Midterm Exam Review What is Art, 3-D art, Elements of Art, Principles of Design, Art Criticism, Clay Terms, Kiln Knowledge, Artists and Concepts

What is Art? What is 3-D Art?

What is Art? This sculpture is titled “Fountain”, and is a readymade urinal that artist Marcel Duchamp put into a gallery exhibit. He thought that it was art, do you? While art has typical dictionary definitions, artists’ definitions of art change based on their personal beliefs. What is your definition of art? art1/ärt/ noun the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance. subjects of study primarily concerned with the processes and products of human creativity and social life, such as languages, literature, and history (as contrasted with scientific or technical subjects). a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice.

Compare and Contrast: What is 2D art vs. 3D art? These artworks were both created by Pablo Picasso. Picasso was best known for his use of cubism.

3-D Art: An artwork that has volume and whose form occupies actual space. In the Round Relief: High vs. Low

Elements of Art

Elements of Art: Line Line is a series of marks put together Line can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, straight, curved, thick, or thin

Elements of Art: Shape Shapes are made from closed lines Shapes can be geometric (Squares and circles) or organic (Free-form and natural) Shapes are flat and can express length and width

Element of Art: Form Forms are three dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are examples of forms

Element of Art: Color Color is the light reflected off of objects Color has 3 main characteristics: Hue (name of the color), Value (how light or dark it is), and Intensity (how bright or dull it is) Colors can be primary, secondary, tertiary, and complementary.

Elements of Art: Value Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.

Elements of Art: Texture Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough, smooth, soft, or hard. In 3D art you may actually feel the texture on the sculpture. In 2D art, a drawing may look very textured while the paper still feels smooth.

Elements of Art: Space Space is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called negative space. Three dimensional art takes up real space, while in Two dimensional art the feeling or illusion of depth creates space.

Principles of Design

Principles of Design: Balance Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, textures, and space. Symmetrical balance means that the elements on one side of an artwork is even to those on another side In Asymmetrical balance the sides are different but are still balanced In Radial balance the elements are arranged around a central point

Principles of Design: Proportion Proportion is the size relationship between two or more objects. It can be how the parts fit together to make a whole. It may also be referred to as scale.

Principle of Design: Movement When an artist uses the elements of art to direct viewers through their work, often to a focal area. Such movements can be directed along lines, edges, shapes, and colors within the works, but moves the eye most easily on paths of equal value.

Principles of Design: Pattern/Repetition Pattern is the repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art

Sgraffito often involves Pattern

Principles of Design: Rhythm Rhythm is created when one or more elements of art are used specifically, repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement

Principles of Design: Emphasis Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting it with others (focal point) The area could be a different size, color, shape, or texture

Principles of Design: Unity Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of completeness.

Principle of Design: Variety Using many elements to create visual interest Variety is the complement to unity and is needed to create visual interest. Without unity, an image is chaotic and "unreadable;" without variety it is dull and uninteresting.

Art Criticism

How do we critique art? Art criticism is more than just saying “I like the art” or “I don’t like the art” Describe: What does it look like? What elements and principles are apparent? Analyze: How did the artist make the work? Interpret: What is the meaning behind the work? Judgment: Is the work successful?

Clay Terms

10 04 1945 degrees F Cone: Unit of measurement for temperature in the kiln

Kiln Knowledge and Parts Kiln Shelf: Used to hold ceramics in the kiln. Shelves are stacked to create layers. Kiln Stilts: Used to hold the shelves up. The stilts need to be tall enough to clear the height of the pottery in each layer Kiln Stilt: You should stack bisque- ware as close as possible, from shortest on the bottom to tallest on the top

Kilns are HOT!!! Temperatures in the kiln are measured in “Cones” thermocouple Temperatures in the kiln are measured in “Cones” Cone 04 is the temperature that we fire our clay to, and is about 1945 degrees F Cone 05 is the temperature we fire our glazeware to, and is about 1888 degrees F A thermocouple: Is the thermometer in the kiln that measures what temperature it is supposed to get to, and controls it

What clay body do we use here at school? EARTHENWARE When you are working with clay it undergoes many physical changes. Once it has been fired in the KILN, clay has undergone a chemical change. Once clay is fired, it is referred to as ceramic. Heat causes the clay to harden and progress to its mature, vitrified state. A vitrified state occurs when the SILICA, or glass forming substance, melts and undergoes a chemical change. Clay is fired to certain CONE in the kiln. Cones are a unit of measuring temperature, numbered from Cone 01 to Cone 10. The higher the temperature, the higher the cone. There are three categories of firing ranges, listed below: Low Fire – Cone 06 – Cone 04 (1828 F – 1945 F) ex: EARTHENWARE Mid Fire – Cone 5 – Cone 6 (2167 F – 2232 F) ex: STONEWARE High Fire – Cone 8 – Cone 10 (2280 F -2345 F) ex: PORCELAIN

What is Clay and its stages? Clay: Alumina + silica + water. Clay Body: A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose. For example, Porcelain is a translucent white clay body, used commonly for dishware and pottery. Slip: Clay mixed with water with a mayonnaise consistency. Used in construction, casting and decoration. Plastic: The quality of clay which allows it to be manipulated into different shapes without cracking or breaking. Moist, fresh, new clay. (wedge-able) Leatherhard: Stage of the clay between plastic and bone dry. Clay is still damp enough to join it to other pieces using slip. Clay is firm and holds its form. Bonedry: Completely air dried. Moisture level is virtually zero.

Firing and the Steps in its Process Kiln: A furnace of refractory clay bricks for firing pottery and for fusing glass Firing: To heat a clay object in a kiln to a specific temperature in order to reach maturity. Greenware: Unfired pottery. Ready to be bisque fired Bisqueware: Pottery which has been fired once, without glaze, to a temperature just before vitrification Glazeware: The final firing, with glaze.

Stages of Clay and Clay Vocabulary Slip: Glue for Clay Plastic: Workable, wedgeable Leather hard: Stiff, carveable Greenware: Clay before firing Bisqueware: Ceramic that has been fired once Glazeware: Ceramic that has been fired twice and glazed Bone Dry: 0% moisture, ready to fire

What is glaze and why do we use it? Glazes create surface effects on ceramics. They can create glossy or matte colors. Glazes are functionally important because they make vessels able to hold liquids because they seal the inherent porosity of clay. Think about things that you have painted before… What was good about using paint? What could paint not do for your piece, that maybe glaze could accomplish instead?

Glaze=Chemistry! Glaze is made up of 3 primary chemical aspects: Reasons why glaze is different from paint: 1. Because of the glass former in glaze is can become glassy or glossy, or can become matte like a stone. **They do not stay put!! 2. Glazes in the bottle do not look like glazes once they are fired 3. Mixing glazes like you would mix paint will not always get the expected result. 4. More layering options to create effects. Glaze is made up of 3 primary chemical aspects: Silica: The glass former Alumina: Makes the glaze shrink to fit the ceramic Flux: Makes the glaze flowy (too much will make the glaze run off your pot)

What does it mean to dry foot you project? And why do you do it? Glaze is like molten glass in the kiln. If there is glaze on the bottom of a project, the glaze will fuse to the kiln shelf and your piece will be broken off the shelf with a hammer. To dry foot your piece, means to take a wet sponge and wipe off any excess glaze from the bottom so that it does not stick to the kiln. You can also use a star shaped stilt to glaze fire pieces whose bottoms are glazed. The needles on the stilt hold the bottom of the piece. When it is fired, the needles attach so minimally that the stilt can be pulled free from the project.

Underglaze vs. Glaze What is underglaze? Underglaze is similar to a colored slip. There is no glass former in it so it can be applied before you fire a piece. It must be applied when the clay is in a Leatherhard state. Differences between underglaze and glaze: It goes on before bisque firing, in a Leatherhard state It is true to color, so the color you see in the bottle is the color you get You can mix them similar to paints You only apply 2 coats of underglaze. And you can apply it anywhere (including the bottom) because there is no glass former

Clay tools: A: Carving tool; to incise clay B: Needle tool; to incise clay C: Wooden Modeling Tool; to meld clay D: Wooden Rib; to smooth clay E: Smooth metal rib; to smooth clay F: Serrated metal rib: to roughen the clay surface G: Fettling Knife; to cut slab H: Loop Tool: To remove large amounts of clay J: Wire Cutter; to cut clay off the block I: Sponge; to moisten or smooth clay surface with water.

Artists and Concepts

Michelangelo Michelangelo (1475-1564) was a sculptor, painter and architect widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance period—and arguably of all time. His work demonstrated a blend of psychological insight, physical realism and intensity never before seen. His most notable work is his sculpture “David”, and his paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Louise Nevelson Louise Nevelson (September 23, 1899 – April 17, 1988) was an American sculptor known for her monumental, monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures. Usually created out of wood, her sculptures appear puzzle-like, with multiple intricately cut pieces placed into wall sculptures or independently standing pieces, often 3-D. A unique feature of her work is that her figures are often painted in monochromatic black or white

Claes Oldenburg Claes Oldenburg (born January 28, 1929) is an American sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring very large replicas of everyday objects.

Frank Stella An American painter, sculptor, and printmaker Known for his “3-D relief paintings” and Sculptures Stella’s work is abstract, colorful, and focuses on using a variety of elements and principles.

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. His forms are usually abstractions of the human figure, typically depicting mother-and-child or reclining figures. Moore's works are usually suggestive of the female body, apart from a phase in the 1950s when he sculpted family groups. His forms are generally pierced or contain hollow spaces.

Alexander Calder Alexander Calder ( July 22, 1898 – November 11, 1976) was an American sculptor known as the originator of the mobile, a type of kinetic sculpture made with delicately balanced or suspended components which move in response to motor power or air currents. Calder’s stationary sculptures are called stabiles. He also produced numerous wire figures, notably for a miniature circus

What is commemorative sculpture? Public sculpture that is intended to honor a specific person or event.

Other terms/methods

What is an armature? A “skeleton” for a sculpture, used to be a base for a modeling material, such as paper mache

Concave vs. Convex