How To Talk About Sculpture 2
Art 31: The Visual Experience
Fall 2013
Professor Mary F. Zawadzki
Talking About Sculpture
1. what kind (type) of sculpture is it? relief: low/bas; high; sunken in the round
2. what is it made out of? How does this affect the feel and intended use of the sculpture? Consider if the material is an advancement for that time (i.e. oil paints)
3. subject - what or who does it represent?
4. method of sculpting? additive -- Rodin subtractive -- Michelangelo found object -- Duchamp
5. style/period? regional historical artist’s personal style
(style of the workshop)
6. point of view? WHY? (hint: you have to look at #7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 to answer this) Where was it originally?
(see #13 and 14)
*** 7. composition - organization of forms (form: shape and structure, 2d or 3d)?
*** 8. LINE? Both REAL and “imaginary” horizontal (i) vertical (i) diagonal (i) contour (r) visual axis (i)
*** Line is tricky and CAN AFFECT the composition of the piece. Look at the Spearbearer’s imaginary lines -vsthe Kouros. While the Kouros can be divided equally straight down the center (axial symmetry) the Spearbearer
CANNOT. Yet, the Spearbearer’s lines are based on a system of diagonals that help to create contrapposto -- tense -vsrelaxed helping to create movement. Now look at the composition of both pieces. The Kouros is both balanced and exhibiting axial symmetry, however the Spearbearer is also balanced but NOT exhibiting axial symmetry as it is possible for a piece of art work to be balanced but not symmetrical.
9. color if any? REALLY look ... has this object been painted? In Greece the marble sculptures probably were, in 19th century France marble sculptures were not. What does paint DO to a sculpture?
10. texture of surface? Sculpture by nature is TEXTURAL. They BEG to be touched. What about that texture?
11. space, mass and volume (all sculptures take up space and have weight/mass, but how they are represented can change this. Volume: mass in space)? Is the sculpture weighty?
12.
Fall 2013
Professor Mary F. Zawadzki
Talking About Sculpture
1. what kind (type) of sculpture is it? relief: low/bas; high; sunken in the round
2. what is it made out of? How does this affect the feel and intended use of the sculpture? Consider if the material is an advancement for that time (i.e. oil paints)
3. subject - what or who does it represent?
4. method of sculpting? additive -- Rodin subtractive -- Michelangelo found object -- Duchamp
5. style/period? regional historical artist’s personal style
(style of the workshop)
6. point of view? WHY? (hint: you have to look at #7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 to answer this) Where was it originally?
(see #13 and 14)
*** 7. composition - organization of forms (form: shape and structure, 2d or 3d)?
*** 8. LINE? Both REAL and “imaginary” horizontal (i) vertical (i) diagonal (i) contour (r) visual axis (i)
*** Line is tricky and CAN AFFECT the composition of the piece. Look at the Spearbearer’s imaginary lines -vsthe Kouros. While the Kouros can be divided equally straight down the center (axial symmetry) the Spearbearer
CANNOT. Yet, the Spearbearer’s lines are based on a system of diagonals that help to create contrapposto -- tense -vsrelaxed helping to create movement. Now look at the composition of both pieces. The Kouros is both balanced and exhibiting axial symmetry, however the Spearbearer is also balanced but NOT exhibiting axial symmetry as it is possible for a piece of art work to be balanced but not symmetrical.
9. color if any? REALLY look ... has this object been painted? In Greece the marble sculptures probably were, in 19th century France marble sculptures were not. What does paint DO to a sculpture?
10. texture of surface? Sculpture by nature is TEXTURAL. They BEG to be touched. What about that texture?
11. space, mass and volume (all sculptures take up space and have weight/mass, but how they are represented can change this. Volume: mass in space)? Is the sculpture weighty?
12.