Unit Four: Clay Bust
Assignment Description:
Create a 6-8 inch high clay bust illustrating a stylized sculpture of a famous person, yourself, or someone you know. Try to choose someone who has distinctive features. Use additive and subtractive clay techniques to build the bust.
Create a 6-8 inch high clay bust illustrating a stylized sculpture of a famous person, yourself, or someone you know. Try to choose someone who has distinctive features. Use additive and subtractive clay techniques to build the bust.
Week of December 2-6
Tuesday 12/3
Students will complete an artist statement for the building stage of the abstract coil vessel. While not all artistic decisions have been made, students should address how the hand building criteria were met and the 3 "C's" for the work.
The clay bust project will be introduced today. We will view a presentation on clay busts for inspiration. Students will select a human or animal as inspiration for the work and create 6-8 thumbnail sketches. When thumbnails are complete, students will create 2 full page, detailed drawings of their selected subject. One drawing will be a front view and one drawing will be a side view of the proposed sculpture.
With a complete and approved sketch, students should view the videos on sculpting a clay bust.
Thursday 12/5
Clay Vocabulary Quiz Today!
After the quiz on clay vocabulary students will view a short demo on the beginning processes of creating a clay bust. The focus of today's class will be building the shoulders and neck of the sculpture. It is essential to have a solid base for the head of the sculpture, and students will be expected to have the shoulders and neck completed by the end of class.
Students will complete an artist statement for the building stage of the abstract coil vessel. While not all artistic decisions have been made, students should address how the hand building criteria were met and the 3 "C's" for the work.
The clay bust project will be introduced today. We will view a presentation on clay busts for inspiration. Students will select a human or animal as inspiration for the work and create 6-8 thumbnail sketches. When thumbnails are complete, students will create 2 full page, detailed drawings of their selected subject. One drawing will be a front view and one drawing will be a side view of the proposed sculpture.
With a complete and approved sketch, students should view the videos on sculpting a clay bust.
Thursday 12/5
Clay Vocabulary Quiz Today!
After the quiz on clay vocabulary students will view a short demo on the beginning processes of creating a clay bust. The focus of today's class will be building the shoulders and neck of the sculpture. It is essential to have a solid base for the head of the sculpture, and students will be expected to have the shoulders and neck completed by the end of class.
Week of December 9-13
Tuesday 12/10
Students will complete the process of sculpting the shoulders of their clay bust using the subtractive sculpting method.
When the shoulders are sculptured, students should use the additive sculptural method to add a neck to the sculpture.
Once the shoulders and neck are complete, students should take time to sculpt and form the shoulders and neck, and include any specific details that are essential to the work.
Upon completion of the shoulders and neck, students should begin the creation of the head. Begin by forming a large, skull-like form with clay. Place, but do not attach, the head on the neck to insure that the sculpture had proper proportions.
Thursday 12/12
Students will begin sculpting the face of their clay bust today. With a completed shoulders, neck, and skull, begin drawing on the clay using knowledge of proper facial proportions.
Begin by laying out where the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hair will be placed on the form. Please note, the lines you draw may be modified and will not be visible upon completion of the work. When your layout work is complete, begin by pressing in the clay to establish eye sockets and the brow line. Next, use additive process to create a nose and lips. Begin using the subtractive method and clay tools to sculpt the nose and lips to resemble your subject.
Students will complete the process of sculpting the shoulders of their clay bust using the subtractive sculpting method.
When the shoulders are sculptured, students should use the additive sculptural method to add a neck to the sculpture.
Once the shoulders and neck are complete, students should take time to sculpt and form the shoulders and neck, and include any specific details that are essential to the work.
Upon completion of the shoulders and neck, students should begin the creation of the head. Begin by forming a large, skull-like form with clay. Place, but do not attach, the head on the neck to insure that the sculpture had proper proportions.
Thursday 12/12
Students will begin sculpting the face of their clay bust today. With a completed shoulders, neck, and skull, begin drawing on the clay using knowledge of proper facial proportions.
Begin by laying out where the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hair will be placed on the form. Please note, the lines you draw may be modified and will not be visible upon completion of the work. When your layout work is complete, begin by pressing in the clay to establish eye sockets and the brow line. Next, use additive process to create a nose and lips. Begin using the subtractive method and clay tools to sculpt the nose and lips to resemble your subject.
Week of December 16-20
Monday 12/16
Students will glaze their coil built vessels in class today. With a number of color choices, students will select a glaze combination that successfully enhances their work and emphasizes the texture of the piece.
Students will be allowed to use a variety of glaze techniques, including painting, sponging, dipping, and pouring.
Wednesday 12/18
Students will continue sculpting the face of their clay bust today. First, students should complete any remaining eye sculpting. Next, students should work on sculpting the nose and lips of the sculpture, first using the additive method, then using the subtractive method to form the features. The final large feature to add will be the ears. Students should form the ears as separate pieces, attach them to the side of the head, and form them using sculpting tools.
With any remaining time, students should start to hollow out the interior of the bust. We will begin hollowing out the shoulders and neck first by cutting them in half and using a loop tool or a spoon to remove clay. A 1" wall should be left, and all the clay removed from the bust should be balled up and placed back in the clay bucket.
Friday 12/20
Students will complete the sculpting of the clay bust in class today. First, students will complete any sculpting on their bust. This includes eyes, nose, mouth, and ear sculpting.
Next, students will cut their shoulders and neck in half and remove interior clay. When the piece is hollow, score and slip the two halves back together. Next, students will make a cut behind the ears of their bust and carve out interior clay of the head, again leaving a 1" wall. Score and slip the two halves together.
Finally, students will finish the work by adding hair. Hair should be added as attached slabs and coils, and texture will be added using sculptural tools.
Upon completion of these steps, busts should be left to dry and will be fired after winter break.
Students will glaze their coil built vessels in class today. With a number of color choices, students will select a glaze combination that successfully enhances their work and emphasizes the texture of the piece.
Students will be allowed to use a variety of glaze techniques, including painting, sponging, dipping, and pouring.
Wednesday 12/18
Students will continue sculpting the face of their clay bust today. First, students should complete any remaining eye sculpting. Next, students should work on sculpting the nose and lips of the sculpture, first using the additive method, then using the subtractive method to form the features. The final large feature to add will be the ears. Students should form the ears as separate pieces, attach them to the side of the head, and form them using sculpting tools.
With any remaining time, students should start to hollow out the interior of the bust. We will begin hollowing out the shoulders and neck first by cutting them in half and using a loop tool or a spoon to remove clay. A 1" wall should be left, and all the clay removed from the bust should be balled up and placed back in the clay bucket.
Friday 12/20
Students will complete the sculpting of the clay bust in class today. First, students will complete any sculpting on their bust. This includes eyes, nose, mouth, and ear sculpting.
Next, students will cut their shoulders and neck in half and remove interior clay. When the piece is hollow, score and slip the two halves back together. Next, students will make a cut behind the ears of their bust and carve out interior clay of the head, again leaving a 1" wall. Score and slip the two halves together.
Finally, students will finish the work by adding hair. Hair should be added as attached slabs and coils, and texture will be added using sculptural tools.
Upon completion of these steps, busts should be left to dry and will be fired after winter break.
Week of January 2-3
Friday 1/3
Students will continue sculpting the face of their clay bust today. First, students should complete any remaining eye sculpting. Next, students should work on sculpting the nose and lips of the sculpture, first using the additive method, then using the subtractive method to form the features. The final large feature to add will be the ears. Students should form the ears as separate pieces, attach them to the side of the head, and form them using sculpting tools.
Students will continue sculpting the face of their clay bust today. First, students should complete any remaining eye sculpting. Next, students should work on sculpting the nose and lips of the sculpture, first using the additive method, then using the subtractive method to form the features. The final large feature to add will be the ears. Students should form the ears as separate pieces, attach them to the side of the head, and form them using sculpting tools.
Week of January 6-10
Tuesday 1/7
No School
Thursday 1/9
Students will continue sculpting of the clay bust in class today. First, students will complete any sculpting on their bust. This includes eyes, nose, mouth, and ear sculpting.
Finally, students will finish the work by adding hair. Hair should be added as attached slabs and coils, and texture will be added using sculptural tools.
No School
Thursday 1/9
Students will continue sculpting of the clay bust in class today. First, students will complete any sculpting on their bust. This includes eyes, nose, mouth, and ear sculpting.
Finally, students will finish the work by adding hair. Hair should be added as attached slabs and coils, and texture will be added using sculptural tools.
Week of January 13-17
Monday 1/13
Students must complete their clay bust in class today!
After students have added hair to the skull of their sculpture, texture should be added with sculpting tools. In addition, all finishing work must be complete. This includes adding any additional features (eye brows, scars, facial hair, etc.). Finally, the bust must be smoothed to the artists discretion and left out of the plastic bag to dry. Busts MUST be fired next week.
Wednesday 1/15
Students will be introduced to subtractive sculpture processes using stone and carving materials. We will examine how to carve stone, and students will gain practice using tools to shape and carve stone. These practices will be further examined in Sculpture 2.
Friday 1/17
Clay Bust Critique
Students will write an artist statement for their clay bust in class. After artist statements are complete we will engage in a class critique of the clay busts. With the remaining time in class, students will clean the room, tools, wheels, cabinets, and everything we used during the course of our class.
Students must complete their clay bust in class today!
After students have added hair to the skull of their sculpture, texture should be added with sculpting tools. In addition, all finishing work must be complete. This includes adding any additional features (eye brows, scars, facial hair, etc.). Finally, the bust must be smoothed to the artists discretion and left out of the plastic bag to dry. Busts MUST be fired next week.
Wednesday 1/15
Students will be introduced to subtractive sculpture processes using stone and carving materials. We will examine how to carve stone, and students will gain practice using tools to shape and carve stone. These practices will be further examined in Sculpture 2.
Friday 1/17
Clay Bust Critique
Students will write an artist statement for their clay bust in class. After artist statements are complete we will engage in a class critique of the clay busts. With the remaining time in class, students will clean the room, tools, wheels, cabinets, and everything we used during the course of our class.