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Objective: Create a relief sculpture utilizing letters as shapes

Disciplinary Sources: Art Production, Aesthetics, Art History, Art Analysis

Disciplinary Concepts: 

1)       shapes used in lettering design  can be used as components for various art projects including sculpture

2)       different styles of lettering can be used towards creating different effects

3)       lettering can help to convey feeling

4)       negative spaces around the letters may be considered as additional shapes

5)       compositional interest is enhanced through the combination of shapes and the spaces that are created around them.

Exemplars: Show students of how letters are utilized in existing works of art as well as elements of design – examples might include:

1)       “Love” by Robert Indiana

2)       images of Egyptian hieroglyphics

3)       images of other alphabets: Arabic, Hebraic, etc.

Condition:

1)       complete worksheets: research typographical / font styles (plan letter designs on work sheets).

2)       create templates for letter shapes (2 letters) to size desired – minimum of 5 copies of each letter to be used (additional shapes around letters as well as additional copies of the letters being used may be included) – 10 shape minimum (See note below - for special needs students)

3)       trace shapes from templates onto gator board – keep templates in folders (create an envelope to hold them). Letters / shapes should not exceed 8” on a side

4)       cut / sand gator board shapes: X-acto knives / metal rulers

5)       notch shapes for fitting pieces together (as needed – notches should be no wider than shapes are thick, and should be at least ½” deep)

6)       paint using acrylic metallic paint (gold, silver, copper, brass) – only ONE color to be used in sculpture.  Base may be same color, black, white, or a combination of black and white in a pattern that works with the configuration of the shapes (base should be primed if using black or white as color)

7)       After drying, shapes to be attached to each other

8)       Cut bases – 12” square particle board (NOTE: base could be Masonite or any kind of board. If on a tight budget, base can be heavy cardboard. Painting bases black gives a nice contrast)

9)       Affix nail–less hanger on back of base – grind off points as they come through the particle board base as necessary (Other types of hangers can be used if bases are cardboard... a piece of scrap cardboard with a hole punched can be glued on as a hanger).

10)   Attach / glue shapes - Cardboard spacers may be placed between letters to give more relief.

11) Critique/discuss finished work. Students write a reflection piece about their sculpture.

Materials / Tools: metallic acrylic paint, gator board (or recycled corrugated card board), primer, X-acto knives, metal rulers, drawing paper, scissors, glue (hot glue may also be used). (Note any kind of cardboard could be used for middle school)

Vocabulary: typography, serif, sans serif, Roman, Gothic, Book (and other major fonts of your choice), relief sculpture, negative and positive space, pattern, movement, rhythm, repetition, contrast, variety, unity, emphasis

Note from Kevan: 

As I have a very diverse population, I allow as many ways of accessing letter fonts as students need. Some do in fact freehand the letters while others rely on the computer to generate the fonts which are then blown up with either the copy machine or our "Artograph". Still others (typically some of my more challenged Special Needs students), will even resort to using pre-made stencils. However, I do have a worksheet that I have them all complete prior to creating their templates where they do have to draw out the 2 letters they plan on using in 5 different font styles. That is a hand done assignment.

Assessment: Rubric adapted from Marianne Galyk (Kevan uses detailed rubrics)

Rubric Submitted by Marianne Galyk

  Student Comments:

  Teacher Comments:

National Standards:

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