Looking Questions
- Who could this be?
- What do you notice about this statue’s
halo, hair, face, and hands?
- What is it made of?
- Try to stand just like the statue. Notice
how the feet and hands are placed and
the expression on his face. When you
stand like this, do you feel balanced or
unbalanced? Peaceful or angry? Under control or wild and crazy?
- What parts of the statue look most
realistic to you? Does any aspect
look idealized (perfect)?
Art Project: Soap Carving
Carving is called a subtractive process, because you start with a large, blank form and "subtract" or carve away what you do not want, leaving only what you want. Try carving a bar of soap. Select a pure soap, free of perfumes and lotions. Sketch a simple object, like a face or
an animal, on paper the same size as your soap bar. Remember to sketch both the front and back of your object. Use a pencil to transfer the design into the soap. Use carving materials (toothpicks, paper clips, Popsicle sticks, and plastic knives and forks) to slowly shave tiny bits of soap away. Go slowly; cutting away too much, too fast will result in a broken bar of soap!
Research Idea
Many religions use art to aid people
in their religious practices. Have each
student select a religion (Christianity,
Islam, Judaism, Native American religions,
Hinduism, indigenous African religions,
etc.) and research the types of visual
images, art objects, and architecture
that are used for the purpose of worship.
Discuss the role of art and architecture
in worship around the world.
Group Activity: Body Language
The posture and pose of a sculpture can
communicate much about the qualities
of the person being portrayed. Have
students bring in photographs from newspapers
or news magazines in which
figures stand in certain ways that tell
us about them. How does the president
stand? How does a really friendly person
stand? How does an angry person stand?
Students can also pick adjectives from
a hat and try to communicate them with
their stance, for example, angry, old,
tired, proud, shy, etc. Look back at
Amida Buddha. What was the artist
trying to communicate?