Grade 9/10 Scupture Unit

I just finished a scuptural unit with my grade 9 and 10 art class. These students have had no experience with any form of sculpture before so they were pretty pround of their achievements.

First students learned some basic clay modelling skills by making an ocarina (a musical instrument/whistle). Students were pretty excited about making an object that was functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. WARNING: some whistles didn't work and that was a little discouraging for studetns. I still haven't worked out the problem.

I don't really understand my student's fascination with angry birds but this one is a cross-eyed angry chicken.

The ideas of an ocarina is you blow through the nose and a single note passes through the hole at the top of the creature.

I have complete this project with grade 8 students as well. It's a great introduction to some basic clay modelling skills.

Skills we focused on were:

• Using and creating slip
• Cross-hatching and adding clay (plus slip) to joins
• Using modelling tools for smoothing, shaping and creating texture.

Okay next step. Students were exposed to the concept of hybrid creatures, surrealism vs hyperrealism through Patricia Piccinin's amazing creations.

http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/

I love that Piccinini tackles the issues of  industrialism, technology and the effect on nature in a creative and expressive way. I find her works moving and thought provoking. And I LOVE the reaction I get from the students. Every time I show 'The Loft' respond like:

Student: What's that?

Teacher: Come and have a close look?

Student studies the smartboard intently. 3 seconds later.

Student: That's gross (expressed emphatically).

Teacher: Do you know he nest is made of human and horse hair?

Student: Ahhhh (sounds of morbid fascination)

Student: Why did you so us this Miss, it's gross?

Teacher: Is it gross? Look at it carefully.

Pause for affect.

Teacher: Does the little boy look scared or 'grossed out'?

Student: No.

Teacher: Why are you?

Student pauses to think and this is the perfect leap into what Patricia Piccinini's work is about. Challenging our perceptions of reality; fearing what we don't know.

 

Thanks Patricia Piccinini for your wonderful creations. My students have been continually inspired by your artwork.

Okay next...

I selected some common animals to showed the students the images on the smartboard. Students were required to sketch each animal (bird, fish and snake) in 10 minute intervals.

After the student completed the sketches, we discussed how we could create hybrids.

Preliminary sketches....

Working out how to translate a sketch to a sculpture...

 

This is a good time to relfect on the principles and elements of art:

• Shape/form - Will the new form be pleasing to the eye? Will the shape be proportional or deliberating imbalanced? Will the form include geometric or organic shapes and why? Are angles or fluent lines more in keeping with my ideas?  
• Harmony - Will the two animals work in harmony? Will the be contrasted? Will I deliberately contrast one aspect of the animal against the other? Cuddly vs venemous, etc. Will my colour and form choses harmonise?
• Texture - What texture is significant to the meaning of my creature? Smooth, scales, feather, fur, rough, cracked, slimy, etc.

Students created sketches of 3 hybrid animals but only chose one for creation. They had to justify why?

The student who created the second sculpture names it 'Blood and Tears' mainly because of how many times he stabbed himself while make the wire frame.

Note to self: go over safety procedures....