Introduction to 3-Dimensional Art

Name: ______

INTRODUCTION TO 3-DIMENSIONAL ART

As we explore the four processes of sculpture and produce sculptures of our own, it is important to remember that 3-Dimensional art has a long and wonderful history. It is tempting to forget about the past and focus only on our own art production, but looking at earlier sculptures and learning about how and why they were created is also important. In the coming weeks, we will look at pieces of 3-Dimensional artwork from a variety of time periods and places. You will likely recognize some of the sculptures and structures, as well as the artists that produced them. Some pieces will appeal to your personal sense of aesthetic, and others may not. Everyone’s sense of aesthetic is a little different. We will explore the pieces chronologically, or in order from oldest to most modern. Keep in mind that much art was created before Neolithic people made Stonehenge many centuries ago, and that many pieces have been produced since Dale Chihuly finished Rio Delle Torreselle in 2001. We are not covering every style or time period in art; this list is just a small sampling. This packet contains valuable information about the history of art and includes a list of terminology, concepts and time periods. This material will 1 be covered during class, but it should be studied outside of class in preparation for Slide Quizzes, Content and Terms Quizzes and the Final Examination. In each description there is one “KEY SENTENCE” that is bolded and italicized. Be sure to know this information, as it will be required writing on Slide Quizzes. The SEVEN ELEMENTS of art:

As we explore these 12 pieces, think about how each one of them uses the seven elements. Some of the pieces will use many of the elements, and others may use only one or two. Understanding how artists have used the elements in their work is a great way to learn about how art is produced and make your own work better.

Space: (studied mostly in Introduction to 3/D Art) Space is the distance or area between, above, below, and within things. Artists show space or depth in many ways, including overlapping, size, focus, placement, intensity and value, and linear perspective. 3-Dimensional art depicts actual space (both positive space and negative space), while 2-Dimensional art creates the illusion of space on a flat surface. Space can be shallow or deep. Texture: (studied mostly in Introduction to 3/D Art) Texture is how something feels, or looks as though it might feel, if it were touched. Texture can be actual (real texture built up on a piece of art) or implied (a piece of art made to look like it is textured). Form: (studied mostly in Introduction to 3/D Art) Form is the use of three-dimensional objects. Like shapes, forms can be organic or geometric. Forms can be used to create actual space, not just the illusion of space. Value: (studied mostly in Introduction to 2/D Art) Having control over lightness or darkness allows an artist to show depth and tell the viewer where the light source is. Using shadows and highlights to create contrast is a common way in which artists use value in 2-Dimensional artwork.

2 Color: (studied mostly in Introduction to 2/D Art) Color is in nearly every piece of 2-Dimensional art. Artists use color to control the mood of their work and to show emotion. The four color schemes (monochromatic, complimentary, analogous and warm vs. cool) are often used in paintings. The use of color can influence the way a piece of art is interpreted. Line: (studied mostly in Introduction to 2/D Art) Lines can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curved or zigzag. Artists control line quality by making them smooth, rough, sketchy or broken. Artists control line variety by making them thick or thin, long or short, heavy or light depending on how they wish to depict their subject. Shape: (studied mostly in Introduction to 2/D Art) Artist use shapes in many ways. Shapes are areas on the picture that are defined by boundaries. Shapes can be geometric (regular edged, like squares, triangles or circles.) or they can be organic (irregular edged, like clouds, puddles or leaves). 3-Dimensional Art a few basic things…

There are four major processes of sculpture:

1. Modeling: The process in which a soft, pliable (bendable) material is built up and shaped into a sculptural form. Generally done with clay, wax or plasticine. This is an additive process.

2. Assembly: The artist gathers and joins together a variety of different materials to

3 construct a 3-dimensional work of art. Generally done with wire, metal, string, wood or found objects. This is an additive process.

3. Carving: Cutting or chipping away from a given mass. Generally done with wood, marble, stone, plaster or other hard substance. This is a subtractive process.

4. Casting: A melted down metal or other liquid is poured into a mold to harden. Many copies of the same sculpture can be made quickly by using casting. Generally done with plaster, slip, bronze, copper or gold. This is neither additive nor subtractive.

You should know what these terms mean and be able to list the four processes of sculpture. You should be able to look at a piece of 3-Dimensional art and tell which process of sculpture was used.

12 PIECES OF 3-DIMENSIONAL ART THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW… (Listed chronologically)

TITLE ARTIST YEAR MEDIUM PROCESS

1. Stonehenge Neolithic 2750 BCE(3) Stone Assembly

2. King Tut’s Mask Egyptians 1350 BCE(1) Gold and jewels Assembly

4 ------

3. Discus Thrower Myron 450 BCE (1) Marble Carving

4. David Michelangelo 1504 (1) Marble Carving ------5. Forever Free Edmonia Lewis 1867 (1) Marble Carving

6. The Thinker Auguste Rodin 1889 (1) Bronze Casting ------7. Reclining Figure Henry Moore 1939 (2) Elm Wood Carving

8. Bull’s Head Pablo Picasso 1943 (2) Bronze Casting ------9. Feather Plate Maria Martinez 1950 (2) Earthenware Modeling

10. Untitled Mobile Alexander Calder 1976 (3) Aluminum, tubing Assembly ------11. Jockeys and Horses Bruce Howdle 1995 (1) Stoneware Modeling

12. Rio Delle Torreselle Dale Chihuly 2001 (3) Glass Assembly

======The three basic types of art are representational, non-representational, and abstract. Most art falls into one of these categories. Representational is when an artist attempts to capture exact reality in their work. Abstract is when an artist shows recognizable subjects but distorts their appearance. Non-representational is when an artist makes no attempt to portray real subjects in their work. Each of the 12 pieces is labeled according to the guide below:

(1) Representational (2) Abstract (3) Non- Representational

5 SLIDE SET 1

TITLE ARTIST YEAR MEDIUM SCULPTURE TYPE

1. Stonehenge Neolithic 2750 BCE (3) Stone Assembly Outer stone circle is 106’ diameter (likely built in four stages beginning around 2750 BCE and ending around 2100 BCE)

Stonehenge is a structure that is shrouded in mystery. It is a cromlech that has no subject. Stonehenge was built by Neolithic people on the Salisbury Plain in England. Their medium was rocks and there are many theories on how the rocks were carved, moved and assembled. Stonehenge was built without mortar to hold the pieces together. The rocks are placed in the shape of three circles; each one progressively larger, with a large circular ditch dug around the outside. Experts say that the ditch was dug first, and then the rings were built in three separate stages separated by hundreds of years. There were originally thirty upright stones, the tallest of which were about 24 feet high and weighed around 50 tons. Stonehenge was built using post and lintel construction. The posts are the vertical stones and the lintels are the horizontal stones balanced on top. It may have been built for sun-worshipping rituals, as an observatory, a calendar, or as a place for planting and harvest rituals. The creators of Stonehenge were less worried about aesthetics and more concerned with how it would be used. Stonehenge is about the size of a large basketball court.

2. King Tut’s Mask Egyptians 1350 BCE (1) Gold and jewels Assembly Piece is life-sized

Due to rules of succession, Tutankhamun abruptly became King of Egypt when two older men died. King Tut assumed the throne at the age of ten! King Tut was not a major figure in Egyptian history, and he died at age 19. He likely died of malaria, and he had a cleft palette and club foot. King Tut walked with a cane his entire life. This symmetrical mask bore his likeness and was created as a funerary case. This bust goes along with the ancient Egyptians’ ideas regarding the 6 afterlife. King Tut’s tomb had many rooms filled with furniture, clothes, weapons, chariots, works of art, and other functional items. King Tut was actually placed inside three separate coffins, the outer two being made of wood and the interior one, weighing around 250 pounds, constructed of solid gold. We know about King Tut because his tomb is the only one discovered in our time that had not been robbed centuries ago. Howard Carter, an English Egyptologist, found the tomb in 1922. This smooth and polished piece is quite tactile. SLIDE SET 2

3. Discus Thrower Myron 450 BCE (1) Marble Carving Piece is 5’ 1” tall Artist lived 60 years (490 BC-430 BC, age 40 at completion of piece)

Myron was a sculptor during the Greek Classical period that was famous for his sculptures of athletes in bold poses. He executed this sculpture over a ten year span. The statue shows a man in the moment before releasing a discus as he is about to swing forward and fling the object through the air. Myron studied human anatomy, which helped him create this lifelike artwork. Myron was very careful to accurately show the bones, tensed muscles and stretched tendons. This piece represents a major change in the evolution of sculpture. Before Myron, most sculptures of people were rigid and stiff— people were standing straight up or seated in a formal posture. Discus Thrower was different; it showed a pose of action. Many sculptors after Myron have used this idea. The athlete is poised in perfect balance in an asymmetrical composition. This is nearly a freestanding sculpture; the only support is the small post that supports the athlete’s left leg. The original work was a bronze cast, not a marble carving. Myron’s bronze original was melted down many centuries ago to make weapons; this is a Roman copy.

4. David Michelangelo 1504 (1) Marble Carving

7 Piece is 13’ 5” tall Artist lived 89 years (1475-1564, age 29 at completion of piece)

David was carved in Florence, Italy. The image of David was the symbol of this city because he defeated Goliath in a story from the Old Testament. David was a young Israelite soldier who was challenged to fight Goliath, a giant from another army. David won the battle with a slingshot and a few stones. The people of Florence wanted to demonstrate to the world that they would fight for themselves, even if they were a small city. In 1463 the city leaders commissioned an artist, Agostino di Duccio, to do a sculpture of David, but he gave up on the project. Thirty five years later, Michelangelo was hired and given the same piece of marble that di Duccio had started on. The statue shows David in his time of greatest courage, the moment before he fights Goliath. The content of this statue is courage and faith. David is standing with most of his body weight on his right leg, which is a contropasto pose. Before making a sculpture or painting, Michelangelo did many thumbnails to work out his design. David was originally meant to be placed high above ground on top of Florence Cathedral to be viewed from the street below, which explains why the scale is incorrect. David’s head is oversized and his feet are small in comparison. This piece is done during the Renaissance.

“The statue already exists inside the block of marble, it is my task to set it free”

-Michelangelo Bounarroti SLIDE SET 3

5. Forever Free Edmonia Lewis 1867 (1) Marble Carving Piece is 3’ 5” tall Artist lived approximately 67 years (c. 1845-c. 1911, around 22 at completion of piece)

Edmonia Lewis was born in New York state. Her mother was Native American and her father was African American. Edmonia, whose birth name was Wildfire, was orphaned as a child, so she and her older brother were raised by members of their mother’s family. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, and then moved to Boston to study art. Many Americans during this era did not appreciate art made by a minority, especially a female. She grew frustrated with American society and moved to Rome, Italy, in 1867. In Rome, Edmonia saw architecture and sculpture that inspired her to work in the Neoclassical style. Edmonia carved Forever Free while in Rome. This 8 subtractive sculpture celebrated the ratification of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the U.S. The focal point is the newly-freed man breaking his chains and stepping on the ball that once held him down. He raises his hands as a woman kneels next to him, thanking God for their freedom. The content of Forever Free is triumph over adversity and hope for the future. Despite her skills, some doubted that a minority female artist could produce great art. To prove herself, Edmonia stood next to her sculptures during art shows and explained her work, proving to the crowd that she was indeed the sculptor. This piece is in the permanent collection at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

6. The Thinker Auguste Rodin 1889 (1) Bronze Casting Piece is 2’ 4” tall Artist lived 77 years (1840-1917, age 49 at completion of piece)

This is the most famous piece done by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. This casting shows a man in deep thought—so deep that his toes are clutching the ground and his muscles are tense. The Thinker is meditating as he tries to find an answer to an important question. The Thinker was originally meant to be a small part of a much larger project known as The Gates of Hell. This sculpture, based on the 12th century epic poem Inferno by Dante, was supposed to be a door for an art museum in Paris, but Rodin never finished it. He later used portions of the doors, like The Thinker, to do small sculptures. The Thinker was meant to represent Dante as he struggled to write his story. Rodin worked in the style of Expressionism, which means that his work was concerned with emotion, not intricate details. Rodin was an admirer of Michelangelo’s and he often studied figure sculptures from the Renaissance, but his work is not as refined as Michelangelo’s. This is a casting, which means that Rodin first modeled the piece from a substance like plasticine. After that, he made a plaster mold and finally poured in liquid bronze. There are many copies of The Thinker in outdoor venues around the world which have a green patina from years of being in the weather. SLIDE SET 4

7. Reclining Figure Henry Moore 1939 (2) Elm Wood Carving

9 Piece is approximately 5’ long Artist lived 88 years (1898-1986, age 41 at completion of piece)

Henry Moore grew up in England, where he modeled small clay sculptures as a young boy. He was an elementary art teacher and served in World War I. As an adult, he taught art at a college and he was inspired by art from the Renaissance, especially Michelangelo’s sculptures. Henry was very interested in nature and organic forms, and often used natural materials. The medium for this piece is unique; he used the wood of an elm tree. Moore was also interested in the relationship between positive space and negative space. He liked the voids created by making holes and dents in his figures. This piece has a large amount of concave and convex surfaces. Moore had three major themes in his career: the mother and child, the family group, and the reclining figure. Moore’s most common theme was the reclining figure, which he made many versions of during his career. This piece is highly stylized, which is common for this artist and other Modernism artists.

8. Bull’s Head Pablo Picasso 1943 (2) Bronze Casting Piece is 1’ 4” tall Artist lived 92 years (1881-1973, age 62 at completion of piece)

Pablo Picasso is considered by many to be the greatest artist of the 20th century. He was born in Spain but spent much of his life working in France. He began his career as an artist at age 15 and lived a long life full of creativity and experimentation. Picasso made over 20,000 individual pieces of art in a wide range of mediums. He was a painter, a sculptor, a graphic designer, a ceramicist, a printmaker, a writer and he invented the art of collage. This piece is a casting—Picasso took a bicycle handlebar and seat and cleverly arranged them to look like a bull’s head. He made a mold of these objects and produced a bronze casting. Picasso’s work was often controversial and political, but this piece is more playful. The bull was a major theme of Picasso’s, a recurring subject in many of his artworks. He is known for his use of geometric forms in his sculptures, as well as geometric shapes in his 2-dimensional art. Much of

10 Picasso’s work involves a leap of imagination, or the ability to create something new and different. His creativity was like none other, and his sense of aesthetic was diverse and original. SLIDE SET 5

9. Feather Plate Maria Martinez 1950 (2) Earthenware Modeling Piece is 11.375" diameter Artist lived 93 years (1887-1980, age 63 at completion of piece)

For nearly 100 years, Maria Martinez lived in the San Ildefonso pueblo in New Mexico. As a young woman, Maria became known for her thin-walled ceramic vessels. As she continued to make pottery, Maria saw pieces of prehistoric Native American pottery that had been rediscovered by local excavations in 1908 and 1909. An archaeologist named Edgar Hewett asked her to duplicate some of the black pottery that had been found around San Ildefonso. Maria became inspired by these pieces and began making pottery of her own using the geometric patterns found on the prehistoric work. Maria married Julian (Hoo-lee-un) Martinez, who was also an artist. Maria modeled the earthenware into shape and Julian painted on the geometric designs and fired the pieces. They enjoyed an artistic collaboration that would last for many decades, and they often both signed each piece of pottery. Most of their work was in the “black-on-black” style, where glossy and matte black shapes make up the design. Maria Martinez is one of the few potters who can claim worldwide fame. She taught many of her friends and family how to make pottery. Through her hard work and sharing of her techniques, Maria reintroduced pottery making to her people and enabled them to keep some aspects of the pueblo way of life. This piece is in the permanent collection at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

10. Untitled Mobile Alexander Calder 1976 (3) Aluminum & tubing Assembly Piece is 76’ long and 29’ tallArtist lived 78 years (1898-1976, deceased at completion of piece)

11 Born in Philadelphia, Calder is famous for his invention of mobiles and stabiles. Calder came from an artistic family, his father and grandfather were both sculptors, and his mother was a painter. Alexander was interested in engineering and design as a teenager. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering at age 21, and then became intrigued by art. He used his design skills and engineering knowledge to make his art, which are usually additive sculptures. Calder invented kinetic art, or art that moves freely. His mobiles are a perfect example of this, since they swing in the breeze. His pieces vary greatly in size, some are small enough to hold in your hand and others are nearly 60 feet tall. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., commissioned Calder to make a metal sculpture for this space. This piece is a mobile, which means that it is free to twist in the breeze. It took around 6 years to come to fruition and is made mostly of organic shapes. Calder died just before the piece was installed. SLIDE SET 6

11. Jockeys and Horses Bruce Howdle 1995 (1) Stoneware Modeling The piece is 23’ long x 7 tall’ Artist is living (born in 1947, age 48 at completion of piece)

This large sculptural mural was created for The National Jockey Club in Cicero, Illinois. Bruce Howdle, who has been making ceramic sculptures since 1976, builds relief sculpture on the side of walls using stoneware. His work ranges from freestanding six foot high wheel-thrown forms to 52 foot long relief murals that require many tons of clay. Works by Bruce are in large public institutions, banks, corporations, private offices, and homes. The process of making relief sculptures such as this one is very long. Jockeys and Horses is modeled out of clay, not carved from stone. That means that the clay was first modeled by hand, then allowed to dry and become greenware, then fired in a kiln, and finally removed from the kiln as a bisque fire piece. The mural is cut into pieces so they can be fired. After the firing, the pieces are reassembled and installed at their final location on the wall.

12 12. Rio Delle Torreselle Dale Chihuly 2001 (3) Glass Assembly Piece is 11’ tall X 7’ wide Artist is living (born in 1941, age 60 at completion of piece)

Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington. He was introduced to glass blowing when he was studying interior design at the University of Washington. In his late twenties, Chihuly began using glass forms to create room-sized installations of organic, freestanding, plantlike sculptures. Since the early 1980s, Chihuly's work has been marked by vibrant color and subtle linear decoration. His fascination with abstract flower forms is caused by his memories of his mother's garden in Tacoma. Over the past forty years, Chihuly's sculptures have explored the elements of color, line, and form. Chihuly is best known for his multipart glass compositions. Many glass pieces are attached to specially engineered metal structures that dominate large exterior and interior spaces. These installations confirm the artist's interest in natural light and how lighting affects the appearance of the glass. This blue chandelier was created in Finland for display in Venice, Italy. In Venice, this assemblage hung across a canal. As a dominant presence in the art world, Dale Chihuly and his work have provoked considerable controversy as part of the “art vs. craft” debate. This piece is a part of the permanent collection at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

TERMS, TIME PERIODS and CONCEPTS for: INTRODUCTION TO 3-DIMENSIONAL ART You are responsible for knowing the following terms, time periods and concepts. This information will be on the Content and Terminology Quizzes and the Final Examination.

TERMS:

1. Cromlech: ______2. Subject: ______3. Medium: ______13 4. Post & Lintel Construction: ______5. Aesthetics: ______6. Symmetrical: ______7. Likeness: ______8. Bust: ______9. Functional: ______10. Tactile: ______11. Credit Line: ______

======END OF SLIDE SET 1 ======

12. Asymmetrical: ______13. Freestanding Sculpture: ______14. Marble: ______15. Content: ______

14 ______16. Contropasto: ______17. Thumbnails: ______18. Scale: ______

19. Subtractive Sculpture: ______20. Plasticine: ______21. Patina: ______

22. Organic Form: ______23. Positive Space: ______24. Negative Space: ______25. Concave: ______26. Convex: ______15 ______27. Stylized: ______28. Geometric Form: ______

29. Ceramic: ______30. Pottery: ______31. Earthenware: ______32. Matte: ______33. Mobile: ______34. Stabile: ______35. Additive Sculpture:______36. Kinetic Art: ______

37. Relief: ______16 38. Stoneware: ______39. Greenware: ______40. Kiln: ______41. Bisque Fire: ______42. Installation: ______43. Assemblage: ______44. Loop Tool: ______45. Rib Tool: ______46. Slip: ______

TIME PERIODS:

1. Neolithic: ______2. Egyptian: ______3. Greek: ______4. Renaissance: ______

17 ______5. Neoclassical: ______6. Expressionism: ______7. Modernism: ______8. Native American: ______CONCEPTS:

1. The seven elements of art: Space: ______Texture: ______Form: ______Value: ______Color: ______Line: ______Shape: ______

2. The three major styles of art: Representational: ______Abstract: ______Nonrepresentational: ______

3. The four major processes of sculpture:

18 Modeling: ______Assembly: ______Carving: ______Casting: ______