Styrofoam Cup Sculpture

 Styrofoam Cup Sculpture

Goals:  Students will be introduced to contemporary artist Tara Donovan and her sculpture created from repeating household objects.  Students will design and sketch multiple ideas for using Styrofoam cups to create an abstract sculpture with a focus on the elements and principles of art.  Students will use methods demonstrated in class to alter, manipulate, and attach Styrofoam cups in order to build the abstract sculpture inspired by one or more of their chosen sketches. 

 

Vocabulary:

 Abstract:

 

Review Elements and Principles of Art

 

Craftsmanship:

 

Asymmetrical:

 

Symmetrical:

 

Materials:

Styrofoam cups

Xacto knives

Rulers

Cutting boards

Procedure:

Contemporary artist Tara Donovan will be introduced to students, by showing examples of her work which is made from repeating household objects such as Styrofoam cups, buttons, etc.  Discussion about how the artist uses the elements and principles of art to create her sculptures.

 Tara Donovan 

Contemporary Artist: Tara Donovan

Tara Donovan (American, b.1969) is a sculptor and installation artist. She earned a BFA from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in 1991, and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999. By meticulously assembling common, household items into large-scale installation pieces, Donovan converts a jumble of everyday objects into an ornate network that appears to have a life of its own. For a 2006 exhibit at the PaceWildenstein gallery in New York, Donovan used plastic drinking cups to create an architectural, beehive-like landscape measuring 5 x 50 x 60 feet. Donovon’s sculptures and installations have been displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Hammer Museum at the University of California in Los Angeles, the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. In 2008, Donovan was granted a fellowship by the MacArthur Foundation, whose awards are often called “genius grants.” She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

2. Students will also view various other examples of sculptures created using Styrofoam cups

 

3. After viewing the work of Tara Donovan, students will focus on the elements and principles of art when developing their two sketches.

Things to think about:  Consider cutting lines and/or shapes from the cups.  Use only parts of the cup to build with (i.e.:  rim, bottom circle,etc.).  Consider using a heat gun to slightly misshape the cup.  Cut notches in the cups to link them together before gluing.  Make sure the sculpture is interesting from all sides and that it is not symmetrical.  You sculpture should have emphasis or an area to which the viewers eye goes first.  Both positive and negative space are important.

 Two sketches are developed, students will review sketches with the teacher in order to choose one concept to work with.

 

Students will build their final sculpture from Styrofoam cups using the methods demonstrated in class with a focus on the elements and principles of art.

 

Craftsmanship is very important for all works of art.  Students should ensure that all lines and connections are clean, and there are no glue strings from the hot glue gun.

 

Assessment Criteria: 

3 sketches are complete and show effort in concept and design

The final concept/sculpture exhibits effective use of the elements and principles of art

Final sculpture is AT LEAST 12” in height.

Final sculpture is abstract, asymmetrical, and is interesting from all sides

Cups have been altered and manipulated using the methods demonstrated in class.

Good craftsmanship