Step 6: sculpture

James Kelsey

Sculpture, alias plastic composition is traditionally three-dimensional (kolmiulotteinen) sculpture which is made by carving and using as a material marble, wood, gypsum (kipsi), clay (savi) or granade. Nowadays the term includes also other materials like paper, plastic, trash etc.

No matter which angle you look the sculpture, it should look harmony and beautiful looked from every sight so it's a plastic composition. - Unto Pusa

SCULPTURE VOCUBULARY

Statue = a sculpture standing free 

Bas-relief sculpture = interest sculpture (korkokuvaveisto)

Monument = a largish memorial

Installation = an object ensemble designed specially to be placed to a certain space

 

The Statue of Liberty 

Scottdale's Art School - Portrait 

 

Easter Island

Matchstickmen by Wolfgang Stiller

In plastic composition you try to reach a certain thrill in your spectator. The movement is also an important element in the sculpture. It should be handled in many different sights in which case we can talk about tasteful plastic status. The emptiness in the sculpture is as important as the shape and the mass in the sculpture. The sculpture needs space to its surroundings to get to its rights. (Dialogue with the space.)

Henry Moore 

Our next project has something to do with an artist Henry Moore, so I'm gonna give you a short introduction of him.

HENRY MOORE (30. July 1898-31. August 1986)

★ English sculptor

★ Favorite topics half-abstracts and surrealistic sculptures

★ Influences aot. mayas and Toltecs (Chac Mool)

★ Click here to get more information about him 

The assignment we were given, was supposed to be executed in pairs. We were supposed to do a sculpture of a couple (veistospari) with Henry Moore's spirit in it. My pair was Jenni Korteniemi.

INSTRUCTIONS:

that we were given to this project

★ Design with your pair a sculpture of a couple

★ Implementation (toteutus): use clay and the opposite of the word couple (vastakohtainen sanapari) 

(for instance: happiness — sadness)

★  Notice in your work the meaning of the negative space!

★ Make your sculpture abstract or half-abstract

★ The finished sculptures can be painted after drainage (kuivatus) and clay combustion (polttaminen)

OUR SCULPTURE OF A COUPLE

On the blackboard were 10 pairs of opposite of the word couples. Method was "fast eat the slow". So when the words were on the blackboard, we decided fast our theme to the next project. We ended up choosing abundance  — scarcity (runsaus — niukkuus). 

I had never before worked with clay so everything about it was new for me. We were given a glimp of clay (weight about 1-2 kilos). First we had to squeeze the air bubbles in the clay. The clay was stiff that you actually had to have some power in your arms to squeeze the clay. But it was fun and before long the clay warmed and was easily customizable (muotoiltavissa). 

We had planned the whole ensemble before we stained our hands in clay. Jenni did a bunch of grapes (viinirypäleterttu) which symbolized the abundance. To me there was left to do something that symbolized scarcity. So I worked out to do a bowl which contained only one fruit, an apple. Quite empty, hah? Because we had a sure-fire (vuorenvarma) plan, we had actually done the work to its halfway. All there was left to do was the main execution which didn't take long from us. 

When working with clay you must remember that it can't be too thin. In clay combustion the work can be ruined, it can burst for example. And you must hollow out the sculpture. In the bunch of grapes you can hollow out the sculpture from the bottom, like Jenni did. My bowl was already hollow.. but my apple?

I hollowed out the small apple and then I added it to the bowl. It was kinda cute. :D Thank God I had plenty of time to finalize my work. (A word of caution! Never use water when smoothing your clay sculpture. It's a minute relief (hetken helpotus) until it turns out to be a huge mistake!)

While I was waiting for Jenni to get her sculpture done, Leena asked me if I wanted to paint to the windows with BUTTERMILK (piimä) !? Could you believe it? Well, I said yes and it was awesome! I am so gonna try it at home too. I had never thought that you could do something so beautiful with buttermilk. I will post about the window paintings some day in here in my blog. 

In here you can see the size of the sculptures. They fit into her hands and didn't weight much.

This picture, as well as all the other pictures, was taken with Snapchat (Application available on the Appstore and Play Store). With the application I added the colorful symbols of the bunch of grapes and the apple to visualize what the sculptures presented. Funny, I'd say.

All in all, this was so nice work to do. My attitude to this was once again like this: "I am so skilless at this kind of things". I outdid myself (ylitin itseni) with this again and I am so proud of it. The work totally met my expectations and I am so proud of the result, we both are. It was totally a pleasure to me to work with Jenni. Our teamwork was first class. We did the work on schedule and were ready to lend a helping hand to each other if it was needed. 

Ladys and gentlemen:

ABUNDANCE — SCARCITY

by Tuulia Salmi and Jenni Korteniemi

Step 5: photo collage

Photo collage is an ensemble where you put together ready images cut off for example from magazines, newspapers, posters, handbills (mainoslehtinen) or printed from the net. 

The material can be processed manually with computer or copy printer. If you use the cut off images, you can form your ensemble using paper glue and your mind. Let your imagination flow free. Before sticking the images to their final places, plan the outlines (hahmotelma) so that you'll have a ready plan in your head. All there's left to do is to unite the material.

Photo collage's meaning is to form an ensemble with either an aesthetic or position taking (kantaaottava) theme. Here's an example of an aesthethic ensemble:

The ensemble is created from random pictures which are cut off randomly. You can see human's faces in the ensemble and other random stuff if you look closely to it.

The position taking theme stands for something, for example human's rights, racism or animal's rights. What I see, is that photo collages which take position against human racism or animal abuse have actually influence on people and their attitude to the things collages stand against. 

What I stand for is: "Racism is always wrong." God has created us to be one unite species, not separeted race classified as "white" and "black" people.

Help change the world. Stop the animal abuse. We are one step closer to create a better world, if you are the one to take the first step.

Oh, how I got lost from  the main subject when I was talking about things I stand for. But now let's take a step to the main topic: our assignment. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

that we were given to this project

★ This work will be executed by using the application (available on the Appstore and Play store) BAZAART

★ Desing either your own photo collage or position taking collage by using "cut and glue" technique. The position taking collage should stand for animals rights.

★ Use the options of the application versatile (monipuolisesti)

★ Send the finished work to this email: leena.nykanen@roiedu.fi

MY OWN PHOTO COLLAGE

I chose to do an own photo collage. So it's about my life. I joined together, in one picture, some of my passions (so there are many of them). I didn't take screen captures while processing this work so here's the whole work in its entirety (kokonaisuudessaan).

To my opinion, in this ensemble you can see clearly some passions in my life. Just some things I enjoy in my life. The background symbolizes my passion for travelling and the girl in the bikini, (doing an aerial [ilmassa tehtävä akrobaattinen liike]) symbolizes my passion for exercise (fit shape). To be able to do things like that, you must have the required strength training for it. 

The two gymnastics in the wing (I copied the other one) symbolizes my passion for teamgym, my main hobby. If you are likely to know more about gymnastics, check out this link! The food in the other hand... It symbolizes my love to food! Though it's not fitness food like salads and fruits... Whatever. 

The earphones, looking like notes, symbolizes my passion, and now I really mean passion, for music. I couldn't life without music. Singing and listening to music reaches so many emotions in me. It holds memories and it holds athmosphere for instance in parties.

And the hands right above symbolizes my passion for nailart and manicure. It is, if anything, that requires a steady hand, because it's so penalty for the exact (pilkuntarkkaa). But I enjoy it and the result is always a good motivation. You get pretty nails at least for one week.

So, just some things in my life in one picture. 

I'm contented to this work. The editing process was slow. I had to remove all the spare around the pictures' details I wanted to be cut off in my photo collage. For example, I removed all the spare from this pic so that I got only the "flying" girl to my ensemble.

photo from instagram.com/tuulia28

PS. Today's left 93 days until summer holiday begins!

Step 4: rhythm in art

Rhythm. What does that word mean to you? To me it means the joy of life. Rhythm is everywhere, in everything you do, see or are. You breath with rhytm, either fast or slow (if you're running or walking), your heart beats to the rhythm and your days go by with rhythm, first is Monday, then comes Tuesday etc. And music! It's all about the rhythm. Sheets in your bed probably have a some kind of regular pattern so it follows rhythm as well. 

In art rhythm is finging bounded or free rhythm. You can find both for instance in a wooden sculpture (veistos). Bounded rhythm means it follows regularity, like this piece of art. 

Free rhythm follows its own instincts. It's like every single snow flake; you can't find a perfect match because they are all unique. Here's a picture of free rhythm. I think the necklace I chose to illustriate the free rhythm is wonderful. I must have it!

A good example of the mix both bounded and free rhythm piece of art is this sculpture.

This sculpture is named as "Sibelius Monument". The bounded rhythm in the sculpture is how all the pipes go the same direction, longitudinally (pitkittäin). The free rhythm in the sculpture is how the pipes are all different length as you can see in the picture.

How to bring out more the rhythm? You can use lights, colors, different shapes or changing shadows and it brings out its personal look. 

Our assignment was to do our own sculpture of "rhythm".

INSTRUCTIONS:

that we were given to this project

★ Design your own sculpture with the headline "Rhythm" by using wooden sticks and blocks. Fasten (kiinnitä) them by using a hot glue gun.

★ When the sculpture is ready, it can be painted with acrylic paint

★ The sculpture must include both bounded and free rhythm

MY RHYTHM

Once again, when the assignment was given, my very first thought was like "oh crap, I have no idea of what I should do with these wooden sticks and blocks.. not to mention the hot glue gun." I had never before used a hot glue gun but luckily I learnt it very quickly! The second thought was that instead of waisting time and thinking what I should do, I decided to go with the flow and I started to think the diamond in my ring. So, I started to build a diamond of the sticks. The picture above is the first step in my project, just a draft (luonnostelma).

By Friday I had visualized the whole sculpture in my head so I just had to put the puzzles together. It only took me an hour. 

Half way there... only colors missing and about dozen sticks.

Now it's done! I photoshooted it from different angles. It looks good whether you look it above or straight. I like it and it was just what I wanted. The pedestal is high lighting the main sculpture. It's there to "lifting" the sculpture above to its rights and that idea was given by our teacher. :)

Step 3: finished tangled

It only took me only an hour to finish the tangled from where I left it the last lesson. Here is the result! I apologize the quality of my pictures.. I try to improve them on later posts.

We placed the white paper to the black ground like in the picture below.

What do you think? Do you need a closer look? To show you the details, like the surroundings of the flower, I'll show you the patterns more closely.

  

I used four different patterns in the four quarters which I had shared the left over (ylijäänyt) empty space of the paper. I used a model in the first pattern (up left), the second one (up right) I created by myself and I am so proud of it! Or at least I didn't use any model while doing it. The third pattern (down left) I used the same pattern as in the flowers petals (terälehdet) but as its bigger size. So cool how it looks good in different sizes. The last pattern (down right), was originally supposed to be big squares but it didn't fit in my schedule and I wanted the pattern to be smaller so I cut them in four pieces and made it triangles. I'm proud of my tangled, the result absolutely was worth the job I worked for it. 

 

Our Friday's (the 13th of February)  class was canseled not because it's unlucky day but because our teacher's doughter had prom, as well as I and two other classmates did in our course. So, the class was canseled and to replace it we have to do independently a picture analysis and I'll be back to that soon so don't go anywhere!

Step 2: zentangle

So, now we get to the point where I expose to you our first project in this course. It's zentangle, tadaa! When I first heard the name, it didn't ring a bell, at all. I couldn't even expect anything 'cause I had definately not heard the name before. But I had seen zentangles before, I just hadn't known the name of the art trend. So when we were exposed the next project, my first thought was like: "I can't do it, I don't have enough imagination to evolve something so special, so cool like zentangle was." Then we got the instructions but before I write them down here I tell you something about zentangle.

Zentangle is a new art trend which has gained a lot of followers lately. It's easy to execute because it follows regularity so it's a perfect art trend for us perfectionists. You repeat the same pattern (malli) until you've completed a certain area of your outline (hahmotelma). The patterns in the outlines create the whole ensemble. You can also create your own pattern, there's no right or wrong patterns. That's the best thing about art, it follows no rules so everything is art if you feel so.
When you perfectly concentrate on zentangle, you forget about everything around you. It's so therapeutic and relaxing when you focus on doing patterns, small lines all over the paper. Zentangle also highly improves your concentration, creavitity and accuracy. You can make your zentangle performing one (above) or abstract one (below). You can color your zentangle ((below also) or leave it black and white. Finding mistakes in zentangles is almost impossible because there are so many, countable number of lines. The point isn't to find details and mistakes but look the whole ensemble.
A word of caution. If you look the zentangle for too long or too close, there's a chance for you to get a migraine attack. While drawing you can hide with a white paper the part of your zentangle that is done, to avoid the migraine attack.

INSTRUCTIONS:

that we were given to this project

★ Design your own zentangle. It can be whether performing or abstract

★ Use as a model existing patterns or create your owns

★ Implementation (toteutus) on a white A4 sheet of paper, cut in a square.

★ Use black ink. When designin  you can use a pencil

MY ZENTANGLE

I started drawing my own zentangle on last weeks Wednesday when was our first class. I ended up making a performing zentangle, and the shape was, surprise surprise, very symmetrical flower. I found the perfect pattern for me immediately. I ended up reapiting the same pattern in 4 areas in my outline. Here's the tutorial for my favourite pattern.

It looked like this in my zentangle.

I made things easier for me when I first delineated (hahmottelin) and drew the pattern step by step to the big area. The pattern is scheduled for a box shape. 

This is how the first petal (terälehti) of my flower looked like.

I designed the center to be in four parts which I would fill with different patterns. The work continues on...

In the picture below I have finished all the petals of my flower, left only four leaves which we're shared in two parts to be filled with two different patterns.

Leaves done!

So here is how the flower looks like when it's not closely looked. Pretty cool, hah? The result is always a good motivation to finish the zentangle. At least I couldn't interrupt it in midpoint. I zoomed the latest picture so you can see the patterns I've used in the leaves. I tried to look for the tutorials for these two patterns but I couldn't find them now... Maybe I can post good pattern tutorials in later posts but here's the zoom.

The zentangle isn't completely done yet so in my next post I will post the finished zentangle, my first zentangle. It will end up on my wall when I get it home, I'm sure about that.