From 2D to 3D

In this Learning Unit students will make a self-portrait sculpture by using egg boxes, cardboard and paint. They will learn how to move from 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional representation and will explore the opportunities and limitations of each form. Students will be introduced to the field trip they will take in LU6, to a Museum for Modern Art.

Format

Discussion
Hands on activity
Individual work
Lecture

Age

What

The possible connections with your curriculum

Art
Design

Who

The people who take up the teacher role

Teacher

Where

The locations where learning takes place

Classroom

With

The community stakeholders to collaborate with

Ready for action?

Resources

Web links

Introduction and example activity for CoBrA (in Dutch – visual demonstration @ 2m20s)

Introduction to CoBrA (in English)

Tangible Resources

paint, brushes, water, paper towels, egg boxes, glue, individual pots for paint, lollipop sticks, cardboard, paper, table protection

Preparation

Prepare materials for painting/sculpture; prepare examples from the CoBrA art group.

Goals, messages & concepts

Specific goals

To create 3D art, exploring its possibilities and limitations.
To learn about the CoBrA art group and use their work as inspiration to be expressive.

Specific messages

Forgetting the conventions of traditional art and realism can help you to be expressive.
You can use anything to make 3D forms in your art.

Main terms

CoBrA art group,
2D
3D
sculpture
expressionism

Practices & skills

STEM practices

Asking questions and defining problems

Soft skills

Empathy
Dealing with uncertainty
Learning failure is a part of learning

Management skills

Use of resources

Course of activity

step 1

Reflect on the previous class exploring abstract portraiture.

step 2

Ask students what is the difference between something which is 2-dimensional and something which is 3-dimensional? 3D art is usually called sculpture but can also be about adding texture to paintings and drawings.

step 3

Introduce students to CoBrA, a group of artists formed in 1948 from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. Their style of painting was inspired by how children make art. They considered art as pure expression, and tried actively to remove the influences of history and culture. Ask students to explain what feelings and emotions they see in the paintings.

step 4

Discuss how you could use 3D form to create an abstract portrait? Would it need to be faithful to the shape of a face or a nose? How could the material help you to express emotions? Using craft materials to build a 3D self-portrait, consider how unusual shapes such as egg-boxes can be used to represent form.

step 5

Reflect on the self-portrait sculptures. Explain that sculpture, abstract art and portraiture will be explored further in a trip to an Art Museum in LU6.