CARDBOARD SCULPTURE - SKETCHBOOK NOTES

I have a class that is a mix of ages and technical ability and we started off this year with a cardboard sculpture project.  To begin I had the students explore the medium of cardboard and record their findings in their sketchbook.  They were to try to weave, braid, tear, crumple, twist, curl, score, fold etc. cardboard to help them thinking about how to use cardboard in a different way.  They also looked at a number of cardboard artists to find inspiration and to see the endless possibilities with this material.  Once they chose what they wanted to build they could only use glue, interlocking pieces or use tabs to keep the sculpture together.  No glue guns and no tape.  They were to also find images or prepare life drawings of their object so that they weren't trying to build this from memory and omit key details.  For some reason I'm fascinated by how students organize and record notes in their sketchbooks.
http://www.chrisgilmour.com/en.opere.html
http://annwebersculpture.com/html/sculpture.html

http://www.evolo.us/architecture/icon-parametric-cardboard-sculpture-toby-horricks/
http://vectroave.com/2009/10/cardboard-architecture/

I decided to have the students work in pairs which proved to be beneficial as they have really found this project to be challenging.  But working together they figured out how to construct their sculpture within the restrictions that I gave them which was that they could only glue (white or carpenters), interlocking pieces or use tabs to keep their sculpture together.  No glue guns and no tape.

Here are some images of their sketchbook notes and I will post the completed sculptures later ... they are taking forever to finish!

RANDOM IB PROJECTS

New Student Videographies

My IB art students usually start their grade 11 program off with 25 drawings of one single object exploring a variety of materials and compositional strategies and then photograph the drawings and transfer them to a movie program.  I have limited knowledge on movie programs so I'm fortunate that they have figured it out on their own.  I'll keep on adding more videos as some technical challenges are worked out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYfq4hiYcZ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQU11_uHt74&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txnvf76O_Co&feature=youtu.be

Artist Pages - Grade 9

From time to time I have students research an artist prior to beginning a project and record their understanding of that artist and their work by making an Artist Page.  They are encouraged to arrange all the relevant information in a manner that represents or connects back to the artist.  This gives me the opportunity to see if they are ready to begin the project.  This was their very first one on Rene Magritte/Surrealism before they did a surreal collage using Magrittes artistic devices - transformation, scale, levitation, juxtapostion, transparency and dislocation.

Random Sketchbook Drawings

Just some loose ends of quick sketchbook activities that students have done throughout the year in their spare time.

Quick and Easy Year End Activities #5

Monster doodles are fun and once again keep the creative muscles stretched and hands moving.  For some reason I only have a few photos.

Quick & Easy Year End Activity #4

This is a collaborative drawing exercise where you give specific instructions and then afterwards students are instructed to rotate sketchbooks to the right and then draw the next set of instructions and pass books to the right ... you get the idea.  Three to five minutes for each round is usually sufficient.  I think for this one the first round they had to draw a body part - eyes, nose, leg, ear, intestines ...  Next rotation was to draw another body part not joined to the first body part.  Next rotation to draw another body part but this one had to be joined to one of the previous drawings. Next drawing was a man made object - ladder, egg beater, headphones, engine, antennae etc. joined to one of the body parts. Next was to attach an animal part and the last rotation was to create an environment - interior, exterior, outer space, underwater etc.  By the time the sketchbook returns back to the rightful owner there is always a bit of a chuckle.

Quick and Easy Year End Activity #3

I gave a styrofoam cup to a student who was finished early and I think I'll develop it further for next year.