild card!
5. Accessorize! lasso, go-go boots, fannypack, baton, pet, wild card!

Tedtalks - "We are all makers" by Dale Dougherty












More Info here

Where to find artists for research?

Check out my list of links to artist info for your research on class assignments.

The always in progress list of artists for sculpture research

I will be updating it forever and ever.

Why study creative design? What is "divergent thinking"?

Basic Everyday Materials List

These are some of the basic materials you should have around everyday. As we complete assignments, more materials WILL be required. For example, for the next class you should bring materials to begin your Robot assignment. Please use the list of online Local Stores for Materials for additional reference.

Small tool Box
One Screwdriver
One Utility Knife
One Pair of scissors
One roll of masking tape
One pair of Needlenose Plyers
some kind of ruler, measuring tape
One 8x10 sketchbook, pen or pencil
Text: Launching the Imagination, a Guide to Three-Dimensional Design by: Mary Stewart 3rd Edition
A variety of tapes, glues (the stronger the better)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Class Syllabus

{COURSE DESCRIPTION}

This course will introduce formal elements and basic techniques used in three- dimensional arts. Course objectives (listed below) will be considered through lectures, class discussions, and readings during class and hands-on projects during lab time. Five to six projects will be assigned during the semester. We will explore working both collaboratively and individually. Assignments will encourage students to develop concepts, work through ideas, to experiment, embrace risks, and to learn from failures in the design process. Both traditional (plaster, ceramics) as well as non-traditional (fabric, found objects, etc.) will be emphasized. The Fourth Dimensional aspect of Time will also be introduced, and students are encouraged to incorporate it into their projects throughout the semester.

{COURSE OBJECTIVES}

• Learn basic three-dimensional art making skills that can serve as a foundation for further art study.
• Explore personal aesthetic concepts through class assignments, fieldwork, critiques, problem solving exercises and class discussions related to art projects.
• Gain increased awareness and appreciation of artists and designers who work with three dimensional concepts and materials.
• Each student will be able to think critically and to tolerate diverse views expressed through art.
• Learn to identify and apply three-dimensional formal concepts in your artwork such as, but not limited to: LOW AND HIGH RELIEF, FIGURE/GROUND, SPACE (positive and negative), PLACE, SCALE, PROFILE, TEXTURE, MASS, VOLUME, PATTERN, PLANE, LINE, BALANCE, RHYTHM, REPITITION, LIGHT, COLOR, TIME.
• Learn how to articulate your ideas in writing artist statements.

{COURSE FEES / REQUIRED TEXTS / SUPPLIES}

The lab fee is $5.

You are also required to purchase the book Launching the Imagination (3 dimensional) by Mary Stewart. ISBN 007332731X

You are expected to provide supplies for your projects unless otherwise noted. Bring materials to work with, if you have nothing to do you will be marked absent. Materials are listed at the end of the syllabus.

{ATTENDANCE}

We all have families, jobs, medical appointments, and unforeseen emergencies. You will receive three free absences that you may use at anytime that won’t affect your grade. Set your own priorities and live with the consequences, which are set below.

The students’ final grade is subject to drop a letter grade (ten percentage points) for each absence after three absences. There is no difference between excused or unexcused absence in accordance to this policy. This means if you finish with a grade of 92% with 6 absences, your final grade will be 62% or a “D”. Late arrivals and early departures will result in a docking of ½ absence per incident. All projects and assignments are still due at the beginning of the assigned class, and I reserve the right to award a “zero” to any late work. If caught texting, facebooking, or using any other device that takes your attention away from a lecture or a critique, will also earn you an absence for that day.

{PROJECTS}

There will be 5-6 major projects in this class, each worth one hundred points. Students are expected to experiment and refine technical issues prior to the beginning of each project. There will also be contemporary artist research required before each project. This may be done through the use of maquettes and sketches. Prior to each project, you will receive a handout, outlining what is expected. Each project will be graded based on the following criteria:

25%: Completion of Required Criteria
Are all required aspects of the project addressed and resolved?
25%: Sketches, Contemporary Artist Research, and Artist Statement/Self Evaluation
Were adequate sketches and maquettes used? Were artists researched in support of the Project? Did the student write an artist statement and complete all of the self evaluation criteria?
25%: Craftsmanship and Technique
Did the student use the proper materials? Is the project, and artist research presented in a finished state? Is there attention to detail and were concepts discussed in class utilized in a successful manner? Did the student clean up and respect the lab space and the tools?
25%: Creativity
Does the artwork show innovation and uniqueness? Did the artist solve the given assignment problem in an expected or unexpected way?

{MATERIALS LIST}

Most of the materials can be purchased in a kit or individually at the bookstore. As we complete assignments, more materials WILL be required. Please use the list of online Local Stores for Materials for additional reference.

Small tool Box
Pencil
One Utility Knife
One Pair of scissors
One roll of masking tape
One pair of Needelnose Plyers
One 8x10 sketchbook
Text: Launching the Imagination, a Guide to Three-Dimensional Design by: Mary Stewart 3rd Edition

{SAFETY}

Unless otherwise mentioned come to class prepared to work. This means:
• Work clothes
• Closed toed shoes (if working in the sculpture area or using machinery)
• No loose hair or loose jewelry shoes (if working in the sculpture area or using machinery)
• Wear gloves when appropriate
• All students and visitors MUST wear industrial quality safety glasses when using machinery or while engaging in any activity which might endanger the eyes.
• Cleaning up after yourself! Being a slob will lower your grade!
• Lifting heavy objects carefully and with assistance
• Using materials and tools safely
• Students may use the machine tools ONLY after individual instruction and approval by the instructor.


{CLASSROOM USE}

You are invited to use the facility during the hours when other classes are not in session. The doors are locked after 5, see me to get an after hours pass, or contact Lori Larue (968-9639). If another class is in schedule, you MUST ask permission to work if you can do so in a way that doesn’t interrupt class.

Please leave your area clean and store your projects in a locker or on a storage shelf. Student work stored improperly runs the risk of being moved or thrown away. Nothing left in the lab can be assured it will be secure. Most art majors are highly trustworthy, and you should do your best to preserve that reputation if you want others to treat you the same way.

If I have to clean up after you at any point during class, you will receive a 10 point deduction on the current project, at the least.

See a member of the art faculty to get a locker. You may rent a locker for use for 5 dollars.

{ACADEMIC HONESTY}

Cheating, plagiarism (submitting another person’s materials or ideas as one’s own), or doing work for another person who will receive academic credit are all impermissible. Turning in work made before this class, or from other classes, is also a violation of academic honesty. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the Department of Fine Arts.

{STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES}

It is the policy of Tarleton State University to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. If you are a student with a disability seeking accommodations for this course, please contact Trina Geye, Director of Student Disability Services, at 254.968.9400 or geye@tarleton.edu. Student Disability Services is located in Math 201. More information can be found at www.tarleton.edu/sds or in the University Catalog.

{ANY QUESTIONS????!!!!????}

As you've probably guessed, you will have to spend plenty of time in and outside of class sketching, thinking, and making. You should therefore consider subjects that you consider important or have strong feelings towards. If you never thought of an idea or material as “artistic” enough to work with, it is probably worth working with. Your projects shouldn’t feel like busy work. Please do not become discouraged if you do not quickly grasp the ideas and techniques discussed in class - art is a difficult and complex subject that is hard for many people. Not an easy “A” by any means. Good work comes from work. Trust the process.

Apply yourself, work hard, develop your skills and exhibit individual growth and you will do very well in this class. I am here to help you succeed, so do not be afraid to ask any questions. I will always try my best to make myself available to interested students. Have fun, keep positive and be creative!