Clay Busts

Process of Project

Materials List
Scrap wood
Screws
Newspaper
Masking Tape
Clay (I use Continental Clay Buff Stoneware LINK)
Clay tools
Glazes

1. Screw together armature pieces, wide and long for the bottom, and long and skinny on top (see below image)

1. Start with a theme for the students to research and sketch. Themes help give the students a place to start.
1. Themes I've used:

1. Monsters
2. Extreme Faces (Snapchat faces)
3. Anthropomorphic Creatures

1. Students create a series of sketches
1. Front
2. Back
3. Side
1. Consider what is an add on, and what is attached
1. Add ons
1. Horns
2. Ears
3. Eyelids
4. Lips
5. Eyeballs (etc)
2. Attached
1. Nose
2. Mouth
3. Cheekbones
2. Begin building on the armature
1. Armatures are two pieces of scrap wood screwed together. 
1. The longer the top piece is the taller/bigger that the pieces will be. 
3. Add a layer of newspaper wrapped around the pole, but DON'T TAPE IT TO THE ARMATURE. 
4. Use tape to put loose wads of newspaper into the general form of the bust. Do not tape the whole thing all over. It will be impossible to remove at the end.
1. Shoulders
2. Neck
3. Head
4. Attached features
5. Roll out slabs of clay and begin building from the bottom up. 
1. Slip & Score EVERYTHING together
6. Attach add on features
1. Horns
2. Ears
3. Eyelids
4. Lips
5. Eyeballs (etc)
1. To create clay realistic eyes see video here
1. LINK (IN PROGRESS)

1. Add texture to the clay as needed
2. Let dry to not QUITE leather hard
3. Remove armature and newspaper
1. You CAN leave newspaper in there to burn off- BUT it could cause issues with carbon build up in the kiln and that gives you less life in the kiln elements. I usually try to pull out as MUCH as possible.

1. Let dry until BONE DRY
1. This usually takes AT LEAST a week or more.
2. Bisque Fire- SLOWLY
1. Put in the kiln GENTLY (I have broken a piece because I wasn't as careful as I should have been, and my projects tend to be HUGE. 1-2 pieces per kiln load!)
2. I usually candle the pieces for 12 hours before the firing process to ensure all the moisture is out.
3. FIRE SLOWLY
1. I fire to Cone 08 for bisque
3. Glaze
1. Link to creating REALISTIC looking eyes with glaze
1. LINK (IN PROGRESS)
4. Glaze Fire
5. DONE! Display!!!

LINKS
https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/human-head-anatomy-sculpture
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelJDennisArt/
https://www.facebook.com/Art-Blaze-285046224932849/
https://www.facebook.com/nhhsartroom/

PROCESS (PROCESS FOLDER)
(FINISHED PROJECTS FOLDER)

 

Finished Pieces
My students wanted to add eyelashes, hair etc as a final touch. It was AMAZING to do this!

2017 Current Sculpture Student Process/Progress

 

 

 

Tape Perspective Lesson

Perspective can be tough to teach. I've found a few ways that help, and it is a modified flipped classroom. With my Fundamentals of Art (Art 1) I use this to teach it in a general way. I go deeper into it during Drawing 1.

My goals with this project:
Collaboration, communication, working large, getting artwork out of the classroom and to teach perspective in a way that is different. My students LOVE this project, and ask to do it every semester.

We start with a presentation that explores what "Space" means.

Presentation Link

From here I add in the vocabulary and their definitions:

Vocabulary Link

As we start our drawing process, I have several videos that I have the students watch and draw along with. Each one gives a different perspective process and viewpoint.

One Point Perspective Video: (students often have issues drawing the table on the bottom left, so be aware of this!)

2 Point Perspective Video:

City- 1 Point Perspective Video

City-Bird's Eye

City- 2 Point Perspective

The students each turn in a drawing for the video series. I grade on perspective use, use of rulers, and quality of the final. I don't expect the students to do ALL the details that each video provided- so I'll leave that up to you to decide how much/how little you want.

Doorways:

FINAL PROJECT:

1. Students team up in groups of 2-3, though 2 works better and ensures that all have the chance to work on the project.
2. Each student in the group is required to draw up a design for their doorway. The students then decide as a group which to use as their final design.
3. The students will get two rolls of tape.
1. I have found that blue painters tape is very visible on my walls- but it's up to you what you choose to use.
2. 1 inch Blue Painter's tape
1. Main lines
3. 3/8 inch Blue Painter's tape
1. for details/small lines
4. Long rulers/yardsticks for ensuring lines are straight
5. Exacto knives
4. Put up a designated space (doorway) for each group of students. 
1. For the best results choose the end of a hallway to add to the experience of it!
5. Use an exacto knife to finish edges nicely and to help with details
6. Take a photo of the students and the finished piece.
7. Students will upload the information (I use schoology, but you can do it via blogger or Google Classroom)

• Insert the image of your sketch, and insert the image of the final tape piece with you and your partner interacting with it. (10pts)
• Explain: The difference between the sketch and the final (10 pts)
• Explain: What was the process to create this? (5pts)
• Explain: How do you think it turned out? (5pts)

FINAL GRADING SCALE is up to you as the teacher, but a basic one to start with is HERE:
RUBRIC

More Resources
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8krCM99XSFxeHNLbUlSOWRHbjA/view?usp=sharing

2017 Fall Funds Results-
We had THREE DAYS to design and create these, and we did 2 Point Perspective Inspirational Words :)

2017 Spring Fundamentals Tape Projects! Keep up with us at  https://www.facebook.com/nhhsartroom/

 

 

 

2016 Students
(STUDENT REFLECTION!)