Brief

Make at least two 3D color objects plus a background and set it all up in a 3D scene to create five different photographic compositions (2D). Each object and the background should be monochromatic, extending the hue through shades, tones, and tints. Each object and the background should be a different hue. For each image, you may rearrange the objects, change the camera angle, and/or alter the lighting. Recall the various elements of composition and gestalt to come up with intriguing compositions. At least two compositions should be open, and at least two should be closed. At least one element—object or background—should employ pattern or texture.

Think creatively about how to make your 3D objects. Use cereal boxes, bottles, cut paper, origami, blocks of wood, rocks, etc. Paint your objects, wrap them in colored paper, and so on. Do not use pre-manufactured/readymade items. All these items should be things that you have made or significantly altered. The only exception may be using wrapping paper or fabric. The items can be quite large, or very small. Consider placing the objects at extremes—close up and far away, far left and right, top and bottom. Turn your camera sideways or upside down, or photograph your items from above or below to impact the composition and undermine the expectation of gravity.

Consider contrasts within the work and how contrasts can be created through lighting. Lighting will impact your colors through shadows, highlights, and reflection.

Materials

• Paper
• Pencil
• Acrylic paints
• Painter’s knife
• Brushes
• Disposable palette
• Cups or jars for water
• Rags or paper towels for clean up
• Soap or shampoo for cleaning brushes
• Scissors and/or X-acto knife
• Glue and/or tape
• Material to make 3D objects

Example

The work of Erin O’Keefe is the inspiration for this assignment.

Deliverable

Upload your images to the Google Slides template (see link at top of the page) for this assignment under your name.

Grading

Assignment grades will be based on the following:

Aesthetic Principles (40%)

Student demonstrates evidence that they understand and inventively integrate aesthetic principles.

• Excellent: Student employs the aesthetic principles addressed in class to create work that is individual and engaging.
• Average: Student is able to rotely employ the principles addressed in class to create a standard project, but not make it their own.
• Below Average: Student struggles to demonstrate a grasp of the principles and shows no facility in internalizing the ideas.

Labor and Technique (40%)

Student works fastidiously to apply appropriate techniques to the project and shows a growing facility with those techniques. The student’s labor is evident and ample given the allotted time.

• Excellent: Student understands demonstrated techniques and nimbly employs them in their work.
• Average: Student makes some stylistic and technical mistakes by ignoring provided guidance.
• Below Average: Student repeatedly makes the same mistakes and ignores instructor input and suggestions.

Following Instructions (10%)

The student adheres to the guidelines provided for the course and the assignment. If the project has a particular framework, the student adheres to that framework. If an assignment is to be submitted on a Google Slide, the student does not email the instructor a JPG.

• Excellent: A detail-oriented student who takes instruction and fastidiously executes it within their work.
• Average: A student who misses some details because they didn’t read instructions thoroughly or take proper notes when instructions were given.
• Below Average: Student ignores basic instructions and guidance given for assignments.

Reflection (10%)

Student notes on critiques along with personal reflection on their projects show a growing sense of awareness of how their work can be received and understood.

• Excellent: Student diligently takes notes during critiques, noting the core concerns of the critics, and expresses their own views thoughtful and honest self assessment.
• Average: Student’s critique notes address only surface concerns and/or their own self reflection writing is hurried and vague.
• Below Average: Student does not take good notes and their self assessment is incomplete or dishonest.

On-time Submission

Work that is not present for a synchronous critique, or is too late for an asynchronous critique will lose points under the Reflection category for not having notes from the critique.

Why?

Many two-dimensional art practices are actually based in three dimensions. For example, much of photography concerns itself with translating three-dimensional space to two dimensions. Drawing and painting often do this as well. It is important to understand how color works in three dimensions, and how that gets translated to two.

Learning Outcomes Addressed

Spatial Skills

Students will be able to generate, organize and communicate ideas in two-dimensional space using basic principles of color and composition.

Technical Skills

Students will be able to employ various digital and analog techniques to realize and evaluate aesthetic compositions.

Aesthetic Sensibilities

Students will be able to create two-dimensional compositions of varying sensibilities and articulate their appreciation of others’ art.