marble carving and sculpture Flashcards
steps of marble carving
-roughing out
-shaping
-finishig
-smoothing
polishing
what is undercutting
used to indicate texture (e.g on hair) and to make shadows and contrast
drills are used for undercutting
tool used for roughing out
-large pick used with a mallet
(to hack away at the marble block to get a rough shape
tool used for shaping
-a tooth/claw chisel is used with a smaller hammer with more delicate taps after roughing out
tool used for finishing
-a flat chisel
-allows for even more detail than shaping
what is used for smoothing
rasps and files are used used to smooth the surface to a high finish.
what is used for polishing
An expensive material
Association of polished white marble with Greek and Roman antiquity.
White colour can be associated with purity / nobility.
Noble associations.
connotations of marble
An expensive material
Association of polished white marble with Greek and Roman antiquity.
White colour can be associated with purity / nobility.
Noble associations.
strength qualities of marble
-high compressive strength (allows for tall and compact compositions)
-low tensile strength (allows for limited projections, there may be supports required , generally why marble sculpture bases are heavy and broad)
How can light be manipulated in marble statues?
In a raw state marble absorbs light
When polished with leather or pumice it can achieve a high gloss - allows play of light.
Deep undercutting can play with light and shadow.
Why is marble perfect for sculptures of the human form?
Perfect for human skin, as it has the same natural translucency.
what is the contraposto pose seen in marble architecture
-a technique seen in classical marble sculpture, a pose where the figure’s weight is shifted onto one leg
