3D Art Processes and Techniques
SCULPTURE
Sculpture is created in four basic ways: carving, modeling, casting, and construction. We usually think of sculpture as being freestanding, like the Venus de Milo or Michelangelo’s Pieta, but some sculptures are attached to surfaces such as doors, sarcophagi, altars, or church walls. Such reliefs may be carved into the stone or wood of the structure itself, or they may be cast of metal and fixed to the surface of the structure. High-relief sculpture projects significantly from the carrier surface, while low-relief sculpture projects only slightly. Reliefs can only be viewed from a limited range, whereas a freestanding sculpture can be viewed from every angle.
Carving is a subtractive process in which some of the original material is removed. For example, a stone or wood sculpture can be made by chiseling and gouging away with chisels, hammers, and files to bring the artist’s imagined form into physical existence. The scale of carved sculptures can range considerably, from miniature figures that rest on the tip of a finger to monumental forms carved of living rock.
Modeling is an additive process. A soft, workable material like clay, wax, plaster, or papier-mâché is formed by hand. Amounts of these materials can be added to the surface, and the surface can be shaped and decorated by hand or with simple tools.
Sometimes an unfired clay or wax sculpture can become the basis for a cast form. In this process, the original form is encased in plaster. When the plaster hardens, it is removed from the original form and retained for use as a mold. The mold can then be filled and thus used to create one or more casts of the original object. Sculptures may be cast in plaster, metal, and more recently, synthetic materials like plastic or polyester resins.
Some sculpture is constructed using a variety of methods. Metal sculpture can be welded from sheet metal or bent from wire. Some artists use paper, board, or wood that is cut and glued, nailed, or joined together by some other means and then possibly painted. Sometimes found objects are combined to create a new sculpture.
Some sculptures can move or can have moving parts. For example, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) created mobiles with forms suspended by wire that can be moved by wind or air currents. Other artists have used a wide variety of motors, pulleys, ropes, pumps, or other mechanical means to introduce movement to their sculptures.
Carving is a subtractive process in which some of the original material is removed. For example, a stone or wood sculpture can be made by chiseling and gouging away with chisels, hammers, and files to bring the artist’s imagined form into physical existence. The scale of carved sculptures can range considerably, from miniature figures that rest on the tip of a finger to monumental forms carved of living rock.
Modeling is an additive process. A soft, workable material like clay, wax, plaster, or papier-mâché is formed by hand. Amounts of these materials can be added to the surface, and the surface can be shaped and decorated by hand or with simple tools.
Sometimes an unfired clay or wax sculpture can become the basis for a cast form. In this process, the original form is encased in plaster. When the plaster hardens, it is removed from the original form and retained for use as a mold. The mold can then be filled and thus used to create one or more casts of the original object. Sculptures may be cast in plaster, metal, and more recently, synthetic materials like plastic or polyester resins.
Some sculpture is constructed using a variety of methods. Metal sculpture can be welded from sheet metal or bent from wire. Some artists use paper, board, or wood that is cut and glued, nailed, or joined together by some other means and then possibly painted. Sometimes found objects are combined to create a new sculpture.
Some sculptures can move or can have moving parts. For example, Alexander Calder (1898–1976) created mobiles with forms suspended by wire that can be moved by wind or air currents. Other artists have used a wide variety of motors, pulleys, ropes, pumps, or other mechanical means to introduce movement to their sculptures.
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Environmental art, also called Earthworks or Land art, is a newer category of art form that first emerged in the 1960s, and many works that fit in this category could be classified as sculpture. Environmental art is usually large in scale, is constructed on-site, and is usually not permanent. Environmental art occupies space that may be outside in the natural world or inside a gallery or museum. In either case, the artwork redefines the space in which it is installed. Sometimes, performance may be coupled with the actual installation, and often the viewer is, to some degree, drawn into and involved with the artwork. Often, an essential part of the work of environmental artists is the process of collaborating with the community and governmental agencies to gain approval for their proposed works. Environmental art is often designed to be impermanent or to change over time. Photographs provide us with a more long-lasting documentation of these projects that are often designed to be fleeting in nature.
MIXED MEDIA
Mixed media is the name given to a category of artworks in which the artist uses several art media, sometimes in conjunction with found materials such as fabric, rope, broken dishes, newspaper, or children’s toys. Mixed media works can be either two- or three-dimensional. Collage is a kind of mixed media in which artists combine various materials such as photographs, unusual papers, theater tickets, and virtually any other two-dimensional materials that can be adhered to a surface. Artists will select materials for their texture, color, or other aesthetic properties or for their symbolic meaning. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are credited with introducing this medium to the high-art sphere around 1912.
The artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) is well known for his mixed media pieces that combine silkscreen images with paint. Some artists create assemblages using all found objects, both two- and three-dimensional, in their compositions. Joseph Cornell (1903–72) was a twentieth century artist who filled open boxes with a variety of objects that visually created symbolic and metaphoric statements.
Among traditional and nonwestern cultural groups, masks, ceremonial costumes, and other objects often employ mixed media. Masks may be carved of wood and embellished with grasses, beads, and paint.
The artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) is well known for his mixed media pieces that combine silkscreen images with paint. Some artists create assemblages using all found objects, both two- and three-dimensional, in their compositions. Joseph Cornell (1903–72) was a twentieth century artist who filled open boxes with a variety of objects that visually created symbolic and metaphoric statements.
Among traditional and nonwestern cultural groups, masks, ceremonial costumes, and other objects often employ mixed media. Masks may be carved of wood and embellished with grasses, beads, and paint.
PERFORMANCE ART
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Performance art is art in which the artist engages in some kind of performance, sometimes involving the viewers. Like environmental art, performance art lacks the permanence of more traditional genres of art. Videos or photographs of the performance may be the only remaining documentation of the event. In our world of canned, sterile, and constantly repeated media spectacles, performance art offers a means for recovering unique, unrepeatable human experiences. Since performances cannot be sold as objects, this art form has also been viewed by many as an escape from the increasing commercialization of art. True to the inventiveness of the artistic spirit, artists continue to explore new ideas, new materials, and new processes to express their unique perspectives and ideas. Such creative works continually challenge us to reconsider our own conceptions and definitions of the term “art.”
CRAFT AND FOLK ART
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Craft, folk art, and popular art are all debated terms applied to a variety of art forms across cultures. In many cases, these terms are used to discuss art forms that are largely utilitarian. Through time and across cultures, people have often sought to make the objects they use more distinctive or beautiful. Consequently, pottery, jewelry, fibers, and glass and wooden objects have come to be recognized as art forms even though they may have a utilitarian purpose. A discussion of craft or folk art raises many questions about the nature of art and the aesthetic pursuit.
Pottery is a medium based upon the use of natural materials. Clay, dug from the ground, is the essential material. Many types of pots can be built using hands and simple tools. A basic pot can be formed from a ball of clay by punching the thumb into the center of the ball and pinching the clay between the thumb and fingers. Clay can also be rolled out into coils with the palm of the hand, and these coils can then be stacked up to form a clay vessel. Depending on the diameter of the coils, pots built in this way can be of enormous size or made on a tiny, dainty scale. Slab-built pots are made by rolling out clay and cutting carefully measured pieces, which are then assembled by applying liquid clay, called slip, to the edges that are to be joined.
The potter’s wheel was used in many ancient cultures and continues to be used by artists today. Using the potter’s wheel, the potter forms the basic shapes of the pot by manipulating the ball of clay as it turns on the wheel. When a potter uses a potter’s wheel to create pots, these pots are described as being “thrown.” Throwing allows for particularly thin-walled pots in a wide variety of shapes. Many potters combine hand-built and thrown forms to create beautiful objects that may or may not be functional. Once the clay form has air-dried, the kiln, a specialized oven, is loaded and fired. In the kiln, all remaining moisture is driven out of the clay, and a chemical change takes place. The pots harden permanently. Then, glazes made of clay and minerals that provide color may be applied to the surface of the pots, and the pots are fired once again. The glazes melt, forming a glassy, waterproof surface on the pots that is both decorative and useful. The surface of a ceramic piece can also be decorated with applied clay designs or with decorations incised or carved into the surface of the piece.
Fiber arts include both woven and nonwoven materials. Weaving has a long history in the production of materials for clothing and other household needs. Some weaving techniques use a loom while others rely on simple braiding, knitting, or crochet. Quilting is another important craft form that is practiced by popular as well as fine artists.
Archaeological evidence indicates that glass was first made in the Middle East in the third millennium BCE. Glass is most often made of silica, which is derived from sand, flint, or quartz, combined with other raw materials. The introduction of additional minerals adds color. The development of glassblowing enabled the formation of glass vessels such as vases, drinking glasses, and perfume bottles. Stained glass became a dominant art form in the medieval period and was used to create the dramatic windows of cathedrals. By the end of the nineteenth century, stained glass had also become popular for lampshades and windows in residential homes.
Wood has been used to make functional objects such as furniture, boxes, boats, and homes. Northwest Coast Indians carve boxes and house boards with traditional designs. People all over the world have made wooden boats in varying practical and aesthetic forms. Today, artists make all kinds of objects from wood. Such objects may be functional, but first and foremost, they aim to be aesthetically pleasing. Functional objects like tables and chairs assume the status of art when the design is unique, the craftsmanship superb, and the visual effect beautiful. Sometimes these objects may no longer be functional, but become art for art’s sake.
Pottery is a medium based upon the use of natural materials. Clay, dug from the ground, is the essential material. Many types of pots can be built using hands and simple tools. A basic pot can be formed from a ball of clay by punching the thumb into the center of the ball and pinching the clay between the thumb and fingers. Clay can also be rolled out into coils with the palm of the hand, and these coils can then be stacked up to form a clay vessel. Depending on the diameter of the coils, pots built in this way can be of enormous size or made on a tiny, dainty scale. Slab-built pots are made by rolling out clay and cutting carefully measured pieces, which are then assembled by applying liquid clay, called slip, to the edges that are to be joined.
The potter’s wheel was used in many ancient cultures and continues to be used by artists today. Using the potter’s wheel, the potter forms the basic shapes of the pot by manipulating the ball of clay as it turns on the wheel. When a potter uses a potter’s wheel to create pots, these pots are described as being “thrown.” Throwing allows for particularly thin-walled pots in a wide variety of shapes. Many potters combine hand-built and thrown forms to create beautiful objects that may or may not be functional. Once the clay form has air-dried, the kiln, a specialized oven, is loaded and fired. In the kiln, all remaining moisture is driven out of the clay, and a chemical change takes place. The pots harden permanently. Then, glazes made of clay and minerals that provide color may be applied to the surface of the pots, and the pots are fired once again. The glazes melt, forming a glassy, waterproof surface on the pots that is both decorative and useful. The surface of a ceramic piece can also be decorated with applied clay designs or with decorations incised or carved into the surface of the piece.
Fiber arts include both woven and nonwoven materials. Weaving has a long history in the production of materials for clothing and other household needs. Some weaving techniques use a loom while others rely on simple braiding, knitting, or crochet. Quilting is another important craft form that is practiced by popular as well as fine artists.
Archaeological evidence indicates that glass was first made in the Middle East in the third millennium BCE. Glass is most often made of silica, which is derived from sand, flint, or quartz, combined with other raw materials. The introduction of additional minerals adds color. The development of glassblowing enabled the formation of glass vessels such as vases, drinking glasses, and perfume bottles. Stained glass became a dominant art form in the medieval period and was used to create the dramatic windows of cathedrals. By the end of the nineteenth century, stained glass had also become popular for lampshades and windows in residential homes.
Wood has been used to make functional objects such as furniture, boxes, boats, and homes. Northwest Coast Indians carve boxes and house boards with traditional designs. People all over the world have made wooden boats in varying practical and aesthetic forms. Today, artists make all kinds of objects from wood. Such objects may be functional, but first and foremost, they aim to be aesthetically pleasing. Functional objects like tables and chairs assume the status of art when the design is unique, the craftsmanship superb, and the visual effect beautiful. Sometimes these objects may no longer be functional, but become art for art’s sake.
ARCHITECTURE
Architecture is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings. People in every culture and geographic area have designed shelters that meet their needs for protection. As people have imagined structures for a variety of communal and personal uses, they have developed various methods of construction to realize their ideas. Specialists in designing structures have become known as architects.
In early times, materials that could be found locally were used for building. Sticks, mud, grass, animal skins, ice, and wood were used in different climatic areas. Later, brick and stone were also used. An important architectural development was the use of the post-and-lintel construction technique in which a long stone or wooden beam is placed horizontally across upright posts. The famous Greek Parthenon is an example of post-and-lintel construction. This method is still commonly used today, with steel and wood being the favored materials.
Other key developments in architecture include the arch, the vault, and the dome. Each of these is a variation of the same concept that allowed for greater height and more interior open space inside a building. The Romans were great engineers, and the Colosseum in Rome provides a fine example of vaulted construction. The Romans developed concrete as a building material, which they used in building aqueducts, great baths, and other public works projects. In the medieval period, a skeletal building style developed that alternated between strong buttresses and thin walls with stained-glass windows, which admitted more light and color into the building. Many medieval cathedrals provide classic examples of this method. The addition of flying buttresses—external arches that counterbalanced the outward thrust of the high, vaulted ceilings—allowed for even more height and window openings.
During the Industrial Revolution, many new materials and processes for building were developed. In 1851 the Crystal Palace, so named because it consisted mainly of glass walls that were held in place by a framework of slim, iron rods, was built for the world’s fair in London. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, an amazing and beautiful monument, is primarily a framework of wrought iron.
Antonio Gaudi (1852–1926) created ingenious buildings of cut stone in Spain in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Without any flat surfaces or straight lines, Gaudi’s buildings are very organic in appearance. While we usually think of buildings as being more modular, having a regular and geometric shape, many architects have challenged this notion and have searched for aesthetically interesting designs and new materials to move beyond the idea of a building as merely being a box-shaped construction.
Steel and concrete have become the favored materials for large public, commercial, and multi-family housing while wood and brick continue to be commonly used for residential homes. While many buildings are designed by builders using more standardized plans, leading architects continue to explore new and exciting designs and materials.
In early times, materials that could be found locally were used for building. Sticks, mud, grass, animal skins, ice, and wood were used in different climatic areas. Later, brick and stone were also used. An important architectural development was the use of the post-and-lintel construction technique in which a long stone or wooden beam is placed horizontally across upright posts. The famous Greek Parthenon is an example of post-and-lintel construction. This method is still commonly used today, with steel and wood being the favored materials.
Other key developments in architecture include the arch, the vault, and the dome. Each of these is a variation of the same concept that allowed for greater height and more interior open space inside a building. The Romans were great engineers, and the Colosseum in Rome provides a fine example of vaulted construction. The Romans developed concrete as a building material, which they used in building aqueducts, great baths, and other public works projects. In the medieval period, a skeletal building style developed that alternated between strong buttresses and thin walls with stained-glass windows, which admitted more light and color into the building. Many medieval cathedrals provide classic examples of this method. The addition of flying buttresses—external arches that counterbalanced the outward thrust of the high, vaulted ceilings—allowed for even more height and window openings.
During the Industrial Revolution, many new materials and processes for building were developed. In 1851 the Crystal Palace, so named because it consisted mainly of glass walls that were held in place by a framework of slim, iron rods, was built for the world’s fair in London. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, an amazing and beautiful monument, is primarily a framework of wrought iron.
Antonio Gaudi (1852–1926) created ingenious buildings of cut stone in Spain in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Without any flat surfaces or straight lines, Gaudi’s buildings are very organic in appearance. While we usually think of buildings as being more modular, having a regular and geometric shape, many architects have challenged this notion and have searched for aesthetically interesting designs and new materials to move beyond the idea of a building as merely being a box-shaped construction.
Steel and concrete have become the favored materials for large public, commercial, and multi-family housing while wood and brick continue to be commonly used for residential homes. While many buildings are designed by builders using more standardized plans, leading architects continue to explore new and exciting designs and materials.