3D

I love the idea of teaching as much three dimensional art as much as possible with students. I personally feel like that is an outlet that is not often offered to students and is not easily accessible. This is probably because most people associate two things with three dimensional art: 1. ceramics or pottery, and 2. expensive. That is simply not true! Three dimensional art can be affordable and more accessible than we make it. Here are a few ideas for making three dimensional art possible for your classroom!

1. Found Objects

Students taken small objects around the house or around the school and combine them. This can be anything from trash to office supplies, so you can take your class on a field trip to the office and pick up some paper clips and some rubber bands. Above is a picture of Zac Freeman. He takes the bottle caps and other pieces and combines them into these portraits they are reminiscent of Chuck Close portraits.

2.

 The next project that students can do is called a multiples piece. This is a project where students can gather multiple pieces of one object. In this particular piece I assembled them in a non-traditional way by sewing Christmas ornaments together. The second part of the project is to add a surface texture to the sculpture with a second multiples object. In this case I added ear plugs. Things that students will want to do is fall in love with the texture or surface qualities of the first object but in this case in particular the sculpture would not have been nearly as cool without the second texture added.

3.

The third project is a wire and paper project. This project takes more a little more funding, as the materials need to be provided by the school as well as several tools such as drills and a few sets of plyers, two per student. The student will design a totem pole that represents themselves and then they will try to make a miniature version out of simple wire that can be bought at any walmart. Once they know all of the issues with the structure of their piece they can reevaluate whether or not their totem pole will need help standing up. The teacher will have to order thick wire online and then teach students how to double it by twisting it with a drill. The second part of the project will be to take rice paper and cover with water and glue to attach the rice paper to the wire sections.

Three dimensional art does not have to be inaccessible or unaffordable it just needs to be smart!