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Instructor: Kelley Eggert

Project 3: Form and Abstraction

Goal: Bring a toy or tool to class. Choose a geometric form (sphere, cylinder, cone, cube, or pyramid) Copy your toy or
tool by sculpting a solid replica. The end result should reference the original form but also be reduced to a hybrid form
which has the evident geometry of the word you chose. In your final form you are aiming for a true hybrid, which
possesses a 50% ratio of each.

Artists of Reference: Brancusi, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Henry Moore, African Art

Project Description: The project focuses on the understanding and development of abstract form in three dimensions.
Abstraction is loosely defined as the opposite of naturalism, or the antithesis of forms that replicate or imitate reality.
Abstraction moves away from a depiction of realism by taking the essence of realism and applying an idea that focuses
the artist’s selective vision.

Objectives: (these are methods used to abstract forms. You can choose 1 or all)

To investigate geometric forms and abstraction as a means of reducing actual objects to simpler non-literal forms.
a. Simplification of form: recognize and isolate basic geometric and organic forms within your complex form,
Simplifying your object to these shapes.
b. Reduction of detail: reduce/remove/generalize the detail and/or the contours.
To alter proportions to effect simplification.
To manipulate volume and mass to create reductive, abstracted form.
To use color and surface on the sculptural form to enhance 3D and conceptual goals.

Procedure:

1. Choose a man-made object (toy or tool) that you can bring to class. This object should be a fully 3 dimensional form.
Something that is flat like a nickel will not work. Examples are: a roller skate, a telephone, a stapler. This object should
not be abstracted already – like a teddy bear.

2. Re-create your object with clay by sculpting a 4” maquette – or, if you draw well, DRAW (not sketch) the object.

3. Select a geometric form. (cylinder, cube, pyramid, sphere, cone)

4. Make at least 3 sketches combining your object and geometric word. (see objectives) You may make 3 maquettes
instead of sketches.

5. Sculpt a 4" maquette of abstracted form.

6. Model a sculpture from your most resolved solution that is at least 14" in one direction (no larger than 20” in any
direction). Use slab, coil, pinch and/or the wheel.

7. Develop surface and color for your sculptures. Use sketches, drawing and maquette to experiment with surface and
color.

Important Dates:
2/24 INTRO: Abstraction
3/1 DUE: Maquette (1 replica-or drawing, 1 abstraction) and 3 sketches of abstracted form
3/24 DUE: Greenware
? CRIT: Proj.
Objectives: Grading: evaluated on craftsmanship and skill in:
Abstracting form 30% How well did you alter your object through
proportion, structure, volume, etc., to create an
abstracted form?
50/50 hybrid of geometric form and chosen object 30% Composition –Did you use the geometric form
and the object in equal parts? Did you use volume
and mass when approaching the piece?

Surface design 10% How well does the surface details like texture
and modeling enhance the sculpture? How well
does the color work?
Craftmenship 20% Did you take the time to create your idea?
Where you aware of joints, seams, and edge quality?
How is your glaze application?

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