The material chose to use for this step was old books- specifically encyclopedias I had picked up from the recycling center. I chose this because I thought it could be a versatile material and I already had some ideas of how to manipulate it. Some of the paper I soaked in water and paint to see if I could dye it a certain hue (it faintly absorbed the paint but I feel this was overall successful as too much color would distract from the material). Another method I did was to make a pulp out of the paper. I cut it onto strips and then soaked them in water for about an hour. Then I mashed them with a mortar and pestle until they were crumbling and starchy. I applied it onto my surface with modge-podge and a paint brush, creating a unique texture. I also found that by burning the paper and cardboard I could give the burnt edges a thin and delicate look.

I used the fusions that we had done in class during step 2 to guide me in this step. I tried to layer objects with unique shapes over textured objects and found that it made for some interesting concepts. This was a good place to start gaining ideas but ultimately I thought the tracing paper just got in the way because it limited how much I could play with scale. I eventually started free handing some concepts and ended up satisfied with the results.

In this step I continued to use the perfume bottle and glasses. My favorite discovery from this step was that by color the object with a marker and pressing it on paper you can make a marking or ‘print’ with it. The bottle worked especially well with this method as it had engravings on the cap that made floral patterns when printed. I also enjoyed observing the negative of the objects by dipping them into wet sugar. When the sugar dried it made a cast of the object and gave me a new perspective of their shape and silhouette from different angles.

Unfortunately I was not in class for this exercise so I emailed a peer for their description and made a smaller version at home. The object they described was oval-shaped with a tapered end. It was slightly prickly from small bumps that covered the object, and smelled sickeningly sweet.

I made my sculpture first by bunching up paper together in the shape that I wanted and then taping it in place. Then I wrapped it one more time and cut small slits into it so that it prickled your fingers a little if you ran them over the paper. I also sprayed it with the perfume from my collection as it seemed to fit the description.

The two objects I chose to describe were a perfume bottle and a pair of sunglasses. This exercise was interesting because it required me to be tactile with items that I would otherwise just hold. It was easy to describe the scent of the perfume bottle for example, but I had not thought before about the sound that it made when you spray the perfume. The glasses also were easy to describe when it came to sight, but more difficult when it explaining the chemical-ish smell of fake plastic.

I aimed to emphasize the texture of the objects through the use of line. I did this because if the viewers recognize the texture of the object they can gain idea of the material of the object and therefore the fragility that connects them all. I tried to make each object distinct from one another and gave them distinguishing traits. When showing my classmates the drawings they did not initially guess the theme of the collection but agreed that the objects fit in regardless.

The themes I chose for my objects were ‘delicate’ or ‘easily broken’. While glass objects are prominent in this collection I tried to find some that were more unconventional. The apple, for example, was originally supposed to be a peach as they are known for bruising easily. While I was not able to find a peach, a honey crisp apple worked just as well as they are also known for cosmetic defects. This pushed the idea further as apples are not traditionally seen as delicate but still make sense within the collection.

While putting the collection together I also noticed that that as a whole it felt very dainty and ‘pretty’. While lightbulbs and crumpled dollar bills do not individually fit this definition, because they are placed next to the other objects they suddenly take on a new identity.

• “These however pre-date our category, concept and understanding of ‘art’” It’s interesting to think about wether we should consider works like the ‘Venus Figurines’ in these kind of discussions. They were not made with the intention of being art (as it didn’t exist), but rather to be used most likely in rituals
• The article suggests sculptures as giving form to something that stands in for something else
• “It is therefore also the history of affect and the phenomenology of how we, as thinking-bodies, experience the concrete material world.” I’m having a difficult time understanding this sentence. I think the author may be trying to say that sculpture can be used to challenge a viewer’s perception of the space around them.

• “what task does art set for the materials we encounter, when we encounter them as something transformable into something else, yet without a clearly designated functionality determining its final form?” This is another phrase I only vaguely understand. Is it saying that sculpture is created from a task that must be completed through the use of materials- but without a clear functionality making up the final design?
• Since sculpture is considered art that means it’s often meant to evoke, depict, represent, commemorate, etc…
• Think about the viewer’s role with a sculpture. Do they interact with, become a party of, or simply view it?
• Sculpture should create a sense of search and demand from the eyes
• “What is not reducible to an image is perhaps therefore what is most ‘sculptural’ about it, what is untranslatable.” It is important to utilize these ‘untranslatable’ qualities when making 3D art (think tactility and volume)
• Some sculptures are meant to be self contained while others are many different objects that make up a whole
• Sculptures can also be the staging of interactions between materials and forces
• Not including pictures of works in order to prevent the viewer as seeing them as ‘an answer! to the question was a smart choice for this article

Chapter 9

• Form is the physical manifestation of an idea; refers to dimensionality
• Content is an idea or subject matter; emotional, intellectual, symbolic implications
• What is the purpose of your work?
• 3 Dimensions= height, width, depth
• Array is a collection of points
• Plane is a 3D form with little thickness/depth
• Volume is an enclosed area of 3D space
• Mass is a solid 3D form; can be dense or light
• Space is within or around the subject (gives line, plane, volume, and mass visual impact)
• Texture is visual or tactile quality
• Light enhances perception; presents differently against reflective/translucent surface
• Color= Hue, Value, Intensity
• Think about how time (actual or implied) adds complexity to a piece

Chapter 10

• Composition is the combination of parts to make a unified whole
• Unity is similarity or cohesion
• Grouping is making visual connections between units
• Containment is a unifying force created by outer edges or borders
• Proximity is the distance between units
• Continuity is a fluid connection between units; happens naturally in close proximity
• Repetition is the same visual element used a number of times
• Closure is the connection of fragmentary information into completed forms
• Increase difference with variation in line, texture, and pattern
• Grid=intersecting lines, matrix=3 dimensional grid
• Common forms of balance are symmetry, asymmetry, and radial symmetry
• Proportion is the size relationship within the image
• Scale compares size with our physical size
• Focal points creates emphasis; emphasis makes a specific part prominent
• Contrast is created by the opposition of two or more forces; creates strong emphasis
• Larger forces in a piece set the standard, smaller forces create exceptions
• Rhythm is the organization of multiple elements into a deliberate pattern; created with positive form and negative space

From what I understand sculpture art is any artwork that is handcrafted from a material into a three-dimensional object. This means that the work can be made from clay, stone, organic materials, etc.… In this class I expect to explore the different aspects of 3D art that makes it unique and different from 2D. For example, there is more opportunity for viewers to interact with the artworks because of the way they take up space. A sculpture is much easier to make look inviting and interactable than a static 2D painting hung on a wall. I also expect to be experimenting a lot with texture and volume.