Sculpture

Question 1

Composition

Answer 1

-Viewpoint? free-standing sculpture may still be composed to be primarily seen from one position or may be in-the-round or multiple viewpoints
-Form open and extended or closed and compact
- Compositional lines: Verticality/Horizontality/
Diagonals(shallow or steep?)- what are they formed by e.g. limbs or objects
-Pyramidal forms(narrow base and where apex)? Echoing shapes?
-Symmetrical or asymmetrical?
-Dynamic or Static? e.g. Spiralling movement, animated or turning body parts, seated
-Very solid and emphasis on mass or lots of negative space and stress on volume, Fluidity between solid form and negative space?
-Directional compositional effects? Linear?
-highly complex or stylistic simplicity?
-colour, texture, pattern play any role?
-Drama of Light & tone? complex composition with many overlapping forms allows for dramatic chiaroscuro. Either light or dark?
-How does sculpture relate to environment?
-Mounted? Pedestal or base?
-Contrapposto? Naturalistic? Staged?

Question 2

Colour

Answer 2

-Draws attention to certain parts?
-Naturalistic use? Bold, primary colours?
-Raw material exposed
-highly polished, shiny or matt?
-Expressive use- certain emotion displayed?
Subdued- sombre/peaceful/spiritual/sad?
Bold adds energy or impact-uplifting/playful/dynamic/angry
-Symbolic use
-decorative- paint intricate motif?
-Spatial: in relief sculpture highlighting parts w bold colour or gold can pick out protruding elements
-Colour used to highlight the different materials used

Question 3

Pictorial Space (relief)

Answer 3

• shallow or deep? high or low relief
• Linear perspective? perspective consistent and mathematical or rudimentary and inconsistent?
• Is space realistic or symbolic?
• Use of foreshortening to emphasise 3D effect and suggest a recession of the form/figure in space?
• Do objects/figures overlap to give illusion of depth?
• Clear divisions of space (foreground, background etc.) several layers or receding planes of depth?
• Cropped forms suggesting space goes beyond frame or does frame neatly enclose space?

Question 4

Effects of use of pictorial space, reasons why

Answer 4

• contained, confined, stage-like
• infinite, open, extensive, freer
• naturalistic or imaginary space?
• rational spacing or irrational, distorted or surreal?
• Narrative use of space: spatial relations indicate status of figure or clarify our understanding of relationship between figures or what is happening in the scene, eg. separation between men and women or divine and earthly space.
• Symbolic

Question 5

Line and Shape

Answer 5

• Which dominates?
• Clear contours? line used to outline shapes in which places?
• Shapes flat and 2D or 3D? Where and why?
• Compositional line? Is it obvious? Where does it lead our eye and draw attention to?
• Static or dynamic line?
• Expressive line? movement, agitation, violence?/harmony, sensuality, stability, calm?
• Kind of Shapes: organic, angular, geometric, fractured
• Many shapes or only few? Small or large?
• Flow/direction of line: diagonal, curving, serpentine, organic, angular, sharp, flowing, disjointed
• Vertical or horizontal line?

Question 6

Volume and Mass?

Answer 6

• Sense of solidity and mass or weightlessness?
• Gaps which break up, fragment or open up mass?
• Relationship between solid form and negative space
• Material add to mass or volume?

Question 7

Decoration, pattern?

Answer 7

• Quality: fine, rough, smooth, carved in, marked
• Painted on or left with raw material visible?
• Polished?
• Naturalistic?
• Descriptive: help define/describe sculpture?
• Regular or Irregular?
• Geometric or organic?
• Figurative or abstract?
• Repetition, motifs?
• Expressive or symbolic?