Sculpture

A thematic based arts project modelled in wire

Approaches to sculpture

Method Ground rules Character Structure Level of abstraction

Joint form

Joining firm pieces

Non-homogeneous;

inorganic connections

and form meetings

Open

Concrete

Modelling

Organising and

marking soft

material

Homogeneous; organic

connections and form

meetings

Open or

closed

Concrete

Carving

Subtraction from a

lump of material as

a starting point

Homogeneous; compact,

firm volumes; organic

connections and form

meetings

Closed

Abstract

Modelling in WIRE

From observation to creating a figure

Take an A4 and divide it horizontally and vertically with slight lines with a soft pencil.

Key Questions

To help the student to see the proportions of the figure and relate them to the proportions on

the A4, the teacher can ask:

1. Where is the middle of the figure? Where is the middle of the paper?

2. How big is the head compared to the rest of the body? Where can you place it on the paper?

3. How long is an arm; where does the hand end? Draw it on the paper.

4. How long are the legs? Draw them on the A4.

5. How about the feet? Where are the knees and elbows?

Each student receives 1,50 – 2 meters of wire. Bending it in the middle, s/he then forms the figure

according to the drafted figure on the A4.

Aims/ objectives

The teacher will:

Outcomes At the end of this element the

student will be able to:

Challenge the student to observe the

proportions of a human being.

Challenge the student to understand the

body proportions

Stimulate the visual, tactile and

kinaesthetic senses of the student.

Draw the proportions of a human figure

2- dimensionally by measuring and

sketching a supportive drawing on A4

paper.

Use the drawing as support for bending a

figure in wire.

Be careful when buying the wire for this project. It has to be the right dimension;

- Not too thick and difficult to form for young hands and for adults when forming details.

- Not too thin, so it becomes unstable under construction.

To help the student to understand the right proportions of a human figure:

1. How can you form the head and neck?

2. How can you form/show the shoulders, the elbows, the hands?

3. Where is the waist?

4. Do you have enough wire for the legs? For the feet?

5. What can you do if you have too much wire?

6. Can your sculpture bend its arms and legs?

7. Look at its head and tell us what mood it is in!

From a static form to a figure in movement

Aims/ objectives

The teacher will:

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to:

Challenge the student to observe

different body shapes and positions.

Stimulate the kinaesthetic sense of the

students.

Challenge the student to choose a body

position and create it by bending wire.

Understand the importance of body

shapes and positions in a 3-dimensional

figure.

Define the difference between a static

position and a dynamic movement of a

figure.

Body shapes and positions give signals. 4 examples of positions are explained below

Body shape Vowel Expression Feeling

Open A I am ready Glad

Long/peak E (i) I am “high” Happy

Closed O Don’t contact me Sad/concentrated

The four positions can be connected into a rhythmical flow, so one movement is following the

other. Vowels can be added and the sound combined with the shape makes the expression stronger.

From wire figures to an expressive story

From a sculpture in wire to a modelled sculpture

Aims/ objectives

The teacher will:

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to:

Challenge the student to bring their

figures together.

Stimulate the students’ creativity.

See new possibilities in bringing their

figures into new constellations.

Use the frame of the topic and maybe an

item to create an expressive story in

pairs, groups or as a whole class.

Aims/ objectives

The teacher will:

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to:

Introduce modelling in paper mass.

Challenge the student to give the wire

figure “body”

Stimulate the student’s further

understanding of proportions.

Use paper mass to model a “body” on

the figure in wire.

Use the gained knowledge about body

proportions and shape when modelling.

Understand the possibilities of

modelling with paper mass.

From a plain sculpture to a painted figure

Aims/ objectives

The teacher will:

Outcomes

At the end of this element the student will be

able to:

Create an inspiring and strong starting

point for the painting process

Challenge the students to know how to

paint properly/ the technique of painting.

Help students catch and understand the

expression of colours.

Inspire the students to give their figures

identity.

Create a beautiful product according to

his/her own idea.

Assign to distinct identity to their

products.

Present the idea of their figure verbally

by understanding the identity.