Metaphoric Self Portrait Sculptures

Submitted by: Melinda Zacher, Forest Hill
Community High School in West Palm Beach, FL
UNIT: Sculpture
Grade Level: High School
Time: Four to five weeks (or more - depending on length of class)

Objectives:

1. Synthesize art concepts and skills in works that are personally, socio-culturally and aesthetically meaningful.

2. Exhibit technical skills and an appropriate use of media.

3. To illustrate concepts imaginatively and creatively, avoiding clichéd objects and obvious symbols.

Goals:

Translate a concept into a 3D form utilizing appropriate media

Materials:

Handouts, DVD (Art: 21 - also see season 3 and season 5), slides of student work, Sketchbooks, thesaurus, Plaster of Paris, Stoneware Clay, Twisteez Wire, cardboard, found objects, and misc. sculpture materials; criteria sheet - Alternate: Plastic packaging tape along with found object/collage

            

      
Click images for larger views

Resources:

DVD (Art: 21) This release contains the first and second season of PBS' acclaimed documentary, which takes a look into the future at how art will be changing people's lives in the 21st Century.

Betye and Alison Saars' sculptures

Activities:

1. Introduce project. Show slides of student work.

2. Pose questions to students about what they should consider when coming up with ideas for their self-portrait. (Describe and analyze themselves and how they relate to the world). Think of symbols / actions that represent each. Explain how to capture the essence of something, rather than being literal or clichéd. Think of more imaginative and creative ways of addressing topics.

1. How do you fit into society / school?

2. How do you relate or react to your family / peers?

3. Do you have any traditions your family follows? Do you come from another country or culture? Does religion play a part in your life?

4. What passions do you have? What liberates you? What confines you?

5. What best represents you: Body, Mind, Spirit, or Society?

3. Discuss different media choices and how different materials convey different meanings and emotions.

4. Discuss relief sculpture vs. sculpture in the round.

5. Discuss an artists’ relationship to the viewer. View slides and ask questions about how students react to individual pieces.

1. How will the viewer react to this piece?

2. What do you want the viewer to feel when interacting with your work?

3. Do you want them to know it is about you specifically, or about your meaning in a more ambiguous way?

6. Watch Art: 21 DVD, answer questions based on the artists’ intention and meaning, cultures, traditions, and background, and how they incorporated it all into their artwork. Focus on the process of reaching an idea.

7. Students will fill two pages in their sketchbooks of words describing themselves. Answer all the questions above when brainstorming ideas. Use thesauruses to come up with new words. Students can decorate, tone, collage, etc. anything they want to pages. Must have a minimum of 100 words.

8. Students design 2 different sculptures based on written theme.

1. Design must include approximate dimensions, media to be used, colors, and surface treatment.

2. Each design should include multiple views if it is a sculpture in the round.

9. Students begin collecting materials and building sculpture.

Assessments: Students will receive a criteria sheet where they will grade themselves from 1-20 on each of the following criteria:

1. How well does your choice of media relate to your subject? How did you treat the surface? How effective did you use media and color? Does your surface add interest or detract from the finished piece?

2. How innovative / original is your design? Does your design follow your proposal? Does your design flow and hold the viewers’ attention?

3. Evaluate your form. Evaluate your use of movement. (energized or static?) Balance and proportion. Is it freestanding? Evaluate its strength and your craftsmanship.

4. Evaluate your use of time in class and the level of completion of your work. Is it finished? Did you work in class every day?

5. Uses this area to describe any other criteria you think I should consider when grading and critiquing your work.

Metaphoric Self-Portrait Sculpture –Student Guidelines

Fill two pages in your sketchbook of words that describe you (minimum of 100 words).

Some questions to consider when coming up with ideas for your self-portrait: (Describe and analyze yourself and how you relate to the world). Think of symbols / actions that represent each. Try to capture the essence of something, rather than being literal or clichéd. Think of more imaginative and creative ways of addressing topics.

1. Who am I?

2. What is my story?

3. Where am I ?

4. Do I belong?

5. Why am I here?

6. Where am I going?

7. What am I learning?

8. Is it relevant to what I know?

9. How do I perceive the world?

Answer the following questions along with your 100 words.

10. How do you fit into society / school?

11. How do you relate or react to your family / peers?

12. Do you have any traditions your family follows?

13. Do you come from another country or culture?

14. Does religion play a part in your life?

15. What passions do you have?

16. What liberates you?

17. What confines you?

18. What best represents you: Body, Mind, Spirit, or Society?

Also keep the viewer in mind:

1. How will the viewer react to this piece?

2. What do you want the viewer to feel when interacting with your work?

3. Do you want them to know it is about you specifically, or about your meaning in a more ambiguous way?

And finally, the media. Plaster, clay, wire, cardboard, found objects, etc. How does the media you choose relate to your subject / theme?

Design 2 different sculptures based on a written theme.

1. Design must include approximate dimensions, media to be used, colors, and surface treatment.

2. Each design should include multiple views if it is a sculpture in the round.

Student Critique

If you have not scored your work consistently in the 15 to 20 points range, now assess what its strengths and weaknesses are, and how to rework the piece and raise it to a 20. Explain your rationale in a paragraph below, considering:

1. Have you done anything special with the use of the art elements (line, color, shape, texture, value)?

2. What are some of the dominant shapes, expressive forms, color schemes, and textures that carry significance in this artwork?

3. Is the work ordered/balanced? Or chaotic/disturbing? What makes for the order or chaos? Would you use words such as unity, variety, contrast, balance, movement, and rhythm to describe formal characteristics of this work?

4. Describe the quality of execution and technique. What gives the work its uniqueness?

5. Does the work evoke any feelings? To what do you ascribe your feeling – the use if colors, shapes, technique, theme?

6. Is there "symbolism" used in the work to convey meaning other than what one sees?

7. What is your general impression of the work? What did you want the viewer to think about? Did you successfully get your message across?

Discuss if the work is a significant success, why or why not, and support your judgment with evidence (Use this area to describe any other criteria you think I should consider when grading and critiquing your work.)

Assessment - Rubric

Metaphoric Self-Portrait Rubric

Possible student teacher

National Standards