Hot Metal Casting: Lost Wax Process

Perry_Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder_2008Mission: (Project Description)

Hollow lost wax casting method: A unique wax pattern will be developed using plaster and rubber molds. The wax pattern will be taken through the “Lost Wax Process” to create a unique bronze or aluminum sculpture with a patina or alternative finishing method. Individual students have a choice to cast a wax form presented from a previous course or to create a new hollow casting for this project. A hollow lost wax casting method is the only technical criteria. If a new casting is to be produced, you are encouraged to create a composition and concept that pushes the envelope of this level course.

This project will challenge and further introduce the student to the processes of casting metal. A traditional investment material of plaster, silica sand and silica flour will be used for this project. The student should show an understanding of the methods listed below. A metal form will be cast and finished by the student.

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Exquisite Corpse: Artifacts

hildesheim_corpse2010_72Exquisite corpse or Cadavre exquis is traditionally a drawing technique where a bank of words or images are collected, and assembled to create a finished composition.  This project explores this surrealist idea in an assemblage of components to create an “Exquisite corpse” sculptural artifact.

Mission: (Project Description)

 In this project, the student is asked to create five artifacts from the inventory of objects created from previous mold-making assignments. Students are allowed to melt, cut, deconstruct, and transform existing objects and reassemble them into unique sculptural forms/figures. The final form may be prepared as if to be cast in metal using the gating method for the traditional investment lost wax method. Other materials may be added. Attention should be given to how additional materials are fastened to the wax objects. Note whether objects will remain as original material or be cast pin metal.

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Texture Switch

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Mission: (Project Description)

Within this project, we will bring into question the “skin” of an object, and how alterations to it develop our perceptions of the object.  Many artists, such as Meret Oppenheim, Lucas Samaras, and Joseph Beuys, have pursued this concept creating works that question or negate an object’s original function.  The simple manipulation of a surface can allow strong conceptual narratives to develop, speaking to a greater importance beyond the original object.

Transform: v.  1 make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, character, etc.

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Sculpting the Human Head/Body

Fickle_72Prologue:

The bust has been used for centuries to honor, memorialize, characterize, and distinguish identities of culture. As a social political tool, as many forms of art have been and will be, the face and bust have been used to provide an instrument of social control and propaganda. For ourselves and prosperity art through human form has been a link to the identities of personalities of the past. History, mythology, and other stories are hinted at, and revealed by these simple yet complex forms. We have a compulsive draw towards the replication of identity through various mediums, to empower a material to conjure a sense of preservation.

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Plaster Carving Non Objective Form: Abstraction Morphing/Transformation

Wheatly_MMission: (Project Description)

Using two forms build one, morphing the forms together to become a non-objective or abstract formal composition. The original forms are to be used as inspiration to assist in guiding the form. Use elements from each, yet develop your sculpture as a unique entity with an elegant form and a clean aesthetic. Original chosen objects may be mechanical (man-made) or natural.

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Cardboard: Mechanical Objects to Cardboard Objects

11MarquezStudent_2013In this project you are to use reclaimed cardboard to render everyday objects. The cardboard structures emphasize the importance of reusing and recycling materials and should provide an inspiring example of creative thought and innovation through repurposing materials.

Mission: (Project Description)

Your mission is to build a mechanical object from the structural and aesthetic qualities of cardboard. Using cardboard, adhesives, and possibly some fasteners (such as string, nails, and screws) you will be building a 3 dimensional duplication of a mechanical object/device. The finished form should be at least 18 inches in one dimension. Glues are allowed on this project. Tapes or fasteners may be used as well. Hide them and use them strategically, to develop a consistently crafted object. Think craftsmanship! Folding, cutting, de-lamination, lamination methods and strategically placing cardboard in a consistent structural method should be a goal. Conservation of materials should be considered as well. The size and weight of the final object is a usual obstacle for sculptors.

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Wood Transformation

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Premise:

In this project, the student is asked to create a sculptural form from wood material. The form does not necessarily need to look like a specific thing. It may be non-objective if desired. If the goal is to create a representation of a real object, a model should be made available. As a basis, 2×4 material may be purchased.

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Body Art: Plaster Casting and Mixed Media

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Prologue:

The human body and its components allow us to understand facets of identity such as gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity. Slight gestures can represent emotion, mood, and intent. Subtle and extreme alterations of the body, such as hair, skin, and clothing can suggest alignment with or rebellion against social conventions and to express ideas to others. Many artists explore visual expression through representations of the body and by using their bodies in their creative process. The poetry of bringing objects together to suggest or make strong statements can sometimes be elusive. Not only does one need the right objects to build a dialogue, but a keen observation of craft is important in developing a poetic voice that does not distract the artist’s intent.

Mission: (Project Description)

Create a sculptural form using elements from the human body and at minimum one other form. A cast component, plaster, or other material, of the body, will be a basis for their research. Other materials are not only encouraged but also expected in the final solution.

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