Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you today? I hope you're feeling really good.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson.

I'm feeling very excited about that because today, we are looking at "Portraits and figures in 3D design." That's the title of our lesson.

Our lesson comes from the unit of work "Foundation workshops," so this is something quite foundational.

I hope you're feeling interested and curious about what we'll be covering.

So if you're ready with some focus and enthusiasm, we'll begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can review the range of ways artists create portraits and figures three dimensionally.

We have some keywords in our lesson, monument and figurative.

A monument is a large sculpture or structure built to remember a person or event.

And figurative, an artwork that clearly represents something recognisable, like a human or animal form.

These are our keywords, monument and figurative.

Let's look out and listen out for them.

They'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called "Portraits and figures in 3D design," and it has three learning cycles.

First of all, Artist spotlight: portraits and figures.

Next, Visual deconstruction: portraits and figures.

And finally, Personal connection in art: portraits and figures.

Let's begin with Artist spotlight: portraits and figures.

Why do you think people have always been such a powerful subject in 3D design? Pause the video and share with someone, what do you think? Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Artists across history and cultures have been inspired to create art inspired by the human body.

This can be known as figurative work.

Artists take different approaches to creating portraits and figures in their work, exploring a variety of techniques and themes.

Some themes and techniques artists might explore are: portraiture and the figure as monuments or memorials, to explore identity, race, gender, culture, to challenge stereotypes and expand representation, to manipulate scale and perspective to express meaning, as physical interaction.

Some figurative 3D design works are monuments to commemorate a recognisable person or event.

This kind of representation is very common in Western approaches to portraiture.

Have you seen a recognisable person or event represented in a figurative monument? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Here's Laura, "I've seen people like royalty, politicians, or military leaders, basically those with power or high status." Aisha, "There are loads of war memorials with soldiers' names or symbols like poppies or crosses." And Lucas, "You mostly see men, and usually white men.

There aren't many women or people from different backgrounds." Some artists have made monuments to recognise a wider range of people and events, helping to improve representation.

These include: Leilah Babirye creates sculptures like "Agali Awamu, Togetherness," 2022, which are monumental works featuring three figures which express unity and connection within marginalised groups.

Gillie and Marc Schattner celebrate Dr.

Tererai Trent for her activism for equal rights to education in their monument "Dr.

Tererai Trent." Do you know what or who your local monuments commemorate? Pause here and share with someone.

Let's have a check for understanding.

What is a common reason human figures are used in some figurative 3D design work? A, to decorate functional objects like furniture, B, to explore futuristic fashion styles, C, to improve digital animation techniques, or D, to remember and acknowledge people or events.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer D, to remember and acknowledge people or events.

Monuments and public sculptures are found all over the world.

Lots of different cultures have created figurative monuments to remember people, gods, or events.

And we can see a statue of Buddha here.

The reason for making a public sculpture can differ between cultures.

While the idea of building monuments is global, the style and focus can show what a culture values or wants to remember.

Can you think of different purposes for making public sculptures featuring portraits and figures? Pause here while you do this.

Here's Jacob, "In India and Southeast Asia, there are sculptures of Gods and spiritual figures, like Buddha or Hindu gods.

People still pray and leave offerings at them.

They're important for people's beliefs." Alex, "In African cultures like Yoruba, Akan, Dogon, and Igbo, there are ancestral shines.

They're not just about remembering the dead, they're part of how people stay connected to family and history." And Sofia, "Sculptures are often used in burials.

In ancient Egypt, shabtis, small statues, were placed in tombs to help the dead in the afterlife.

This shows what people believed about death." Artists and people will sometimes respond to monuments to address historical injustices and underrepresentation.

An example is the statue of Edward Colston In Bristol.

This monument was torn down by protestors because it symbolised a history of slavery that many felt shouldn't be celebrated.

Artists may explore and present existing monuments in a new and different context.

This recontextualization can prompt the public to think differently about our shared history.

Responses that aim to recontextualize historical monuments from Western art history include: Hew Locke's "Souvenir 8," 2019 added Masonic symbols to a bust of Edward VII, highlighting hidden histories behind royal figures.

The "Statues Redressed" project in Liverpool creatively dressed statues to challenge how public monuments represent people in history.

And Wangechi Mutu's installation "I Am Speaking, Are You Listening?" 2021 uses sculpture to give voice to overlooked perspectives, questioning traditional monument meanings.

Artists can use figurative sculptures to explore identity, race, gender, culture, challenging stereotypes and expanding representation.

Do you know of any artworks that do this? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Sam, "Artists create figurative work to help us understand different people's lives and experiences.

The figure is easy to recognise and can help us relate to it." And Andeep, "Using figures is a powerful way to represent real people and stories.

It can break stereotypes and show that everyone should be seen and respected." Ah, I love that idea.

Let's have a check for understanding.

How might artists use human figures in 3D design to explore deeper social themes? A, to avoid personal or political topics in their work, B, to challenge stereotypes or misconceptions, C, to create generic decorations for public spaces, or D, to show realistic body proportions only.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer B, indeed, to challenge stereotypes or misconceptions.

Artists exploring deeper topics in their figurative 3D design include: Heri Dono explores the mythology and culture of Indonesia through sculptural works like "Flying Angels" 1996.

Mrinalini Mukherjee used traditional Indian craft techniques in her figurative sculptural work to explore femininity, mythology, and culture.

Can you name any other artists who use figurative sculpture to explore identity, race, gender, culture, challenge stereotypes, and expand representation? Pause here while you share about this.

Thanks for sharing.

Some artists manipulate scale and perspective to explore how figures relate to their surroundings and to the viewer.

What meaning could changing the scale or perspective of a figure add to a 3D work? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Artists manipulating scale and perspective include: Michelangelo's "David" 1501-4 is an impressive 5.

17 metres, or 17 feet tall.

This work towers over visitors and upends the story of David and Goliath, where David is the smaller figure.

Willard Wigan is known for creating seemingly impossibly small micro sculptures in the eye of a needle.

The works have to be shown with microscopes when exhibited.

How do you think the differing scale of these works impacts the viewer? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Sculptures encourage physical interaction, enabling viewers to appreciate the texture, scale, and form.

How might you physically interact with a figurative 3D artwork? Pause here and share with someone.

Artists encouraging physical interaction with their figurative work include: Jason Wilsher-Mills's "Jason and his Argonauts" involved an inflatable sculpture which the audience could walk through.

"Exquisite Corpse" 2017 by Fanny Allie allowed audience members to rotate cubes depicting different parts of a figure to create new combined imagery.

Niki de Saint Phalle included interactive elements in her sculptural work "Tarot Garden" 1998, even creating a home inside the large-scale "Empress" figure which she actually lived in.

Check for understanding.

What is one key reason sculptures can create a different experience for viewers compared to other art forms? A, they're often made using metal or stone materials, B, they're usually small and placed on walls, C, it can only be looked at from the front side, or D, they let viewers explore texture, scale, and form.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer D.

Indeed, they let viewers explore texture, scale, and form.

Other reasons artists might create figurative art are: to show or question beauty ideals, to explore the body's organs, movement, and how it works, to explore storytelling and symbolism, to express emotions or inner thought, as a form of social commentary or propaganda.

And now it's time for your first task.

Select two or three figurative 3D artworks that explore portraiture or the figure, and compare them.

Consider these questions: In what ways are the artworks visually similar or different? Think about subject, colour, tone, shape, style, composition, and materials.

What themes, symbols, or ideas do the artworks explore? Are there any connections between them? Which techniques, processes, or creative choices in these artworks inspire you? And how might you use them in your own work? Pause here while you have a go at this task of comparing two or three figurative 3D artworks.

Good to be back with you.

You may have said something like this, "Both Leilah Babirye and Jason Wilsher-Mills create sculptures which are emotive and are clearly figurative.

Babirye uses forms often inspired by works from her native Uganda, but Wilsher-Mills' work is more cartoon-like." "A big difference between the two works is the use of colour and materials.

Wilsher-Mills's bright and eye-catching colour palette contrasts with Babirye, who uses materials to hold the viewer's attention." You may have said something like this: What's in common is that they're both large-scale works and are figurative.

Leilah Babirye has wooden works with found materials, links to Ugandan heritage with forms and style, and focuses on faces rather than body.

And Jason Wilsher-Mills has inflatable work, links to cartoon in style and imagery, and uses the whole body with interaction for audience.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, Visual deconstruction: portraits and figures.

What is the first thing you notice about this artwork? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Artists use various techniques to communicate in their work: the elements of art, line, tone, colour, pattern, shape, form, and texture, composition, space and perspective, materials and techniques, imagery and subject.

We can deconstruct these techniques to understand the work more deeply.

Check for understanding.

Which of the following best explains why we might deconstruct an artist's techniques and creative decisions? A, to copy the exact style for our own work, B, to decide if the artwork is realistic or abstract only, C, to identify which art supplies were the most expensive, or D, to understand the meaning behind the art.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer D, indeed, to understand the meaning behind the art.

So how are the elements of art used in this work? Pause here and share with someone.

Gold painted areas draw our attention to important elements contrasting with the stone.

Draped fabrics create texture, and patterns are found in the chest plate.

Tone is created from natural light and the carved forms. The angles of the body, fabric, arms, and spear create visual lines to draw attention.

Laura is describing the imagery and subject in this work, "She's holding items which symbolise power and justice.

I notice the confident pose and body language.

The figure is looking above people's heads, not at them.

The helmet, armour, and spear suggest war or fighting." Artists can use the gaze, pose, and body language of their subject to communicate a sense of power and social status, emotion or mood, confidence or vulnerability, relationships between subjects in the work, interaction with the viewer.

Check for understanding.

Which is the most likely term to fill the gap? A seated figure looking directly at the viewer can suggest, A, boredom, B, confidence, or C, fear.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected B, confidence.

A gaze that meets the viewer's own can create a sense of control or assertiveness.

And now it's time for your next task.

I would like you to select one figurative 3D artwork and describe it.

What can you see in this artwork? Consider the elements of art, line, tone, colour, pattern, shape, form, and texture, composition, space and perspective, materials and techniques, imagery and subject.

How has the artist used these techniques to communicate with the audience? You could record your response as an idea shower around an image of the artwork, write a paragraph, or make an audio or video recording.

Pause here while you have a go at this task.

You may have said something like this: Those details like the helmet suggest uniform.

The subject is positioned on a horse showing status.

The pose is confident and calm, not currently in action.

Varied textures and patterns carved across the work.

Non-direct gaze due to lack of carving of iris or pupil.

Change of colour and tone on the leg suggests this was once painted but has eroded.

And here's another figurative 3D artwork.

You may have said something like this: Made using recycled materials.

Calm expression, body in motion.

Sad expression with direct gaze into the distance.

Accurate proportions of the figure, she might be recognisable.

Materials and colours create a pattern over the surface.

Varied colour palette with blue and red drawing our attention across the work.

And now we're onto our final learning cycle, Personal connection in art: portraits and figures.

How can looking at an artist's work help us develop our own work? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Jacob, "I look at artwork with similar themes or meanings to help give me new ideas." Here's Alex, "I'm inspired by the techniques artists use and try to apply these to my theme." And Sofia, "Work that has similar imagery can inspire new work, even if the concept is different." Check for understanding.

True or false? We can only take inspiration from art that is exactly like ours in imagery, theme, and technique.

Pause here and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false, and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this: You can select the elements of an artwork that inspire you and consider how you might use similar elements in your work.

You could find a technique inspirational, even if the artwork has a different concept or theme to your own work.

There are a number of things which can cause us to have a personal connection with an artwork, such as the artist's technique or themes explored.

We can identify and interpret symbolism or narratives in an artwork to examine our personal connection to the themes of the work.

What symbolism or narratives are in this work? Pause here and share with someone.

The helmet, armour, and spear suggest war or fighting.

The smaller figure could represent justice or faith.

The draped fabric could link to classical art from ancient Greece and Rome.

Have you noticed different symbolism or narratives? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Different people find different personal connections to art, leading to varied ways of developing ideas from the same work.

How could this work link either thematically or technically to your theme? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Andeep, "This work could inspire my theme of emotion and power through the subject's pose and expression." And Jun, "My theme is roles in society, so I could highlight vital but underrepresented jobs in my work by using pose to create importance." And Izzy, "I wanted to look at shared stories in this but will show the real stories of my grandparents when they migrated." Can you think of other thematic interpretations? Pause here while you do this.

Thanks for sharing.

Check for understanding.

Why can the same artwork inspire varied themes and ideas for different people? A, artists usually follow one shared way of thinking, B, everyone interprets artwork in exactly the same way, C, people form a connection based on their own experiences, D, there is only one correct theme in any given artwork.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer C.

Indeed, people form a connection based on their own experiences.

And now it's time for your final task.

I'd like you to select one figurative 3D artwork and consider your personal connection.

What themes, symbols, or ideas does this artwork explore? Are there any symbols, imagery, or connections that help create a narrative or show meaning? Which techniques, processes, or creative decisions in this artwork inspire you? And how might you use them in your own work? You could record your response as an idea shower around an image of the artwork, write a paragraph, or make an audio or video recording.

Pause here while you have a go at this task.

Good to be back with you.

You may have said something like this: The theme, connection and communication.

I feel that this figure might be bringing a message from one place to another due to the pack on the back of the rider.

This links to my theme of communication.

I also feel that the non-direct gaze and calm, confident stance suggest this is not a warrior.

I will create a similar figurative sculpture with patterns and details.

However, I would like to use more modern symbols of communication and connections, like mobile phones.

You may have said something like this: Theme, dreams and hope.

I'm drawn to the colours and patterns that cover the figure.

It communicates ideas of recycling, and her expression and body language suggest looking into the future and moving towards a better future.

I will use tape and clear plastics to create a figurative sculpture and embed recycled materials like plastic bags, zip ties, and food packaging into it.

I will also incorporate text with facts about how to create a waste-free future.

In our lesson, "Portraits and figures in 3D design," we've covered the following.

Some 3D design work features figurative monuments to commemorate a recognisable person or event.

Artists can use figurative works to explore identity, race, gender, culture, challenging stereotypes and expanding representation.

Artists can manipulate scale and perspective to explore how figures relate to their surroundings and to the viewer.

Sculptures allow for a physical interaction with the art, enabling viewers to appreciate the texture, scale, and form.

Well done, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to explore portraits and figures with you, your own experiences of them, and your perspectives on them.

I've really enjoyed this lesson.

I hope you have too, and I look forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.