Trying something new can be so EXCITING, can't it? It can be scary, too.
Many of you know I LOVE art. Most of what I have done all my life has been 2-dimensional art - drawing, paintings, etc. It's flat. It stores easier, doesn't it? And that was so much of the focus of art I knew as a kid in art class. Same with you, I would guess.
It only seems fitting, then, that I have a kiddo who loves 3D art & crafts. And wants to go deeper in those mediums. And that means I need to get a little uncomfortable if it is something I want to experience with him. And that was what I did this week. I played A LOT with sculpture. I watched videos, read books and articles. And I tried it. And I failed. A lot. *sigh*
You probably guessed it: I even thought about cancelling this week's video. Or trying something else. But that would mean giving up or quitting, and I don't like those things at all.
One thing I remember another artist telling me went through my mind in the shower the other day (the shower is where all my best thinking happens...I should probably take more showers every day...): "when you are trying out a new medium, do it in a style and subject that you are familiar with." And that was probably where I was going wrong. See, I wanted to honor Ms Hepworth with a really cool geometric shape sculpture, and even try to create a couple in a few different mediums. But that is not really my style. Or subjects that I am familiar with. So, it was time to switch it up.
Gnomes are one of my favorite mystical critters. I have had gnomes and fairies in my garden for years and I just think they are the cutest. I have tried drawing them for the longest time, without much luck. They always looked wonkey. That changed in Sept 2021, when a sketch for my bullet journal turned out so well. Now, gnomes are one of my favorite things to draw. So...since I have been having luck with drawing those lately, maybe I give them a shot with a clay sculpture. And, in my opinion, that may have been good advice to take. I really like the way this little clay sculpture turned out. No, not perfect. Not in Hepworth's geometric style like I had originally planned. But, you know, that is what plan B is for, isn't it?
The supplies for this project are really simple. And maybe that is another reason I like it so much. I used Crayola Air-Dry Clay (you can find it at lots of places, but I seem to find the best prices at Hobby Lobby and Walmart), aluminum foil, a container for water and water. You can use tools from around the house for cutting, smoothing, and texture if you wish, though fingers work wonderfully, too. If you would like some sculpting tools you can check some out on Amazon, Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
The aluminum foil is perfect to ball up and use as the core to your sculpture. Then, add or subtract clay as needed until you achieve your desired shape. Allow your sculpture to dry and then feel free to paint it. Any craft or acrylic paint will work wonderfully on this project. Once dry, you may want to spray with a varnish. This may be a good project to split between 2 days - 1 day to sculpt, one day to paint.
The video for this project can be found below. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you. I hope you have fun with this one (I sure did - I am looking forward to playing around more with some more sculpture projects). Happy arting, all!