Shape, Form and Space

What is shape? A shape is an element of art. Specifically, it is an enclosed space, the boundaries of which are defined by other elements of art Shape

Types of Shape Geometric: Shapes that have specific rules Organic: a shape that can have both curved and straight segments.

Form What is it? is an element of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat.

Types of Form Geometric: is a list of three-dimensional geometric shapes. Such as: cubes, spheres, cones, etc

Another type of Form Free Form: A form without specific rules. Three-dimensional enclosed space.

Space Positive: it is the space occupied by your subject Negative: is the space that is not your subject Do you see a vase or two faces? Positive space Negative space

Silhouette What is a silhouette? The dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, esp. in dim light.

Kara Walker “One of my earliest memories involves sitting on my dad’s lap in his studio in the garage of our house and watching him draw. I remember thinking: ‘I want to do that, too,’ and I pretty much decided then and there at age 2½ or 3 that I was an artist just like Dad.” —Kara Walker Born still alive

Life Who is she? Kara Walker is a contemporary African American artist who explores race, gender, sexuality, violence and identity in her work. She is best known for her room-size black cut-paper silhouettes She was born in California. Moved to Georgia at age 13.

Her Art What is it about? Her compositions play off stereotypes to portray, often horrifically, life on the plantation, where masters and mistresses and slave men, women, and children enact a subverted version of the past in an attempt to reconfigure their status and representation. She makes room-size cut-paper silhouettes depicting historical narratives haunted by sexuality, violence, and suppression

Her first full scale show was held by the Walker Art Center At 27, she was the youngest to receive the John D & Cathy T MacArthur foundation’s “Genius Grant” Over the past decade, she has gained national and international recognition for her art

Walker’s scenarios spoil conventional readings of a cohesive national history and expose the collective, and ongoing, psychological injury caused by the tragic legacy of slavery.

Over the past years she has used drawing, painting, colored- light projections, writing, shadow puppetry, and, most recently, film animation to narrate her tales of romance, sadism, oppression and liberation.

Social Issues What is it? An issue that affects people and society as a whole. How it changed their lives and/or mental condition because of stress from the issue What are some social issues?

Project We are going to use Kara Walker’s technique of paper-cut silhouette to depict a social issue you feel passionate about.

Steps 1.List two social issues that interest you 2.Find an image that helps get your image across 3.Print it off using the same format we used for last assignment. The image needs to be big 4.Tape a black piece of paper under your printed image 5.Use an x-acto knife and cut away all negative space. 6.After all negative space has been cut out, remove the printed image 7.Use tissue paper to glue onto the opened areas to create a powerful message 8.Fill out evaluation and hand it

What you will be graded on