MODULE 6

1.Key Concepts:

Through the Eyes of a Sculptor
Consideration and planning- The artist must take into account not only the design of a sculpture (modeling, aesthetic, shape), but the environment it is going to be in, what the material can handle, how delicate the statue can be. The veins in the marble can not be running in a conflicting direction with the design. Models are needed.
The process- when adding the silicone and drilling holes through plaster to make the mold, it looks like the initial plasticine piece is being destroyed, but when the artist takes away the innermost silicone layer, a mold is revealed. This mold is a positive of the image and includes all of the detail that the original model was made with. I was impressed by the number of people it took to make one statue. Each person had their own job and used their unique skill to contribute to the final product.

Glass and Ceramics
Materials- Glass is made out of sand which is the most abundant substances on earth. Natural materials help prevent the glass from becoming too fluid at high temperatures. People probably don't realize how common ceramics are in their daily life. The material is stronger than steel.
The process- Glass blowing and the pottery wheel are very similar because they are done entirely by hand. The end result directly relies on the skill of the craftsman. They are also similar because of the spinning movement used to create symmetric vessels. Both use a final firing process to ensure strength and hardness.

2. The material in the text book contained the same content as the video regarding process and material but the video provided a demonstration of the information. The diagram of the lost-waxcasting process in the textbook provided better understanding of how it works because of the x-ray view of the molds. Both of the videos served as a live action supplement to the text.


3.When thinking of marble sculptures, people usually think of them of things of antiquity. How the artist even arrived at the final product is mystifying. I enjoyed watching the sculpture video and seeing modern artists at work, carefully choosing stone and eventually chipping away at the marble. The end result is so monumental and realistic, it is amazing it started out as a chunk of stone. The same goes for glass, everyone uses it but how it's made is not common knowledge. How can a bunch of small particles turn into something perfectly clear? The videos were informative and easy to follow. They deepened my appreciation for the materials and process.