Marks a Story Worth Telling: Cast Hands (a gestural portrait)
lesson objectives: introduction to 3-D form, use of plaster casting material, ways of seeing, identity
Essential Questions:
~What is a portrait?
~What must a portrait include?
~What is a gesture?
~What does gesture tell us about you?
~How does gesture differ from posture?
~Who are you? How can you show me that in a gesture? In a word?
~How do we communicate?
~What do we use to communicate?
~What sculpture have you seen?
~Is there sculpture in this room? Where?
~How is sculpture different from painting? Drawing? Printmaking?
~What is a portrait?
~What must a portrait include?
~What is a gesture?
~What does gesture tell us about you?
~How does gesture differ from posture?
~Who are you? How can you show me that in a gesture? In a word?
~How do we communicate?
~What do we use to communicate?
~What sculpture have you seen?
~Is there sculpture in this room? Where?
~How is sculpture different from painting? Drawing? Printmaking?
Enduring Understandings:
~To portray means to show something about the subject.
~There are many visual tools available to meet this end - some literal and some metaphorical.
~Slight variations in gesture, posture & context can change the final perception of the subject.
~Broadening the way you look at portraits increases visual literacy.
~Sculpture is a 3D art form that includes sculpture in relief and in the round (suspended or free-standing).
~Casting is one way to create a sculpture.
~Identity can be shown in gesture, form, words.
~To portray means to show something about the subject.
~There are many visual tools available to meet this end - some literal and some metaphorical.
~Slight variations in gesture, posture & context can change the final perception of the subject.
~Broadening the way you look at portraits increases visual literacy.
~Sculpture is a 3D art form that includes sculpture in relief and in the round (suspended or free-standing).
~Casting is one way to create a sculpture.
~Identity can be shown in gesture, form, words.
Stories (Hook):
“Hands” by Sarah Kay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn0zAUVkCgE
People used to tell me that I had beautiful hands. Told me so often in fact that one day I started to believe them, until I asked my photographer father 'hey daddy could I be a hand model?', to which he said 'no way'. I don't remember the reason he gave me, and I would've been upset but there were far too many stuffed animals to hold, too many homework assignments to write, too many boys to wave at, too many years to grow. We used to have a game, my dad and I, about holding hands. Cos we held hands everywhere. And every time either he or I would whisper a great big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands. That we were sure this one had to be 8,002,753. Hands learn more then minds do. Hands learn to hold other hands. How to grip pencils and mold poetry. How to tickle pianos, dribble basketballs and grip the handles of a bicycle. How to hold old people and touch babies. I love hands like I love people. They are the maps and compasses with which we navigate our way through life. Some people read palms to tell you your future, but I read hands to tell your past. Each scar marks a story worth telling. Each callused palm, each cracked knuckle is a missed punch or years working in a factory. Now I've seen middle eastern hands clenched in middle eastern fists, pounding against each other like war drums. Each country sees their fists as warriors and and others as enemies. Even if fists alone are only hands. But this is not about politics, no hands are not about politics. This is a poem about love, and fingers. Fingers interlock like a beautiful zipper of prayer. One time I grabbed my dad's hand so that our fingers interlocked perfectly. But he changed position saying "no, that hand hold is for your Mom!". Kids high-five but grown ups shake hands. You need a firm handshake, but don't hold on too tight, but don't let go too soon, but don't hold on for too long. Hands are not about politics. When did it become so complicated? I always thought it was so simple. The other day my Dad looked at my hands as if seeing them for the first time and with laughter behind his eyelids, and with all the seriousness a man of his humor could muster he said "you know you've got nice hands, you could've been a hand model!". And before the laughter can escape me, I shake my head at him and squeeze his hand 8,002,753 times.
"Hands" by Albrecht Durer
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.
Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."
All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."
Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for me it is too late."
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."
“Hands” by Sarah Kay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn0zAUVkCgE
People used to tell me that I had beautiful hands. Told me so often in fact that one day I started to believe them, until I asked my photographer father 'hey daddy could I be a hand model?', to which he said 'no way'. I don't remember the reason he gave me, and I would've been upset but there were far too many stuffed animals to hold, too many homework assignments to write, too many boys to wave at, too many years to grow. We used to have a game, my dad and I, about holding hands. Cos we held hands everywhere. And every time either he or I would whisper a great big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands. That we were sure this one had to be 8,002,753. Hands learn more then minds do. Hands learn to hold other hands. How to grip pencils and mold poetry. How to tickle pianos, dribble basketballs and grip the handles of a bicycle. How to hold old people and touch babies. I love hands like I love people. They are the maps and compasses with which we navigate our way through life. Some people read palms to tell you your future, but I read hands to tell your past. Each scar marks a story worth telling. Each callused palm, each cracked knuckle is a missed punch or years working in a factory. Now I've seen middle eastern hands clenched in middle eastern fists, pounding against each other like war drums. Each country sees their fists as warriors and and others as enemies. Even if fists alone are only hands. But this is not about politics, no hands are not about politics. This is a poem about love, and fingers. Fingers interlock like a beautiful zipper of prayer. One time I grabbed my dad's hand so that our fingers interlocked perfectly. But he changed position saying "no, that hand hold is for your Mom!". Kids high-five but grown ups shake hands. You need a firm handshake, but don't hold on too tight, but don't let go too soon, but don't hold on for too long. Hands are not about politics. When did it become so complicated? I always thought it was so simple. The other day my Dad looked at my hands as if seeing them for the first time and with laughter behind his eyelids, and with all the seriousness a man of his humor could muster he said "you know you've got nice hands, you could've been a hand model!". And before the laughter can escape me, I shake my head at him and squeeze his hand 8,002,753 times.
"Hands" by Albrecht Durer
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.
Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."
All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."
Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for me it is too late."
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."
Materials/Tools: Plastercraft bandage vaseline/crisco (barrier material) wipes pencil scissors Prep/Set-Up: (12) 1" pieces of Plastercraft in each tray bowls of warm water - (1) per group placemat, paper towels wipes (to use before washing at the sink) |
Vocabulary: sculpture ~relief ~free-standing ~mobile posture gesture portrait plaster casting/cast gauze encapsulate Albrecht Durer M.C. Escher |
Process:
Class 1:
Share Hand Stories & Images
Facilitate discussion "What is a portrait?"
Before the demo tell students they will be working in teams of 2 and they will need to
know their hand gesture before beginning. Discuss the meaning of certain gestures.
Demonstrate process on one student (I usually choose a student new to the school).
...I use the metaphor of baking a cake.
Be sure to ask about tactile concerns - the barrier layer is thick and sticky, the bandage cool & wet.
Process:
~coat entire hand with a light coat of barrier material (Grease the pan)
~Position hand in chosen gesture - decide which surface is to be cast. Do not encapsulate!
(Remind students that hand needs to stay still for 10 minutes - so get comfortable, support the hand)
~dip bandage in warm water - place on hand & smooth it out so that it conforms to the shape of the hand.
("It's not often you'll hear me say this - but for this project, I want you to conform!" ... I always say.)
~Cover entire surface of the hand two times - smoothing after each bandage.
(Two layers of bandage is ample - 2 layers creates a strong cast without losing form details)
~Dry time is 7 - 10 minutes. During this time I talk about the chemical reaction when plaster dries [by-product is heat] & I talk about how the casting process feels on the hand of the student. I ask: Does it hurt? Is it uncomfortable? What temperature do you feel against your skin? Is it hot? Does it itch? (This is the bake time)
~Before removing hand casting, loosen the edges by gently wiggling your finger under them. Some students prefer to do this step themselves. (Loosening the edges of the cake before removing from pan.)
~Gently remove casting from hand. It is still very fragile! Write name & class on inside in pencil. Set aside.
~Clean up is very specific: wipe all excess plaster material from hands with wipes before washing with soap and warm water in the sink. Plaster will collect in pipes and build up to the point of replacement if not careful. Do not throw water from bowls down the drain - I collect and let evaporate, plaster particles settle & I wipe out with paper towels and discard.
Class 2 & 3:
Have classroom set up with water, placemats & plaster bandage.
Students sit with their partner at a station.
Review process verbally! Point out written directions.
I apply the "grease" as I review their hand gestures. (What's your gesture? What does this tell me about you?) Remind them to wait for the grease before they begin!
Circulate through out the class as the groups are casting. It helps to have a volunteer on this day - there are always many questions and it's difficult to field them all when you are alone. Though not impossible!
Assist in removal of casts but encourage independence and autonomy in this process.
While person being cast is drying, the caster should clean up station & return to partner, work in sketch journal.
Repeat next week, reversing roles. (A 1-hour block allows enough time for both casts to be done; 45 minutes is not quite enough. If I am able to arrange for that extra 15 minutes, I do so)
Class 4:
The final week is when students both review the process of hand casting and create a small visual piece to hang with their cast hand in the display. Sometimes they create calling cards (I talk about the history of the calling card in "polite society" and the use of business cards today) or artist trading cards. The cards are intentionally left small so that they complement the cast hands and not compete with them. Review learning targets during this class block. Share challenges and celebrate success!
Final piece - modification (Feb 2014): mount hands on corrugated cardboard - students will expose some of the flute as a design element by tearing back layers. Display with this prompt: If you really knew me, you'd know... If you really, really knew me, you'd know ... Use the Shrek imagery: "Ogres are like onions" as you talk about peeling back into their past and personality. Remind students that this will be displayed in the hallway gallery so be comfortable with what they share.
Class 1:
Share Hand Stories & Images
Facilitate discussion "What is a portrait?"
Before the demo tell students they will be working in teams of 2 and they will need to
know their hand gesture before beginning. Discuss the meaning of certain gestures.
Demonstrate process on one student (I usually choose a student new to the school).
...I use the metaphor of baking a cake.
Be sure to ask about tactile concerns - the barrier layer is thick and sticky, the bandage cool & wet.
Process:
~coat entire hand with a light coat of barrier material (Grease the pan)
~Position hand in chosen gesture - decide which surface is to be cast. Do not encapsulate!
(Remind students that hand needs to stay still for 10 minutes - so get comfortable, support the hand)
~dip bandage in warm water - place on hand & smooth it out so that it conforms to the shape of the hand.
("It's not often you'll hear me say this - but for this project, I want you to conform!" ... I always say.)
~Cover entire surface of the hand two times - smoothing after each bandage.
(Two layers of bandage is ample - 2 layers creates a strong cast without losing form details)
~Dry time is 7 - 10 minutes. During this time I talk about the chemical reaction when plaster dries [by-product is heat] & I talk about how the casting process feels on the hand of the student. I ask: Does it hurt? Is it uncomfortable? What temperature do you feel against your skin? Is it hot? Does it itch? (This is the bake time)
~Before removing hand casting, loosen the edges by gently wiggling your finger under them. Some students prefer to do this step themselves. (Loosening the edges of the cake before removing from pan.)
~Gently remove casting from hand. It is still very fragile! Write name & class on inside in pencil. Set aside.
~Clean up is very specific: wipe all excess plaster material from hands with wipes before washing with soap and warm water in the sink. Plaster will collect in pipes and build up to the point of replacement if not careful. Do not throw water from bowls down the drain - I collect and let evaporate, plaster particles settle & I wipe out with paper towels and discard.
Class 2 & 3:
Have classroom set up with water, placemats & plaster bandage.
Students sit with their partner at a station.
Review process verbally! Point out written directions.
I apply the "grease" as I review their hand gestures. (What's your gesture? What does this tell me about you?) Remind them to wait for the grease before they begin!
Circulate through out the class as the groups are casting. It helps to have a volunteer on this day - there are always many questions and it's difficult to field them all when you are alone. Though not impossible!
Assist in removal of casts but encourage independence and autonomy in this process.
While person being cast is drying, the caster should clean up station & return to partner, work in sketch journal.
Repeat next week, reversing roles. (A 1-hour block allows enough time for both casts to be done; 45 minutes is not quite enough. If I am able to arrange for that extra 15 minutes, I do so)
Class 4:
The final week is when students both review the process of hand casting and create a small visual piece to hang with their cast hand in the display. Sometimes they create calling cards (I talk about the history of the calling card in "polite society" and the use of business cards today) or artist trading cards. The cards are intentionally left small so that they complement the cast hands and not compete with them. Review learning targets during this class block. Share challenges and celebrate success!
Final piece - modification (Feb 2014): mount hands on corrugated cardboard - students will expose some of the flute as a design element by tearing back layers. Display with this prompt: If you really knew me, you'd know... If you really, really knew me, you'd know ... Use the Shrek imagery: "Ogres are like onions" as you talk about peeling back into their past and personality. Remind students that this will be displayed in the hallway gallery so be comfortable with what they share.
Resources:
Henry Moore - drawings, prints & quotes on hands
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/moore-the-artists-hand-i-p02907
"Hand Gestures Say A Lot About Your Intelligence"
Annie Murphey Paul
http://www.businessinsider.com/hand-gestures-reveal-complex-thoughts-2013-6
Thinking with your Hands: A Link Between Gesture and Intelligence"
Uta Sassenberg
http://atomiumculture.eu/node/303
MC Escher's "Drawing Hands"
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/m-c-escher/drawing-hands
"A World of Gestures" Visual
http://www.nonverbalgroup.com
Henry Moore - drawings, prints & quotes on hands
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/moore-the-artists-hand-i-p02907
"Hand Gestures Say A Lot About Your Intelligence"
Annie Murphey Paul
http://www.businessinsider.com/hand-gestures-reveal-complex-thoughts-2013-6
Thinking with your Hands: A Link Between Gesture and Intelligence"
Uta Sassenberg
http://atomiumculture.eu/node/303
MC Escher's "Drawing Hands"
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/m-c-escher/drawing-hands
"A World of Gestures" Visual
http://www.nonverbalgroup.com
Learning Targets:
I can create a portrait without relying on facial expression or features.
I can see an artwork of someone as a portrait even if it doesn't include facial features.
I can choose a hand gesture that tells my audience something about me.
My gesture says: I am ___________________________.
I can identify sculpture in relief, sculpture in the round (suspended or free-standing).
I can use Plastercraft bandage to create a successful (strong in form & well-defined) sculpture.
I can use Plastercraft bandage in a safe way, understanding clean-up limitations and chemical reactions.
I can create a portrait without relying on facial expression or features.
I can see an artwork of someone as a portrait even if it doesn't include facial features.
I can choose a hand gesture that tells my audience something about me.
My gesture says: I am ___________________________.
I can identify sculpture in relief, sculpture in the round (suspended or free-standing).
I can use Plastercraft bandage to create a successful (strong in form & well-defined) sculpture.
I can use Plastercraft bandage in a safe way, understanding clean-up limitations and chemical reactions.
Reflections:
This is always a very exciting project for the students. They all feel successful in it and they have fun.
Here are some of the challenges:
~Some students have tactile issues or just can not sit still for 15 minutes.
~The energy level in the classroom is quite high and is sometimes a management issue.
~The clean-up process sometimes needs close supervision.
~Students want to hold their casting and put it back on before it is completely dry - this sometimes cracks the cast or compromises its strength.
~Partners are sometimes absent or mis-matched. (Or someone is left out entirely)
~Though students keep their own hand, it is their partner who does the casting. Remind them that they have another hand and they can ( & should!) reach in to assist in the casting. They need to also communicate their concerns if their partner is not approaching the process as they would. I have tried having students cast themselves and have found the partners to be the best option.
~Many students want to make a cast of their two hands - I give them 12 bandages and tell them it is their choice. The bottom line is the surface area that is being cast so oftentimes a clasped-hand gesture works.
~There are some gestures that are more difficult to get out of - like the peace sign. The cast removal involves a bit more twisting and wiggling of the hand and fingers but it is not impossible. When all else fails, just use a small, sharp pair of scissors and make a few small cuts in the cast.
Gallery:
This is always a very exciting project for the students. They all feel successful in it and they have fun.
Here are some of the challenges:
~Some students have tactile issues or just can not sit still for 15 minutes.
~The energy level in the classroom is quite high and is sometimes a management issue.
~The clean-up process sometimes needs close supervision.
~Students want to hold their casting and put it back on before it is completely dry - this sometimes cracks the cast or compromises its strength.
~Partners are sometimes absent or mis-matched. (Or someone is left out entirely)
~Though students keep their own hand, it is their partner who does the casting. Remind them that they have another hand and they can ( & should!) reach in to assist in the casting. They need to also communicate their concerns if their partner is not approaching the process as they would. I have tried having students cast themselves and have found the partners to be the best option.
~Many students want to make a cast of their two hands - I give them 12 bandages and tell them it is their choice. The bottom line is the surface area that is being cast so oftentimes a clasped-hand gesture works.
~There are some gestures that are more difficult to get out of - like the peace sign. The cast removal involves a bit more twisting and wiggling of the hand and fingers but it is not impossible. When all else fails, just use a small, sharp pair of scissors and make a few small cuts in the cast.
Gallery: