Sculpture & Fibers

Group 3: Together We Conquer

Art 135, Spring 2016, Sacramento State
Ana Aguilar and Kyle Anstess

Big Idea: Fear

Lesson Overview
Students will analyze and investigate the process of fiber arts and sculpture
within the classroom based on a group oriented studio project. The studio will
allow students to work on fibers and assemble a sculpture as a class that
represents their fears. Students final cohesive piece and the discussion of
their fears will further demonstrate an understanding of fear, as well as their
personal understanding of sculpture and fibers, in art education.

A proceeding discussion of assigned readings from Parks and Bird will analyze
how the students incorporated the recently learned terminology into their
artwork.

Lesson Objectives
1. The students will (TSW) be able to create and demonstrate their understanding
of a sculpture and fibers.

2. The students will (TSW) be able to Students will connect the readings to the
studio experience.

3. The students will (TSW) be able to illustrate their fears through fibers and
sculpture

Key Concepts
Sculpture and fibers are inclusive of many materials and forms of art
As individual artists we may differ on our opinions and views of what is art
We all have fears, and fears can bind and be conquered by us
Through art making, we can overcome fear

Essential Questions
1. What is fear and how does it impact our art making?
2. Is fear real and/or imagined?
3. How can art making, through sculpture and fibers, help us
overcome fear?

Terminology
1. Additive- Refers to the process of joining a series of parts together to create a sculpture.
2. Structure- The way in which parts are arranged or put together to form a whole.
3. Visual literacy- Includes thinking and communication. Visual thinking is the ability to transform thoughts
and information into images; visual communication takes place when people are able to construct
meaning from the visual image.
4. Performance art- A type of art in which events are planned and enacted before an audience for
5. Texture- the way something feels, or looks as if it would feel, if touched
6. Space- the empty or open area between, around, above, below or within objects.
7. Assemblage- art made by combining a collection of three-dimensional objects into a whole.
8. Stitchery- term for artwork created with needles, thread or yarn, and cloth.
9. Quilting- the process of stitching together two layers of cloth with padding between the layers.
10. Subtractive method- technique of making sculpture in which a form is created by cutting, carving away,
or otherwise removing material.

Discuss the terms

Write a couple of sentences about what you learned from the readings and
discuss in peer groups for 5 minutes.

Bird: Abstract Art (p.148), Expressing Inner States (p.160), Documentary (p.166),
Chance (p.168), Performance Art (p.182)
Parks: Craft (p.50), The Emotive Object (p.68), Interactive Art (p.94), Performance
Art (p.126)

Fear- What is it?- discuss

Fear- a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,whether
the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

Sculpture
Sculpture- a work of art with three-dimensions,
height, width and depth.
What constitutes a sculpture? Agree or
disagree?
Possible Materials?
Different techniques?

Fibers
Fiber- 1.a fine, threadlike piece, as of
cotton, jute, or asbestos.
2.a slender filament
3.filaments collectively.
4.matter or material composed of filaments
What constitutes Fibers? Agree or disagree?
Possible Materials?
Different techniques?

Studio Instructions
Each student should have a white or fairly light t-shirt
On each shirt, measure out at a plane that is at least 12x12 to work on
Use a ruler or estimate approximately an inch border within the 12x12 plane
On that border, make four holes on each side of the plane
Brainstorm for 5 minutes about your fears
Then proceed to design/ illustrate fear(s) that you have on the piece of shirt, use

any of the provided materials to do so

Materials

Acrylic paint
Markers
Scissors
Rulers
Watercolor pencils
Watercolor paints/ tempera cakes
Gesso
Tarps
T-shirts
Glitter

Studio Instructions (cont.)

Once youre completed with your design, proceed to tie your piece with another
peer using yarn or ribbon, but ensuring a rectangular or square format is possible
when combined with the rest of your peers. Once done proceed with the
performance

Example
Final product

Closure
With someone from your previous group, or
another peer, pair-share what fear(s) you chose
to illustrate.
Then on the same piece of paper for the previous
discussion, share with a peer and write what you
learned about sculpture and fibers.
After you and your partner are finished
discussing, on your own, self-reflect and write
how you think you can or have overcome that
fear; and why?

Henry Fuseli, The Nightmare, 1781, oil

on canvas, 180 250 cm (Detroit
Institute of Arts)

References
Bird, M. (2012,2014). 100 Ideas that changed Art. London: Laurence King Publishing.
Chapman, L. H. (1992). Art: Images and ideas. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications.

Fear. (n.d.). 2016. In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/fear?s=t

Fiber. (n.d.). 2016. In Dictionary.com Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/fiber?s=t
Glossary. (2015, October 6). Retrieved April 15, 2016, from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/vaglossary.asp
Parks, J. A. (2015). Universal principles of art: 100 key concepts for understanding, analyzing, and

practicing art. Beverly, Massachusetts: Rockport.

References (cont.)
Pierce-Urlando, M., Dr. (2015). Art 133 Elementary School Art Education. Sacramento, CA: Simply
Press.