Relief Sculpture

My 7th-9th grade students learned about the history of relief sculpture - from the ancient Egyptians and Greeks to the Italian Renaissance to the dawn of American realism, then made their own!

Project Goal =

•     Students will understand that there are different ways to create sculpture.

•       Students will create a relief sculpture that demonstrates their understanding of form.

•     Students will use the elements and principles of art (color, form, emphasis) to skillfully create a relief sculpture.

Elements & Principles of Art = color, form, emphasis

Steps = 

1. Teach students about the history of relief sculptures in art. 

1. Give students the challenge of creating their own relief sculptures inspired by the idea of "what are you thankful for".

1. Have students plan what they are going to make by writing and drawing out their idea. They should include: write down 3 things that they are thankful for, list something that illustrates each idea, write down their final sculpture idea, draw an outline of what the picture looks like, and write out what parts of the relief sculpture should be raised.

1. Draw an outline of your picture on the paper (doesn't have to be very detailed).

1. Roll up pieces of newspaper and tape them down to get height (about 1/2-1 inch tall). This creates the "relief".

1. Cover the entire paper with paper mache paste and newspaper. Use small pieces to help them stay smooth and flat. 

1. (Before this step, demonstrate to students how to care for brushes and use paint.) Paint the entire paper by painting different parts the color they should be.

1. Paint on details by adding more colors (this will help the "relief" parts stand out). Adding tints, shades, and tones to make it more interesting and realistic looking.