Week 1 Sculpture

FAMILIAR PLAYDOUGH
Impressive Hanging Ornaments
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Class Objective:
This first class allowed me to see each student's creativity, manual ability to work basic techniques such as rolling balls, snakes, embellishing, imprinting and their ability to follow simple directions using a clay medium they were most likely familiar with.

Students were introduced to different sculpture items and their techniques. Sculpted in various ways and from different materials, examples were: a large resin lawn ornament, a large metal ornamental frog, salt dough cookies, a polymer clay figurine, a floral ring keeper top set on a clay pot, earthen clay pinch pots, various pieces of jewelry, a relief design, tiny dollhouse miniatures, and a wooden carved musical frog. We will be making some of these items during this class. The class discussed sculpting, carving, and mold making which are common forms of sculpture they experience every day.

Project:
Flat,Impress,Ornamental Sculpture
We began by using a clay the students had most likely experienced before; the all familiar Playdough. However, the students discovered something new. When left to air dry, although fragile, Playdough can be used in a more permanent way. They each made a colorful and decorative hanging ornament to take home.

Project Application:
The students chose their favorite Playdough base color, and rolled a palm full out to 1/4" thick. Using raised plastic suncatchers (made for painting) students turned them upside down and imprinted their chosen design, then cut them out. They were required to share small portions of their clay color with the others, choosing different colors of Playdough to apply embellishments around the ornament's design. A final hanging hole was made. They were told how to finish their ornaments at home during the next week by turning them over daily until completely air dried and hard before hanging them.

Homework:
The class discussed sculpture around them in the everyday world. Home assignment was to look around and find different kinds of sculpture everywhere they went during the next week, and share their findings in the next class.

Looking Forward To Week 2:
Students will experience DAS Modelling Compound and will make name plates while learning how to mold embellishments and work quickly with a clay medium similar to Playdough yet fast drying.
Please check here each week for supplies and/or instructions that may be needed for the next week's class.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
We had a great time in this week's class. I enjoyed it as much as the kids did. I hope they all had a great time. Meeting, getting to know, and working with your children was a joy! I was delighted at how talented and creative most of them already were. This will mean we'll be doing some interesting things over the next 15 weeks. :o)