{"id":1007,"date":"2017-08-07T05:40:22","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T05:40:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/course.oeru.org\/art102\/?page_id=1007"},"modified":"2017-08-07T05:40:22","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T05:40:22","slug":"methods","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/course.oeru.org\/art102\/learning-pathways\/artistic-media-three-dimensional-art\/methods\/","title":{"rendered":"Methods"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are four basic methods to achieve a three-dimensional work of art. Let’s take a look at each.\n<\/p>\n

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Carving<\/h2>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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Carving<\/b> uses the subtractive process to cut away areas from a larger mass, and is the oldest method used for three-dimensional work. Traditionally stone and wood were the most common materials because they were readily available and extremely durable. Contemporary materials include foam, plastics and glass. Using chisels and other sharp tools, artists carve away material until the ultimate form of the work is achieved.\n<\/p>\n

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Michelangelo, Statue of David<\/i>, 1501, marble, 17 ft high. Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence, Italy<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A beautiful example of the carving process is seen in the sculpture Guanyin of the Southern Sea<\/a><\/i>, the bodhisattva Guanyin in the water-moon<\/i> theme from 10th century China. The bodhisattva, a Buddhist figure who has attained enlightenment<\/a> but decides to stay on earth to teach others, is exquisitely carved and painted. The figure is almost eight feet high, seated in an elegant pose on a lotus bloom, relaxed, staring straight ahead with a calm, benevolent look. The extended right arm and raised knee create a stable triangular composition. The sculptor carves the left arm to simulate muscle tension inherent when it supports the weight of the body. <\/p>\n

In another example, you can see the high degree of relief carved from an original wood block in this mask<\/a> from the Pacific Northwest Coast Kwakwaka\u2019 wakw culture. The mask was used in winter ceremonies where animals were said to take human form. It\u2019s extraordinary for masks to personify a natural event. This and other mythic figure masks are used in ritual and ceremony dances. The broad areas of paint give a heightened sense of character to this mask.\n<\/p>\n

Wood sculptures by contemporary artist Ursula von Rydingsvard<\/a> are carved, glued and even burned. Many are massive, rough vessel forms that carry the visual evidence of their creation.\n<\/p>\n

Michelangelo\u2019s masterpiece Statue of David<\/b> from 1501 is carved and sanded to an idealized form that the artist releases from the massive block, a testament to human aesthetic brilliance.
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Casting<\/h2>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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Richard Brooks, William Seward<\/i>, c. 1909. Bronze on stone pedestal, Volunteer Park, Seattle, Washington, US<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The additive method of casting<\/b> has been in use for over five thousand years. It\u2019s a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. One traditional method of bronze casting frequently used today is the lost wax process<\/a> (video). Casting materials are usually metals but can be various cold setting<\/i> materials that cure after mixing two or more components together; examples are epoxy<\/a>, concrete<\/a>, plaster<\/a> and clay<\/a>. Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that would be otherwise difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods. It\u2019s a labor-intensive process that allows for the creation of multiples from an original object (similar to the medium of printmaking), each of which is extremely durable and exactly like its predecessor. A mold is usually destroyed after the desired number of castings has been made. Traditionally, bronze statues were placed atop pedestals to signify the importance of the figure depicted. A statue of William Seward (below), the U. S. Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and who negotiated the purchase of the Alaska territories, is set nearly eight feet high so viewers must look up at him. Standing next to the globe, he holds a roll of plans in his left hand.<\/p>\n

More contemporary bronze cast sculptures reflect their subjects through different cultural perspectives. The statue of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix<\/a> is set on the ground, his figure cast as if performing on stage. He\u2019s on both of his knees, head thrown back, eyes shut and mouth open in mid wail. His bell-bottom pants, frilly shirt unbuttoned halfway, necklace and headband give us a snapshot of 1960\u2019s rock culture but also engage us with the subject at our level.
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Modeling<\/h2>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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The 1998 version of the 100 Swiss Franc banknote depicting four views of Alberto Giacometti’s Walking Man I<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Modeling<\/b> is a method that can be both additive and subtractive. The artist uses modeling to build up form with clay, plaster or other soft material that can be pushed, pulled, pinched or poured into place. The material then hardens into the finished work. Larger sculptures created with this method make use of an armature<\/b><\/i>, an underlying structure of wire that sets the physical shape of the work. Although modeling is primarily an additive process, artists do remove material in the process. Modeling a form is often a preliminary step in the casting method. In 2010, Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti\u2019s Walking Man I<\/i> (c. 1955), a bronze sculpture first modeled in clay, set a record<\/a> for the highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction. <\/p>\n


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Construction<\/h2>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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