2/7/2013

Planning/Design Model and Buying Materials

•  For my sculpture, I chose Atlas holding the World; This sculpture will require modeling clay, markers, balloons, pop-sickle sticks, pipe-cleaners, wooden cylinders, and toothpicks. The modeling clay will cover the sculpture and will be the main material, the pop-sickle sticks, wooden cylinders, and pipe-cleaners will serve as the basic model figure and support system for the whole sculpture. The markers and toothpicks are purely for detail purposes. The balloons will be used to make Father Heaven and Mother Earth. I will purchase all materials today. 

 Featured: Design Model and Materials

•  Complications: I have sculpted before with clay, but I have never sculpted with modeling clay; I simply will not be able to get the sculpture into the oven to bake, so modeling clay seems to be my only familiar and logical option.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: I have decided to do this project to portray Atlas as the holder of our lives; his sacrifice is not very well noted in Mythology, and I personally believe he deserves more credit for his heroic and selfless actions. The book portrays him as doomed and desiring relinquishment of his duties, but I believe he gladly accepts his job, and he goes well beyond his call of duty; he protects the human race even though we cause him much pain. He represents selflessness and sacrifice. I choose this project because I admire Atlas.

2/8/2013

 Rough Under Design, Building most Support Structures Underneath, Applying a base form

•  In this part of the procedure, I will use my pipe-cleaners to make a basic male form wire structure for the base clay to be applied to. I will also start applying some basic clay to hold some supports for the sculpture; this should dry overnight, allowing me to continue applying clay tomorrow. 

 Featured: Pipe-cleaner structure and first clay application

•  Complications: The clay simply is not drying fast enough; I certainly picked the wrong material to sculpt with. His limbs will not stay up.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: I chose to make his under base pipe-cleaners because of their durability and inexpensiveness. When I reflected on how to add underlying messages about Atlas in the sculpture I realized this choice also reflects Atlas's personality as kind or soft underneath; he has such great strength, but he has such a soft core or heart; he protects us with his strength, but his compassion, the pipe-cleaners, for us serves to reinforce his strength, the clay.

2/9/2013

Applying Clay for Base Shape

•  Due to the complications with my sculpture, I am having to redo some of the sculpture.Today I will apply more clay to create a base for me to sculpt on. I apply the clay and cover all uncovered or empty areas. I now have a basic form for me to sculpt a human male. I can only hope that with my supports I implemented that the sculpture will not collapse and I can continue working tomorrow.

Featured: Basic clay form  

• Complications: The arms fell off, and he has completely collapsed; I will have to redo some of my sculpting.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: I construct the basic shape with blobs of clay; they are applied very crudely. The blobs of clay and application techniques symbolize the flaws and crudeness in human nature; atlas may be the strongest and most self-less person, but he certainly must have his shadow as well; the blobs of ugly clay could represent his will to relinquish his responsibility to protect and cradle humanity. His arms collapse which could also be underlying symbolism of his shadowy nature and human-like flaws.

2/10/2013

 Applying Clay to Create Basic Body Mass Areas

•  I add basic male anatomy and form today; I construct some muscle tone and limbs. I correct most of the gobbed on clay and try to smooth as I apply. I have created the basic body shape and I can now move onto detailing.

Featured: Smoother and more human-like sculpture with very little detail, but a basic form has been created.

•  Complications: While sculpting, his arms fell off again. I insert some pop-sickle sticks into his back and shoulders to create a support system. I am feeling very frustrated with my project and I wish I had picked another. I do not know if I can complete this before the due date. I am very upset with my project and the way it is going.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: I finally am constructing his muscle tone. I apply several bulky and showy muscles to exemplify his strength and unrealistic image in my sculpting. Underlying symbolism of this application could be the presence of persona; he is showy and he looks slightly egotistical; the fact that he has no face could also represent the loss of his self under his persona.

2/11/2013

Molding Clay into Basic Human Figure, Applying Basic Details, and Allowing Clay to Dry Slightly

•  I will now construct the face basically; I also attempt to fix his broken leg and thigh, where the pop-icle stick has come out. I apply supports for his underside to hold him vertical more-so than he already was. I add more male anatomy; I construct all existing body parts that I have not previously added; he now looks more like a man, and he has basic details. I will let him dry over-night and tomorrow I will apply the rest of the details and finalize the project.

 Featured: Anatomically correct male with minimal detail

•  Complications: The pop-sickle stick holding up his knee came through the knee cap, ruining all the work on detailing his legs, and the whole leg toppled over which caused his thigh to collapse also; his whole body looks off now.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: I apply more detail today, but what really upset me is that his leg and thigh collapsed; he is falling apart. He uses his leg as his main support or front of strength, but when it collapses he collapses. I believe Atlas may have, at first, tried to use one part of his body as a main strength, but he realized that he needed to distribute the weight and force amongst his body. This developed his character and removed much of his egotisticality. Atlas is discovering to be humble and focus on achieving balance. As a teenager I can relate to this; I have to learn not to depend on one thing always, evenly distribute responsibility, and to humble myself through-out my years in high school. Atlas has to hold up the world, and I have to hold up my future.

2/12/2013

Applied Facial Detail along with Hair, Smoothing rough spots as best as possible to create the effect of skin, Used balloons for to represent the world and father 

•  I smooth Atlas using water and saturated clay. I use a toothpick to carve in his facial features and hair. He now has a complete face. I use balloons to construct Mother Earth and Father Heaven; I use markers to create geography on Mother Earth. I then tape on all additions to the sculpture. I am completely done.

 Featured: Final Project

•  Complications: Nothing really complicated the procedure once I got to this stage; I can remove most supports; I also cover some of his more offensive anatomy. I am finally done with this project.

•  Reflection and Reasoning: Atlas symbolically has attained enlightenment; he is completely balanced in his manner and has learned to hold up the earth and heaven with no struggle. He has realized his self throughout the procedure, and his many collapses and flaws are worked out; he is reconstructed and redone. His final image is that of a person who has attained a completely neutral character. I portrayed him as he is because it is purely original; in the other sculptures he is strained or burdened, but I believe who he is should be present in the appearance of the sculpture. He is the strongest, therefore I portrayed him as such. I feel like I can relate to his transformation, and I can detect underlying Jungian messages in the sculpture.

Self Grading:

 85-90% Range

 Reason or Explanation for Grading: I put exceptional effort into making this project; I spent well over three hours on this project, and I believe my blog is very professional and reflects my efforts. However, my presentation, due to nerves, was rather unprofessional. I did a very poor job presenting my sculpture and failed to present reasoning for artistic choices. I could have done better on this project had I not procrastinated, bought faulty materials, or put more effort into my presentation.