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.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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.
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)
If you do this at home, you might have to install the Perian plugin to get the .flv files to play in Mpeg Streamclip.
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.
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?
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.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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
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