Art Lesson #4                                                “SHAPE”

Overview

In God’s majestic design and order He has created 6 basic principles of design which encompass true beauty in the fine arts. When these principle elements are appreciated and used in art, the foundations for real art talent become alive.

The 6 elements of design created by God are: value, color, space, shape, line and texture. We have already discussed value, color and space in previous articles (see archives).  Once these principles are understood and practiced, anyone can enjoy art in their life, and ultimately appreciate the beauty of God all around them.

Introduction

God Created “Shape”

(Gen. 1:27) “ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created; male and female He created them.”

(Gen. 1:7a) “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…”

(Isaiah 64:8) “But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.”

Definition of Shape: to form or create; to mold or make into a particular form

Explain to Students:

Everything that we see, which is physical, has a shape or form. There is nothing that we can see that hasn’t got a shape. (Think about it.)

God is the One Who decided what shape things would have when He created all that there is. Could you form a shape that hasn’t existed yet?  (Try it!) Somewhere in the universe there is a shape like the one you drew.  (…even if it’s a “blob”!)

Just as all colors come from 3 primary colors (which God created!) there are also basic shapes which all created matter is derived from. These basic shapes are square, triangle, circle.

           A rectangle is basically made from 2 squares:

           A rectangle (or square) can also be made from 2 triangles:

           An oval is basically made from circles:

           Note: The inner circles’ curved edges would be the basis for the oval shape.)         

            A trapezoid (or any parallogram) is made from 2 triangles:                                                                                      

Allow students to experiment with the above information by tracing, using stencils or templates.  (This is also a good way to practice their geometric math terms.)

Important to Note: The above shapes are 2-dimentional, made with lines, which will be discussed in detail in the next art lesson. The actual “shape” we are discussing today is “Form”, which is 3-dimentional. All 3-d forms are also derived from the basic shapes as discussed above. For example:

       A 2-dimentional square becomes a 3-dimentional cube = FORM

         A 2-dimentional circle becomes a cylinder or sphere:

        A 2-dimentional triangle becomes a pyramid or cone:  

Artistic Observation:

This is one art instruction that should be enhanced with a trip to an art museum that has sculptures to view. Seeing an actual 3-dimentional sculpture is very impressive, especially when the student realizes that the artwork they are observing is probably made from some kind of stone or metal. (It’s a lot easier to practice with clay!)

Application

(lesson suggestions)

After viewing the “real thing:, the students will better appreciate their project in the classroom. This class instruction can be tried with many different kinds of materials for a 3-d affect, (paper mache, rocks, sticks, etc.) but for this lesson, we will learn with clay.

You may want to buy children’s or professional clays to experiment with the different influences they would have on the sculpture, but to begin with, I would recommend making your own. It is inexpensive, and you can make as much as you need. With the recipe below, you can also bake it in order to harden the final piece. Always paint with acrylic paint and/or polyurethane since this recpie can absorb moisture over time and get moldy.

Pinch Pots are an old basic favorite for beginner “sculptor”. Simply roll some clay into a ball or any size that comfortably fits into the students hand. Then “pinch” (with the thumb) into the center of the ball. From this basic shape, mold the edges and sides into what is appealing to the artist. Any tools, like toothpicks, buttons, cookie cutters, the ends of pens, etc., can be used to indent the sides for various affects. Once the pinch pot has been baked and painted, it can be used to hold jewelry, candles, paper clips, pot-pourri, or many other small objects.

Basic Shape Lesson Suggestion:  Based on what was discussed in the introduction, you may want to emphasize the use of basic shapes in every form God has created. For example, have the students begin by rolling various size balls (the balls can be flattened). Then, have them form squares and/or triangles, also of different sizes. Let them use their imaginations to put together larger sculptures using the forms they just made. (Sugg: triangles=trees; circles can be flowers around the trees; perhaps the squares/rectangles can work into the tree trunk, logs or little dog nearby.)

What shapes can you see in the things around you?

                                                              circle

                                              many circles

                                                        rectangles, curved cylinders

Other Ideas & Observations for the Art Lesson: Try discovering all the shapes you see within the things God has made. Sketch different objects, beginning with lightly sketching the basic shapes you see. Then form the finished shape around the basics, using tones, spacial relationships, as discussed in previous lessons. Darken in the lines you want to keep. Try not to erase too much.

Use this idea (basic shapes to finished product) with the clay you’ve made. Try duplicating an actual sculpture by an artist, or anything in the home, like a vase, bowl, lamp, cup, etc.  After students become comfortable with sculpting, go to the next step: the perfect form of the body. How many basic shapes can be seen in God’s most wonderful  creation – man?

Genesis 1:27 “…in the image of God He created; male and female He created them.”

Please Note: Depending on the maturity and ability of the student, it is advisable that the anatomical study of the human body be an area that is handled wisely. I, personally, see no reason why an advanced student must study the details of the entire human body in a classroom situation. After many lessons studying the separate areas that are most commonly noticed, such as the head, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, feet, arms, legs, etc., and the basic proportions of the overall human figure, I believe the student will certainly have the idea of the basics for drawing or sculpting the details of an entire figure if he so desires.    

Questions? Comments? Contact Jane Raymond at ITR.