How to Tell if your Artwork is Done!

 How to tell if an artwork is done?

Is it done just because all the white space is gone?  Maybe!

Is it done just because it just feels done?   Perhaps!

Is it done just because you spent a long time on it?  Possibly!

Is it done just because everything is glued down and staying in place?  Could be!

Is it done if your sculpture doesn't tip over?  Might be!

Sometimes you could have done all of this and your art is still not complete. This portrait is glued well and has details but still looks incomplete.  Let's look at how art becomes finished.  

If it's a Drawing:

Would you say this art is done?

The artist has created a pencil drawing.  Pencil drawings don't need color to look finished especially with pencil shading and value but this one looks like the artist has just begun.

How about now?

The pencil drawing is now outlined with Sharpie.  The outline shows off the shapes of the drawing.  But it is not quite completed.

How does this artwork look now?

The artist colored in the space with both markers and liquid watercolor. The color goes to all four sides of the paper and the painting quality looks nice and neat.

Finished drawings --

*coloring to the top, bottom, sides.

*have details.

*fill in white space.

*can be outlined with Sharpie.

If it's a Collage...

https://crystalbridges.org/blog/activity-make-an-abstract-collage-portrait/

This is clearly just the start of a collage.  The artist has gathered papers and materials, scissors and glue and they are ready to start.

This artist decided to make a portrait but they are filling in the background first.  What could they add next?

They cut out a curved shape for the body/shirt.  They cut out an oval for the head and some purple hair.  It's starting to look finished but is it?

What are some details the artist added to make it look finished?

a finished collage has:

*filled the space.

*can include drawing, fibers or painting.

*is carefully glued.

If it's a Painting...

This artist sketched a still-life and painted the first class.

Using a smaller brush and markers plant leaves were colored in. 

What is the artist doing here to make the art look and feel more finished?

How do you know this is done?

a finished painting...

*might be filled in completely with paint.

*can included drawing on dry paint areas.

*white space is intentional, on purpose.

If it's a Sculpture...

How can you tell this is the beginning stages of a sculpture?  Clearly it's NOT done.

How is this cardboard tube getting transformed? Part of a complete sculpture is transformation if you are using cardboard.

Assembling the sculpture.  Your sculpture should pass the shake test and balance test.  Nothing should fall off when you give it a shake. 

It's done! 

a finished sculpture...

*has been transformed.

*passes the balance and shake test.

*is covered with paint, paper, marker, crayon, etc.

You can complete your art in more than one studio.

https://primaryschoolart.com/2022/03/28/collage-mixed-media-houses-paper-bag-housesprep-art-lesson/

Can you name all the studios this artwork went to?

Did this artist add details?

Did this artist fill in the blank space?

For the Meramec Art Walk you will create a WOW artwork.  WOW stands for Wonderful, Original, Work.

-Your artwork should show you cared.

-You should spend 2 or more art classes on your art.

-Your art should show you took your time.

-Your art should be your best quality.

Magnificent Metal

As we know, artists use lots of different mediums.  Do you remember what an artistic medium is?

Some artists use metal to build and sculpt and others  use metal to show off their drawing skills!  Let's find out how that is even possible.

Metal embossing and Repousse push and move the metal using tools to imprint marks and designs  onto the surface. (what's the surface?)  Embossing presses lines and patterns into the front side of the metal. While Repousse pushes the metal from the back raising up the design.  The metal can also be worked between the created lines to raise areas of the metal.  

Artists around the world work with metal and metal tooling is created most often in tin, copper and aluminum.  In Mexico there is a folk art tradition of making tin ornaments.

Repujado which is the metal tooling art. Hojalata means tin artwork in Spanish.  The metal is malleable which makes it easy to create details in the surface.  What does malleable mean?

Mexican Folk Artisans shape, stamp, punch cut and paint metal into decorative and sometimes functional art.  It's popular and inexpensive and the shiny surface is part of the quality.

You may choose to make a metal embossed ornament and if you don't we will still add the process to our creativity bank account.

Place a piece of cardboard on your table. The metal needs a soft surface to press into.

You can sketch a design in pencil onto the metal or start drawing with a stylus.  

Patterns with short lines will be easier to draw into the metal. If you are making longer or curved lines slow down the metal is slick and the stylus can slip and wobble. (turn mistakes into a beautiful oops)

Draw with a wooden stylus.  Go over the pencil lines while firmly pressing into the metal surface. 

Draw on the front.  More lines  will create more visual interest.  Press lines into the front, press lines into the back and repeat back and forth from front to back.

Embellish with colorful sharpies, beads and ribbon

One Artwork, Two or more Studios

When your art combines more than one medium we say that it is MIXED MEDIA.   Multiple mediums or materials are used to create the work of art.

We have many studios to choose from in our Art Room.  You can paint, draw, collage, sculpt, print, sew and weave, build structures, mold ceramics and create jewelry.   What would happen if you visit more than one studio with your art?  Let's find out.

A DRAWING but make it FIBERS



Artist Victoria Villasana embroiders, sews, right into photos.  She is "drawing" with her thread.  Artists can use fiber materials like yarn to create various stitched lines.

You can sketch a drawing and then sew running stitches and other embroidery stitches.  Make a stuffy and embellish your fiber arts with fabric markers right onto the cloth.

You could sew lines right into painted paper to make tree branches and grasses.

A PAINTING but make it COLLAGE

Start in the painting studio creating colorfully painted paper (or maybe you have a painting that wasn't what you had envisioned). When your painting is dry, cut it into shapes and glue.  Or glue other papers onto a painting.

a COLLAGE but make it a DRAWING

The artist Henri Matisse called cutting out paper shapes "drawing with scissors".  This artwork by Henri is cut paper shapes.

Could you use your scissors to draw?  Your cutting becomes a drawing as we see in the lines of these paper portraits. Use your scissors to "draw" into paper. 

a PAINTING but make it COLLAGE

Paint paper in the Painting Studio.  Tear and glue painted paper onto a painted sky background and add boats or sea-life.  You now have a Collage.

More PAINTINGS turned into a COLLAGE

Which part is painted which part is a collage?

FIBERS but make it JEWELRY

A PAINTING but make it a SCULPTURE

Painted cardboard can become a sculpture.  or Add painted cardboard shapes to a painting.  Paint on a cardboard relief of a sunshine.

a DRAWING but make it SCULPTURE

Draw onto cardboard or paper.  Twist, fold, bend, twirl, slit the paper or cardboard to make it 3D.

a DRAWING but make it PAINTING

take a drawing and paint in areas of color.  Watercolor is transparent so your black Sharpie will show through the paint.  Try stippling.

a CERAMIC ARTWORK but make it JEWELRY

This work combines drawing and painting.  with a touch of collage.

Will you try to work on your art in more than one studio?

Will you persist in working on your art for more than one class?