Abstraction is a personalized way of viewing the world, or a single part of it. Through abstracting the real into a surreal state, we as artists, are able to create new meanings and new ways of viewing what may be so ordinary for some of us. Challenging our previous views is a great way to create ordinary into extraordinary. Keeping abstraction’s purpose in mind, I viewed Brancusi’s Torso. Brancusi took the most pivotal part of the body and simplified it. He was able to create a simple three-piece sculpture that in a way resembles a phallic symbol, but also simplified the form and created it into basic shapes; cylinders. I can appreciate the sculpture because I can instantly tell that it is a torso, but it deviates from the typical depiction. This re-creation/abstraction, allows me to view the body from a silhouette to a three-dimensional form made of shapes found in everyday life. The body is no longer defined by the contours that typically most people identify the body with, or different features. Brancusi chose to use wood as the source of shape. This choice creates a sense of union between the body and nature. It reminds the viewer, that no matter skin tone the body structure is ultimately the same across the spectrum and it is a natural form. Brancusi’s choice in reducing the form of the human torso has changed the meaning of the torso. It has broken the typical belief of what the torso stands for; it has been recreated to represent uniformity by the use of the wood. Brancusi’s sculpture also encompassed that the torso can be simplified into shapes that can symbolize other body parts. Overall, the abstraction of the original appearance has created more symbolism and meaning amongst the torso.
Working with live models is something I have never done before. My experience with art is very limited, and has extended only as far as drawing imaginative figural arrangements. Having a model strip down and pose in the nude, in order for us to capture the human figure abstractly was a bit intimidating at first. I thought to my self, what would I focus on, how could I reduce the human figure to simple shapes or lines? It was a challenge at first, but having seen the different examples of how the body can be reduced in its form allowed me to have a good reference as to what was expected of me. I found with the linear sketches that I finished quite early on most of them, only drawing a few lines and teaching myself to not draw more than what was necessary to help recreate the form. Limiting myself seemed to help in creating the belief that the body is no longer a silhouette or whole shape that is all connected. How was I able to differentiate and remove myself to view the body this way? Well the most influential way was by blurring the image of the live model. It helped me view lines and shapes in a stronger way allowing me to abstract the pose. Even though I had created a technique to help me abstract the human form, I found it ever so troubling to continue abstracting with certain poses that were not, either, facing me or facing away from me. In the light of this struggle, I attempted to make the shapes into more of a swooping or curved figure instead of solid sharp shapes or structured straight lines. This helped me to grasp the human figure in an even more abstract way, in that one of my sketches made the body seem almost like a calla lily. What is the purpose of using live models? Live models allow us to view a complex and beautiful piece of art and minimize it to view the basic shapes and lines that ultimately create the whole. By using only four shapes or lines, the artist is challenged to re-conceptualize the beauty and function of the body. Its purpose as a solely physical beauty is shaped into that of a functional and artistic creation.
Ricky- Both excellent entries. I am particularly interested in your observation that you found it more challenging to abstract the figure when the model was not offering you a frontal view of the body. I know what you mean and I wonder if, in way that frontal type views are different because they more often offer an iconic image of the body whereas in between views are less unified and less resolved as images.
Creating three-dimensional models is not an easy task. I can admit that I was a bit stuck as to what I should do and how I should do it. But I guess once I got in the flow it was a bit easier than I expected. I needed more imagination and a stronger thought process in order to translate the two-dimensional drawings into a standing sculpture. I can say that the supplies provided helped because they were versatile and created a wider range of visual pleasure, for a lack of better words. My models were all based on the female model and the drawings that I created. I can honestly say that I really am only happy with one of my models and it would have to be the second one, the one with the scored triangular shape as the body. The first and the last model to me just seemed like it lacked the extra level of amazement. Bluntly, I am saying they were boring. I think that having the model present again would have made the process of creating models easier, but I know that the purpose of this assignment was to challenge ourselves to be creative. My second model just seemed the most abstract. The model was made from three different materials which all emitted a different purpose of the shapes. The arm and most of the body were constructed of cardboard to represent stability and rigidness. The right arm was made from aluminum wire to create a sense of strength but movement. The leg was made of construction paper and seemed to be the least important part of the model, which is what I intended. I can improve this model by making it more detailed, creating more depth, having a backside that complimented the front in the dimensional aspect, adding color or uniformity, and making it bigger. I realized mine were smaller than most other people’s.
My working process has been a bit hesitant to say the least. When working in a new environment, I tend to take my time to get used to my surroundings and all the supplies. This was evident when I continued to ask questions to the Professor about what I should do and how I should do it. I knew what I wanted but the process to take was what I was unsure of. Now that I am well underway of what I want to do, I am more confident of what and how to do it. My model is fairly similar to what I created in the first model. The differences are the proportions, the rotation of the head shape and the removal of the triangular shapes from the head, the wire formation of the spine and arms, and ultimately the painting of the model. After speaking to Professor Scheer, I realized that increasing the size of the model would help emphasize and create a more balanced piece of art. I rotated the head shape to create an aesthetically pleasing curved line. In the same process, I removed the triangular ear shapes and just laminated three pieces of gatorfoam to create a thicker piece to balance out the base. The wire shape has transformed from gluing separate pieces together to create the arms, to a continuous piece that just flows and has a bigger cylindrical shape for the arms to be more representational of the human figure. I decided to complete the balancing of the figure by painting the base on two sides, black and one panel white. The top piece would be completely white. I am trying to take my time instead of rush, so that I could cover all aspects of creating a piece.
Your specific ideas of how to improve your model (blog #3) feels a bit general. I recommend that you first try to write about what you feel the particular design is all about- what does it want to be, what is its most important qualities. Then having a sense of its identity, then come up with things that need to be addressed.
I think your sculpture is coming along nicely but I must say I don't see the level of self-generated testing and experimentation that would help you advance the sculpture through reconsidered design decisions (as addressed in blog 4.)
My sculpture was very simplistic in form and bared far less intricacy than most of my peers sculptures. After our critique session, my perceptions of my sculptures strengths and weaknesses were reiterated. The strengths of the sculpture were: its streamline effect, it was statuesque, it was minimal in shape but not meaning, and overall composition was effective. The weaknesses were: little finishing mistakes (i.e. paint on wire, and a small sliver missing on base), the wire being a little misshapen from normal wear and movement, and the fact that the top section swayed so much. In the critique, people commented that they liked that the top section swayed, creating movement. My piece was one of the few that had that ability. Also they commented on the color scheme of black and white; the white on the base created a sense of open space almost like a wedge instead of a solid, enclosed piece. Another commented made was that depending on the angle, the sculpture looked like a flower and from another angle it looked like a nun. They funny thing is that the sculpture was based off the male live model. It was interesting to hear that my sculpture broke away from a human figure form into a natural form. There were no big suggestions made to me about how to improve my sculpture, so I am a bit lost for guidance. One thing I would like to improve is the use of different supplies I would really like to use a stronger sturdier wire and wood instead of aluminum wire and gatorfoam. Also, I would use an acrylic white paint for more sheen. All in all, I can’t really complain about my sculpture, and like the overall look.
Actually I am also at a loss to name ways to 'improve' your sculpture. That's because I think it succeeds on all levels. The details compliment the simple yet unified forms, it is proportioned nicely, and the fabrication is done very well (after all there is a limit to what one can do with gator and soft wire). Good work!
No new blog entries?, You are missing # 6 and 7. They are oriented such to help you review and better you designs for this second sculpture, thus you need to write as you work, not after the fact.
The sculpture encompasses a sense of victory, the victory of a long struggling feat. The weathered copper sheet metal signifies an ode to winning a highly praised and noteworthy trophy in some respects. The sculpture stands proud and is very strong in its presence. The contrast between the darkened wood and the “dirty” copper give a very industrial feel, almost as if the piece is finished but not polished. The silver button-head screws compliment the industrial feel by sitting on top of the sheet metal lining it down the side as an embellishment. The a great aspect of continuity in the piece with the wrap-around of the copper sheet metal, to the wood piece at the bottom continuing the line of the copper sheet metal triangle on the right side. The front wood panel creates a sense of division because of the grain in the wood. It has a dark side and a light side, which is brought out by the black stain that was done to the piece. The one down fall of the staining process was that the plywood, on the edges took the stain differently and left some pieces darker than others. The finishing touches on the piece weren’t so finished, in a way, especially on the back. There was a hole that was not stained well because the screw was trying to be sunken in. In a way, that could add to the industrial, finished but unpolished look.
Most of what you write in your brief entry is a description that feels like it is more infused with what you hope to be happening (intentions) than what might be actually going on. It is really important to find a way to separate the two otherwise you'll never be able to escape wishful thinking. You need to approach a self-assessment more as a self-critique.
As he states above, Ricky wanted his sculpture to denote a “sense of victory” or trophy-like feel and, as a viewer, I think he succeeded completely. The most visually demanding and over-all central aspect of the piece, the folded copper cone, definitely has a celebratory, torch/flame quality. While the three metal ribbons from the top of the cone contribute to his suggestion of flame and celebration, I don’t think that they really add to it. Without the ribbons, Ricky’s pairing of the copper with the plywood backing would still strike an aesthetic and conceptually successful cord. The excess of screws down the side was an innovative push from function to decorative element. He expressed concern with the staining quality of the wood and the imperfections of the copper, but I think that they add visual interest and suggest weathering in a way that pristine materials would not. I know he had some technical trouble with the screws on the base triangle, and, while the glitch doesn’t in any way compromise the sculpture, I almost feel that the flat nature of the back would lend well to a wall hanging. But then it might loose the repetition of the carefully placed and proportioned triangles: the two wooden ones for support and then the extension of the copper cone as a compositional element. I think that both the overall impact of Ricky’s sculpture and the mechanical execution are extremely successful and lead to a compelling, if not entirely explicit, expression of the figure.
Abstraction is a personalized way of viewing the world, or a single part of it. Through abstracting the real into a surreal state, we as artists, are able to create new meanings and new ways of viewing what may be so ordinary for some of us. Challenging our previous views is a great way to create ordinary into extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteKeeping abstraction’s purpose in mind, I viewed Brancusi’s Torso. Brancusi took the most pivotal part of the body and simplified it. He was able to create a simple three-piece sculpture that in a way resembles a phallic symbol, but also simplified the form and created it into basic shapes; cylinders. I can appreciate the sculpture because I can instantly tell that it is a torso, but it deviates from the typical depiction. This re-creation/abstraction, allows me to view the body from a silhouette to a three-dimensional form made of shapes found in everyday life. The body is no longer defined by the contours that typically most people identify the body with, or different features. Brancusi chose to use wood as the source of shape. This choice creates a sense of union between the body and nature. It reminds the viewer, that no matter skin tone the body structure is ultimately the same across the spectrum and it is a natural form.
Brancusi’s choice in reducing the form of the human torso has changed the meaning of the torso. It has broken the typical belief of what the torso stands for; it has been recreated to represent uniformity by the use of the wood. Brancusi’s sculpture also encompassed that the torso can be simplified into shapes that can symbolize other body parts. Overall, the abstraction of the original appearance has created more symbolism and meaning amongst the torso.
Working with live models is something I have never done before. My experience with art is very limited, and has extended only as far as drawing imaginative figural arrangements. Having a model strip down and pose in the nude, in order for us to capture the human figure abstractly was a bit intimidating at first. I thought to my self, what would I focus on, how could I reduce the human figure to simple shapes or lines?
ReplyDeleteIt was a challenge at first, but having seen the different examples of how the body can be reduced in its form allowed me to have a good reference as to what was expected of me. I found with the linear sketches that I finished quite early on most of them, only drawing a few lines and teaching myself to not draw more than what was necessary to help recreate the form. Limiting myself seemed to help in creating the belief that the body is no longer a silhouette or whole shape that is all connected. How was I able to differentiate and remove myself to view the body this way? Well the most influential way was by blurring the image of the live model. It helped me view lines and shapes in a stronger way allowing me to abstract the pose. Even though I had created a technique to help me abstract the human form, I found it ever so troubling to continue abstracting with certain poses that were not, either, facing me or facing away from me. In the light of this struggle, I attempted to make the shapes into more of a swooping or curved figure instead of solid sharp shapes or structured straight lines. This helped me to grasp the human figure in an even more abstract way, in that one of my sketches made the body seem almost like a calla lily.
What is the purpose of using live models? Live models allow us to view a complex and beautiful piece of art and minimize it to view the basic shapes and lines that ultimately create the whole. By using only four shapes or lines, the artist is challenged to re-conceptualize the beauty and function of the body. Its purpose as a solely physical beauty is shaped into that of a functional and artistic creation.
Ricky-
ReplyDeleteBoth excellent entries. I am particularly interested in your observation that you found it more challenging to abstract the figure when the model was not offering you a frontal view of the body. I know what you mean and I wonder if, in way that frontal type views are different because they more often offer an iconic image of the body whereas in between views are less unified and less resolved as images.
Creating three-dimensional models is not an easy task. I can admit that I was a bit stuck as to what I should do and how I should do it. But I guess once I got in the flow it was a bit easier than I expected. I needed more imagination and a stronger thought process in order to translate the two-dimensional drawings into a standing sculpture. I can say that the supplies provided helped because they were versatile and created a wider range of visual pleasure, for a lack of better words.
ReplyDeleteMy models were all based on the female model and the drawings that I created. I can honestly say that I really am only happy with one of my models and it would have to be the second one, the one with the scored triangular shape as the body. The first and the last model to me just seemed like it lacked the extra level of amazement. Bluntly, I am saying they were boring. I think that having the model present again would have made the process of creating models easier, but I know that the purpose of this assignment was to challenge ourselves to be creative. My second model just seemed the most abstract. The model was made from three different materials which all emitted a different purpose of the shapes. The arm and most of the body were constructed of cardboard to represent stability and rigidness. The right arm was made from aluminum wire to create a sense of strength but movement. The leg was made of construction paper and seemed to be the least important part of the model, which is what I intended. I can improve this model by making it more detailed, creating more depth, having a backside that complimented the front in the dimensional aspect, adding color or uniformity, and making it bigger. I realized mine were smaller than most other people’s.
My working process has been a bit hesitant to say the least. When working in a new environment, I tend to take my time to get used to my surroundings and all the supplies. This was evident when I continued to ask questions to the Professor about what I should do and how I should do it. I knew what I wanted but the process to take was what I was unsure of. Now that I am well underway of what I want to do, I am more confident of what and how to do it. My model is fairly similar to what I created in the first model. The differences are the proportions, the rotation of the head shape and the removal of the triangular shapes from the head, the wire formation of the spine and arms, and ultimately the painting of the model. After speaking to Professor Scheer, I realized that increasing the size of the model would help emphasize and create a more balanced piece of art. I rotated the head shape to create an aesthetically pleasing curved line. In the same process, I removed the triangular ear shapes and just laminated three pieces of gatorfoam to create a thicker piece to balance out the base. The wire shape has transformed from gluing separate pieces together to create the arms, to a continuous piece that just flows and has a bigger cylindrical shape for the arms to be more representational of the human figure. I decided to complete the balancing of the figure by painting the base on two sides, black and one panel white. The top piece would be completely white. I am trying to take my time instead of rush, so that I could cover all aspects of creating a piece.
ReplyDeleteYour specific ideas of how to improve your model (blog #3) feels a bit general. I recommend that you first try to write about what you feel the particular design is all about- what does it want to be, what is its most important qualities. Then having a sense of its identity, then come up with things that need to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteI think your sculpture is coming along nicely but I must say I don't see the level of self-generated testing and experimentation that would help you advance the sculpture through reconsidered design decisions (as addressed in blog 4.)
My sculpture was very simplistic in form and bared far less intricacy than most of my peers sculptures. After our critique session, my perceptions of my sculptures strengths and weaknesses were reiterated. The strengths of the sculpture were: its streamline effect, it was statuesque, it was minimal in shape but not meaning, and overall composition was effective. The weaknesses were: little finishing mistakes (i.e. paint on wire, and a small sliver missing on base), the wire being a little misshapen from normal wear and movement, and the fact that the top section swayed so much. In the critique, people commented that they liked that the top section swayed, creating movement. My piece was one of the few that had that ability. Also they commented on the color scheme of black and white; the white on the base created a sense of open space almost like a wedge instead of a solid, enclosed piece. Another commented made was that depending on the angle, the sculpture looked like a flower and from another angle it looked like a nun. They funny thing is that the sculpture was based off the male live model. It was interesting to hear that my sculpture broke away from a human figure form into a natural form. There were no big suggestions made to me about how to improve my sculpture, so I am a bit lost for guidance. One thing I would like to improve is the use of different supplies I would really like to use a stronger sturdier wire and wood instead of aluminum wire and gatorfoam. Also, I would use an acrylic white paint for more sheen. All in all, I can’t really complain about my sculpture, and like the overall look.
ReplyDeleteActually I am also at a loss to name ways to 'improve' your sculpture. That's because I think it succeeds on all levels. The details compliment the simple yet unified forms, it is proportioned nicely, and the fabrication is done very well (after all there is a limit to what one can do with gator and soft wire). Good work!
ReplyDeleteNo new blog entries?, You are missing # 6 and 7. They are oriented such to help you review and better you designs for this second sculpture, thus you need to write as you work, not after the fact.
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture encompasses a sense of victory, the victory of a long struggling feat. The weathered copper sheet metal signifies an ode to winning a highly praised and noteworthy trophy in some respects. The sculpture stands proud and is very strong in its presence. The contrast between the darkened wood and the “dirty” copper give a very industrial feel, almost as if the piece is finished but not polished. The silver button-head screws compliment the industrial feel by sitting on top of the sheet metal lining it down the side as an embellishment. The a great aspect of continuity in the piece with the wrap-around of the copper sheet metal, to the wood piece at the bottom continuing the line of the copper sheet metal triangle on the right side.
ReplyDeleteThe front wood panel creates a sense of division because of the grain in the wood. It has a dark side and a light side, which is brought out by the black stain that was done to the piece. The one down fall of the staining process was that the plywood, on the edges took the stain differently and left some pieces darker than others. The finishing touches on the piece weren’t so finished, in a way, especially on the back. There was a hole that was not stained well because the screw was trying to be sunken in. In a way, that could add to the industrial, finished but unpolished look.
Most of what you write in your brief entry is a description that feels like it is more infused with what you hope to be happening (intentions) than what might be actually going on. It is really important to find a way to separate the two otherwise you'll never be able to escape wishful thinking. You need to approach a self-assessment more as a self-critique.
ReplyDeleteAs he states above, Ricky wanted his sculpture to denote a “sense of victory” or trophy-like feel and, as a viewer, I think he succeeded completely. The most visually demanding and over-all central aspect of the piece, the folded copper cone, definitely has a celebratory, torch/flame quality. While the three metal ribbons from the top of the cone contribute to his suggestion of flame and celebration, I don’t think that they really add to it. Without the ribbons, Ricky’s pairing of the copper with the plywood backing would still strike an aesthetic and conceptually successful cord. The excess of screws down the side was an innovative push from function to decorative element. He expressed concern with the staining quality of the wood and the imperfections of the copper, but I think that they add visual interest and suggest weathering in a way that pristine materials would not. I know he had some technical trouble with the screws on the base triangle, and, while the glitch doesn’t in any way compromise the sculpture, I almost feel that the flat nature of the back would lend well to a wall hanging. But then it might loose the repetition of the carefully placed and proportioned triangles: the two wooden ones for support and then the extension of the copper cone as a compositional element. I think that both the overall impact of Ricky’s sculpture and the mechanical execution are extremely successful and lead to a compelling, if not entirely explicit, expression of the figure.
ReplyDeleteNo new posts missing...
ReplyDeleteEntry # 10 (review of Classmate):
Entry #11 (artist research):
Entry #12 (model assessment):
Entry #13 (art event):