Gargoyle reflections.

Expressive Portraits

My sixth grade classes learned about face proportions by studying Leonardo da Vinci and his drawing of an ideal face. My students folded 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) white drawing paper in half lengthwise to show a line of symmetry. The paper was folded in half and then in half again to create four equal sections. Using mirrors to see their faces, students used pencil to draw traditional self-portraits, placing features on the correct fold lines guided by da Vinci's drawing.

We spent a second class period drawing emotional self-portraits. We made a list on the blackboard of human emotions that can be seen on the face. We then made these faces at each other and in the mirrors. When the grunts, groans, and giggles had stopped, students noted the changes in the position and direction of features as emotions were portrayed. Now the students had to choose one emotion from the list and, using the mirror, draw themselves showing that feeling.

Gargoyle Face Sculptures

Once my students were comfortable drawing faces, we moved on to gargoyles. A brief history of gargoyles was presented. My students learned that 800 years ago, Gothic cathedrals were decorated with ornamental sculptures called gargoyles. These monsters were carved in stone with ugly faces to drive away evil spirits. However, these sculptures had a truer purpose. These gargoyles were also waterspouts to keep the rainwater from staining the cathedral. We looked at photos of gargoyles and focused on the faces. We noticed how closely they resembled human proportions. The students named the emotions that the gargoyle faces portrayed. With all this background information and motivation, students were now ready to start their own bas-relief gargoyle sculpture.

Students began with a sketch of their gargoyle. They folded in half 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) drawing paper to create a line of symmetry. A face was sketched with pencil on the opened paper. Students could use their previous expressive face as a starting point or, using the mirror, draw a new one. This time, students had to exaggerate the features and add other details to give their face the appearance of a gargoyle. The outside contour of the face could also change. This sketch was cut from the paper and traced onto oak tag, using a pencil. The oak tag was also cut and became the simple armature for the plaster gauze strips. A definition of bas-relief as a type of sculpture was given. To make the armature curve like a face, crumpled newspaper was placed under the oak tag.

Before we started with the plaster strips, we felt our faces to determine what forms came forward and which ones receded. Wetting the plaster strips and either crumpling them in a ball for the cheeks, chin and eyes or folding them several times for the brow, nose and lips, we created these forms and placed them on the oak tag. These were smoothed over the balled or folded strips attaching them to the oak tag. When the sculpture became too saturated, it was put aside for the next class period. A newspaper ball was placed under the oak tag to support the curved shape as it dried.

At the start of each new class period, the face had to be lightly sprinkled with water before new strips could be added. At least three layers of smoothed plaster strips were needed to cover the front of the gargoyle face. Designing the gargoyle and applying the plaster took four, forty-three-minute class periods. When the plaster dried, the newspaper was removed from the back of the face and we were ready to paint.

Incorporating Value

At this point, I took a class period to introduce the element of value. Using a value poster, I showed and described the value scale. I turned half the classroom's lights out and positioned the students so that one side of their faces was facing the lights. Using mirrors, I asked my students to look at their faces and name the forms that were the lightest and darkest. I asked them to feel their faces and make the connection that the forms that come forward the most capture the light. Therefore they are the lightest; those that recede the most are the darkest.

We looked at the other values on our faces and matched them to the value scale poster. To help translate this new knowledge, I demonstrated how to mix a variety of grays using black and white tempera paints. I also demonstrated how dry brush and stippling techniques can show texture as well as value. My students spent the rest of this class period mixing values and practicing the brush techniques on their original paper sketches.

Students had a variety of brush sizes and styles. Each table had white and black tempera paint. The whole sculpture was painted a middle gray value. Students painted their gargoyle faces either using a mirror to help with value or feeling their faces as they painted. This use of painted value heightened the three-dimensional quality of the low-relief faces. New facial details could be added with paint. The plaster itself gave the gargoyles a stone-like texture, but stippling and dry brush added emphasis and textural variety.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students select and use the qualities and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas.

Thais Wright is an art teacher at Agawam Middle School in Agawam, Massachusetts.