The
Visual or Performing Artist Commemorative Relief Portrait
Overview: Students will select one visual or performing artist to formally research and state their personal reasons why this person should be commemorated in order to create an expressive portrait using slab-built clay and low relief techniques.
Part I Preliminary Design
1. Select one visual or performing artist (singer,
musician, composer, painter, sculptor, photographer, dancer,
actor, actress,) for this project.
2. Find one or more pictures of this artist to use as
a reference (from the Internet, a photograph, a CD, calendar
or magazine).
3. Develop a preliminary sketch on paper that includes
a foreground and background that includes two or more
of the following:
a. Show how the subject is feeling (happy, excited, frightened,
lonely, angry, etc.) by choice of colors, background, facial
features, etc.
b. Give information about the subjects personal interests
(career, hobbies, social activities, etc.) by the choice of clothing
the subject wears, accessories, background, etc.
c. Name of the artist
Part II Commemorative Portrait
Commemorates a visual or performing artist
Expresses a feeling or personal interest
Exhibits a foreground and a background
Exhibits Bas-relief technique
Exhibits a variety of surface textures
The portrait is between 8" and 10" and is 1/2"
to 1" thick
The portrait is well constructed, seams blended, each edge is
smooth
Part III Commemorative Essay
The 5 paragraph essay includes a picture of the artist
and the following:
A detailed account of the artist's life, including their
date and place of birth, family background, education, career
/ special circumstances or abilities that shaped him or her into
the person he/she is or was. What impact has their work as an
artist had on people? How have they influenced other artists?
What did you find most interesting? (Paragraph 1)
The reasons why you selected this artist and why this
artist should be commemorated (Paragraph 2)
The essay includes how you were able to express how the subject
is feeling (happy, excited, frightened, lonely, angry,
etc.) by choice of background, facial features, etc. OR
how and why you included the artists personal interests
(career in the arts, hobbies, etc.) by the choice of clothing
the subject wears, accessories, or background, etc. (Paragraph
3)
The essay includes a critique of your work that includes
the formal qualities of art (shape, texture, space, unity) and
the technical qualities (Paragraph 4)
The essay includes a conclusion, the affect working on
this project had on you and how the process of creating the portrait
helped you understand the artist in more detail than just reading
about it (Paragraph 5)
A bibliography of three different sources (books
in the library, internet websites, liner notes, biographies,
encyclopedias, magazine articles) used for this report, Please
use this format for bibliography as an example:
Book-Author Last Name, First Name; Title underlined: Publisher Name; year published.
Website- Author(s) if available. Name of Page. Date of Posting. Name of institution affiliated with the site. Date of Access. Complete url (http://www.worldwideweb.com/prince)
CD - Artist Name; CD Title underlined; Record Company ' Copyright Year.
The essay is least 250 (maximum 500) words in length is properly formatted (double-spaced, 12 point font) document free from grammatical and spelling errors. OPTIONAL: You may put the report in a cover for a neater presentation and add extra pictures
Warm Up Activity:
Link to the Portraits online to find resources for this project
The human head contains indentations and projections that
cast shadows and absorb light in varying degrees. Some of the
main projections of the facial plane are: Brow ridge, cheekbones,
nose lips, chin, eyelids (these areas are usually light). Some
of the indentations that absorb light and create shadows are:
The areas between the chin and lower lip, below the brow ridge,
the sides of the nose, and the cheekbones (these areas are usually
dark). The patterns of lights and darks created by these projections
and indentations provide limitless possibilities for rendering
a human head.
Look at the different ways in which the people are portrayed.
Look at portraits in sculptures, paintings, and drawings.
Look at Paintings of portraits: full length; head and
torso; head only
Look at Sculptures of portraits: bust; seated; freestanding;
reclining
Analyze basic geometric shapes, lines, and structures
of portraits.
Look for evidence of exaggeration, which emphasizes physical
or personality traits.
Look for expressions and moods depicted in portraits (disappointment,
surprise, dismay, pleasure, happiness, etc.
From which portrait can you derive the most information?
Can viewers "read" a portrait?
How can an artist create a mood?
Examine HISTORICAL uses of light-dark tones and values:
Painting: Impressionist experimentation with light: Monet, Pisarro, Renoir, and Seurat
Dramatic Effects: Caravaggio, El Greco, Rembrandt, Rouault, and Kline
Sculpture: Greek and Roman