January 2014, CLFA sculpture module
Tutor- Alexandra Harley
Course – 11/1, 18/1, 25/1,1/2, 4 weeks,
10am-5pm
Course outline day 1
This project will be looking at the idea
of movement in non-kinetic sculpture. We will be exploring the ideas
surrounding movement and how they can be incorporated into 3D. What gives a
sculpture a sense of movement, what makes a sculpture feel inert?
Moving - how do you move? What happens
when you move? Where does your body react when you move? If you move your arm
is your foot affected?
Move fast, move slowly, small moves,
grand moves, gestures,
Is your move affected by emotion? If you
tense up what happens to your body? Whereabouts on your body are you affected
Work in pairs to describe the feelings
to each other
Work for yourself creating the drawing Working in
pairs or very small groups you are to produce a series of drawings based on the
movements that you use. Do not
necessarily stop your own drawing to ‘pose’ but you are to work together to
identify the process of the movement and to draw the ‘feeling’ of that action–
direction, weight, speed, distribution, force- or lack of it- pressure,
distance, direction all need to be taken into account.
Try to find the origin of motion and do
not assume that moving a finger only affects that finger for example. Compare small movements with large ones, fast
with slow, gentle with harsh……… Your initial drawings should reflect all of
these things. Use these moves to create a series of drawings that indicate the
sense of the moves that you make, make marks that express this emotion. Mark
making should emphasise the type of move that you are trying to convey.
The drawing should be entirely concerned with
movement/s, do not concern yourself with trying to draw the skin. Your marks should reflect an action and be
appropriate to that particular movement.
Select from your initial sketches 2/3 drawings that
are to be worked upon and from these 1 will be worked still further into a
final design for your sculpture. The
‘shortlisted’ drawings may amalgamate some of the ideas explored with the
‘rejects’. Whilst your drawings may be
very complex, you will work with the ideas generated to create designs that are
simpler for your carving.
Please note – this is not an exercise in figurative sculpture. The body is a starting point for an abstract piece of carved sculpture.
Consider the following artists: - Duchamps, ‘Nude
Descending a Staircase’, Katherine Gilli, Francoise Sullivan, Early Greek,
Rodin, Indian- Cholas, temple from all religions, Gormley and let me know if
you discover any one else worth looking at. Please don’t show me tasteful
bronzes that are reminiscent of boiled sweets!
