Plastered Art

I probably pick a hard project when I start Art 1's sculpture unit, but I love these little white plaster sculptures.

So first we start by looking at works by Constantin Brancusi.  We talk about how he simplified shapes, but still shows you what he wants you to see.  I then have them cut the top off of an empty pop can, wash it out, and put their names on them.  I then spend the afternoon filling about 52 (I always make a few extras) pop cans with plaster.  I let the students fill them once and they used way more plaster than was needed or they had the opposite problem and didn't use enough and they ended up not working.  Since then I have just done it for them, and I will teach them to make plaster when they get to an advanced class.

I then have them draw 3 cylinders in their sketchbook and draw an object in the middle of each cylinder.  I tell them that if parts of it can't fit inside of their cylinder than that object is not going to work for this project.  I also them to be careful of pieces that stick out, because if it breaks off it is not going to glue back on.

The next day they peel the can away from the plaster and they start carving.  This is always stressful and comical at the same time, because it is amazing how many of these kids can not think 3 dimensionally.  It is impossible for them to envision what they need to carve.  I usually try to have them refer back to their drawings.  I also put small toys on the tables and tell them to pretend that came out of the pop can, how would you see the pieces come out of the pop can shape.

Here are some of the best that appear out of pop can plaster chunks.

John S.

Sommer B.

Abbie B.

Lane H.

Blake B.