Ceramic Relief Project Mesopotamia Art

Mesopotamia The land between the Tigris River and Euphrates River. Modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southeastern Iran Flourished since the beginning of written history – 3100 B.C. until the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamian Art Artwork was intended to serve as a way to glorify powerful rulers and their connection to divinity (gods and immortality). Artwork made from natural resources such as stone, shells, alabaster and marble, and was often created as didactic pieces. Didactic: teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson. Intended for instruction.

Mesopotamian Art Cont’d. No artist signatures can be found on most of the work, because the pieces were meant to embody the subject matter, rather than the creator.

Relief Sculpture Relief is the projection of a figure or part from the ground or plane on which it is formed, as in sculpture or similar work. Bas Relief: relief sculpture in which the figures project slightly from the background.

What will Bas Relief look like for Art II?

Assignment As a class, develop a theme/subject matter that you would like to create a sculpture of. Each student will create a relief of an object within the theme you chose. Choose an object in that theme and begin brainstorming and sketching your ideas.

Assignment Cont’d Finalize your sketch to actual size Each student will receive about a 7x9 in. You will be creating a bas relief on this tile.

Assignment Cont’d Develop a bas relief sculpture that is unified by the theme chosen. Incorporate additive and subtractive techniques Properly slip and score pieces together Create a variety of textures Successfully apply 3 coats of glaze Try at least 2 different colors of glaze

Elements: Focus is on ◦ Shape ◦ Form ◦ Texture ◦ Space

Principles Focus on ◦ Unity within the group ◦ Variety of color and texture ◦ Pattern ◦ Balance of positive and negative space

Examples