University of Pittsburgh, Department of Studio Arts
Sculpture Studio 1 – Spring Term 2020
What Humans and Animals Do : Wire Sculpture
Works by: Derek LaBar, Tiffany Smith, Matthew Gatta, Ann Geary, Anna Wildner, Sabrina Borra, Nicholas Wyatt, Weiyi Chen.
Instructions:
Step 1: Produce on your sketchbook at least 7 good contour drawings of actions and/or situations in which humans or animals are involved. You can copy your subject from observing the reality that surround you, or you can invent your own subject from imagination. Pay attention to the structural and three-dimensional quality of your subject. The drawing should outline volume and characteristic features of your subject. Refer to the drawings and sculpture by American artists, Alexander Calder and contour drawings by Alex Katz and Ellsworth Kelly. Through this project you will be experiencing the difference between mass and volume.
Step 2: Using metal wire, you develop a three-dimensional freestanding, wall, or suspended sculpture. While working, move around the sculpture in order to engage and resolve all the viewpoints. The result of your movement through space with wire will define the volume and the lacking of mass of your linear sculpture.
In this exercise you will not use welding or gluing, but just hand techniques like bending, straightening, curving, twisting etc. This method must be fresh and quick in order to achieve a quality of lines that is graceful and elegant. Remember that usually the first attempts are not sufficient for a successful solution. So you will have to try several versions.
University of Pittsburgh, Department of Studio Arts
Sculpture Studio 1 – Fall Term 2019
What Humans and Animals Do : Wire Sculpture
Works by: Isaac Schaeffer, Ashley Kramer, Jaya King
Paolo Piscitelli 