Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

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

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

I'm excited about this because, today, we're exploring something really quite interesting, I think, and that's portraiture.

Our lesson is called "Exploring Portraits through 3D." Yes, we are taking it off the page, and we're getting three-dimensional with our exploration of portraits.

This lesson comes from the unit of work "Identity: Exploring Portraiture." It's all about the portrait today.

If you're ready, if you got some enthusiasm, some focus, and at some point, you'll be needing some interesting art materials, we'll begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can manipulate clay to model 3D portraits.

Yes, we are gonna be getting into the clay.

We are modelling.

It's going to be a lot of fun today.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

Let's go through them: depict, sculpture, contour, and modelling.

What do they mean? Well, depict is to show or represent something in a picture, drawing, or description.

Sculpture is a work of art that can be seen in the round, is three-dimensional, or as a relief; contour, the outline or shape of something, especially the curves of a shape; and modelling, the process of shaping and forming clay, often by hand.

I can't wait.

These are our keywords: depict, sculpture, contour, and modelling.

Our lesson today is called "Exploring Portraits through 3D." It has three learning cycles: first of all, thinking in 3D; next, manipulating clay; and finally, modelling clay portraits.

Let's begin by thinking in 3D.

Depicting people in 3D has been done for hundreds of years, using materials such as marble, clay, and stone.

Have you ever made or seen a 3D sculpture of a person before? Are there any sculptures of people in your local area? Pause the video, and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Perhaps you've seen the same sculpture if you are in the same local area.

The tradition of creating 3D portraits began in ancient Egypt, and here we can see Ramesses II, Ozymandias.

Rulers, deities, and important figures were often depicted in stone or wood.

These early sculptures were meant to honour individuals and convey their status or divine nature.

Why do you think ancient cultures focused on creating sculptures of rulers or gods? Pause the video while you decide.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's find out a little more about this.

In ancient cultures, sculptures of 3D heads were an important way to show power, religion, and culture.

And we can see an Olmec head to the left.

Look at the size of that in relation to the person we see standing there.

The Olmec created colossal stylized heads from materials like stone, while the Moche made realistic clay heads, often with features like earrings, hats, and painted faces.

And we can see, below, a Moche head.

Can you think of any modern examples where people use portraits or statues to show power or status? Pause the video while you share about this.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Select which of these statements is not true: a, in ancient cultures, depicting 3D human heads showed power, religion, and culture; b, in ancient cultures, depicting 3D human heads showed status or divine nature; or c, in ancient cultures, depicting 3D human heads was only used for decoration.

Pause the video while you decide which of these statements is not true.

Well done if you selected statement c.

Depicting human heads was only used for decoration is not true.

Why do you think there has always been curiosity about depicting the human face? Pause the video, and share your ideas with someone.

Here's Laura: "Faces show emotion and personality, so people want to capture that." Great point.

And Alex: "It's really amazing that out of all the people in the world each one is different.

I think portraits can be a way of showing those differences." Love that idea too.

Love our uniqueness.

Why might some artists like to work in 3D? Pause the video, and share with someone.

And maybe you're one of those artists.

Here's Sam: "I think when modelling a 3D portrait it feels a bit like bringing the person to life." Love that.

And Jacob: "When I see a 3D portrait, it can make me feel more connected to the person, because it feels like they're in the room." Yeah, just bringing 'em into three dimensions can have that effect, lovely.

Modern 3D portraits explore identity and social issues through different materials and techniques, including Ronald Moody sculptures celebrate African heritage and identity, often using wood to represent the powerful connections and enduring support within families.

Niki de Saint Phalle embraced playful abstract styles, using materials like clay, paper-mache, and found objects to explore themes of femininity, identity, and empowerment.

Which material would you use to make a 3D portrait? Pause the video, and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

How do different materials change the way we understand a 3D portrait? Pause the video, and share your ideas with someone.

Here's Lucas: "Wood can depict something solid and strong, while shiny surfaces, like resin and mixed media, can make it feel playful." Really great observations.

And Aisha: "Textures can also show meaning.

Smooth contours, like the grain in wood, can look like skin, while sharp or rough surfaces can feel intense or harsh." Great point.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false: "Materials can reveal a lot about a 3D portrait"? Pause the video, and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause the video while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this: "The surface textures can help convey the message of an artwork." Thinking in 3D involves looking from a new perspective.

Enjoying Alex's perspective there.

Elisabeth Frink created sculptures of human figures and animals, focusing on themes of strength and emotion.

She used drawings, prints, and small maquettes to visualise her 3D sculptures from different angles.

One way to visualise a portrait in 3D is to consider the muscle contours on a face.

Feeling the bones and muscles of your face with your fingers can help you create a visual map of its slants and curves.

Can you feel the different muscles and contours shown in this diagram on your own face? Pause the video while you do this.

Izzy and Andeep are discussing how they might use lines to show the different contours of their face.

"As I trace my face, I imagine the lines that would form; for example, from my eye to my cheek feels like a curve," says Izzy.

And Andeep: "Thinking in 3D helps me picture how I might mould my face shape and use lines to show those directions." Check for understanding.

Which drawing best shows how lines can show the contours of the face: a, b, or c? Well done if you selected c.

We can see those lines showing the contours of the face there.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to feel and then use lines to depict the 3D contours of your face.

Feel around the shapes of your face.

Trace around your eyebrows, the outer edge of your eyes, and along your cheekbone to your chin.

You should notice the curves and contours of your face.

Think about how these could translate into contour lines for a drawing.

And then use lines to show the direction of contours on a face template.

We've provided a template for you; however, you could choose to use facial proportions to draw your face, if you prefer.

Think about how the lines suggest the curves and shapes of the face.

Remember it doesn't need to be anatomically perfect.

Focus on thinking how you will communicate the 3D form.

Pause the video while you have a go at this task.

And now I'd like you to pair and share.

What was difficult about turning a 2D drawing into a 3D form? How did feeling your face help you understand the 3D depth and sloping angles? Pause the video while you do this.

So, how did you get on with the first part of your task? Your work may have looked like this.

Here's Aisha: "Tracing my face with my fingertips made me notice subtle differences in height, shape, and form.

It was challenging to think how I could translate those contours into 2D lines." And now we're onto our second learning cycle: manipulating clay.

Sculptors use different techniques to capture the essence of a person, and it doesn't always have to be lifelike or realistic.

Have you ever looked at a sculpture of a person and felt like you could read the person's emotions just by looking at their face? Pause the video, and share with someone.

Thank you for sharing.

Check for understanding.

True or false: "Portrait sculpture doesn't have to be lifelike or realistic"? Pause the video, and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

And now I would like you to say a little more about your answer.

Perhaps you said something like this: "Sculptors often abstract, stylize, or exaggerate to express deeper meanings, emotions, or ideas rather than just creating a lifelike representation." In "Field for the British Isles," Antony Gormley invited hundreds of people of all ages to model a human form from a lump of clay.

"Why does this sculpture only have simple shapes and forms?" asked Sofia.

Pause the video and share.

This type of sculpture focuses on recording the touch of the maker, rather than just creating a recognisable figure or face.

Each clay figure recorded the impression of hands, making the work a collective effort, representing the diversity of many people.

Clay can be shaped and modelled many times.

Our brains are wired to recognise human faces and figures, even in inanimate objects.

This means the clay only needs to have a vague similarity, like simple holes for eyes, to bring it to life.

Artist like Phoebe Collings-James gives life to ceramic pottery, with suggestions of human characteristics.

Check for understanding.

Which sentence best describes the qualities of clay: a, clay is a hard and rigid material that cannot be changed; b, clay is a soft material that can easily be moulded into different shapes; c, clay is transparent and fragile, making it difficult to work with; d, clay is a metallic material used mainly in sculptures? Pause the video while you decide which sentence best describes the qualities of clay.

Well done if you selected sentence two.

Clay is indeed a soft material that can easily be moulded into different shapes.

Clay can be used in many ways, and an artist's style can be seen through how they manipulate the clay.

Henry Moore used clay to create large smooth curved shapes, often inspired by the human body and nature.

Alberto Giacometti used clay to make tall thin figures with rough textures, showing a sense of isolation and human struggle.

Modelling a simple clay 3D portrait can be done by, first of all, roll a ball of clay into an oblong.

Next, smooth the head and create shoulders.

And then finally, use a tool to create eyeholes.

It's time for your first task! Yes, we are getting into modelling and remaking a clay 3D portrait, so first of all, start with a small ball of clay about the size of the palm of your hand.

Next, roll the clay to make it oblong.

Then use your thumbs to start smoothing down the head of the clay and creating shoulders.

And then be open to the shapes that start to emerge from the clay.

Use a tool to create eyeholes.

You might like to photo and repeat.

Pause here while you have a go at this task.

Great to be back with you.

How did you get on? Modelling and remaking a clay 3D portrait.

There are many possible outcomes, but you may have created something wonderful like these clay 3D portraits we see on the screen.

Well done for having a go at this.

And now I'd like you to reflect on your work and answer these questions.

How did being open to reshaping the clay help you discover new forms and features? In what ways did simplifying the features of your sculpture still help convey expression? What character is emerging from these simple forms and shapes? Pause the video while you reflect on your work, and answer these questions.

Great to be back with you.

How did it go, reflecting on your work and answering the questions? Here's Jacob: "I discovered that you don't need to be too careful with the clay.

You can reshape it easily, and even suggesting features can be just as effective as adding lots of detail." Yeah, I love that, possibility with clay.

Now we're onto our final learning cycle: modelling clay portraits.

Artists can manipulate clay to model expressions.

Emotions and meaning can be expressed through different textures, shapes, and facial features.

3D portraits can also be sculpted into figurative forms. George Kelly Fowokan, a self-taught artist who sculpts powerful stoic busts of people of African descent.

His lifelike forms and various materials celebrate cultural identity and strength.

Roxanne Swentzell creates playful clay figures to express emotions she couldn't say with words.

With clay as her first language, her detailed sculptures tell personal emotional stories.

Pilloo Pochkhanawala, a pioneering Indian sculptor who uses abstract and figurative forms to explore identity and spirituality.

Her work blends modernism with traditional symbolism to express inner strength and cultural heritage.

Check for understanding.

True or false: "Only large figurative sculptures are considered 3D portraits"? Pause the video, 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.

Perhaps you said something like this: "3D portraits can be created in various sizes and forms, not just large figurative sculptures.

They can include small detailed works or abstract representations." The process of modelling a figurative 3D portrait can be explored through the following steps.

Roll an oval ball of clay.

Pinch the clay to form a nose.

Use a fingertip to create indentations for the eyes.

Push the clay forwards and back to create hair, chin, and neck.

Use a tool, such as a pencil, to create eyes and a mouth.

Refer back to your drawing from Task A to help you think in 3D and remodel as needed.

Clay can be shaped and modelled many times, so here, first of all, we roll an oval ball of clay.

Can be helpful to mark on those proportions of where the features might go.

Pinch the clay to form a nose.

Use a fingertip to model indentations for the eyes.

Play is the key aspect to working with clay.

Keep it light.

Keep it playful.

Push the clay forwards and back to create hair, chin, and neck.

Use a tool to create eyes and a mouth.

And refer back to your drawing from Task A to help you think in 3D.

Remodel as needed.

Play with letting the character emerge from the clay.

The character is in there.

You're just letting them come out.

Check for understanding.

What is the most likely reason an artist would adjust and try different shapes and angles when creating a face with clay: a, to bring out different emotions or characteristics; b, to copy traditional styles without changing them; c, to quickly finish the work without overthinking; d, to make the face look exactly like someone real? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer a, to bring out different emotions or characteristics.

It's time for your task.

You are going to create a playful figurative 3D portrait.

First of all, start with a ball of clay.

Use your fingers to model and reshape the clay, experimenting with different facial features, pinching in a nose, and using a pencil to model the eyes and mouth.

Pull and push the clay to create depth and form, such as adding curves for the cheek or hair around the forehead.

Think of it like a conversation with the clay, and see what characters emerge.

Enjoy the chat.

Pause the video while you create your playful figurative 3D portrait.

Next, I'd like you to reflect on your work and answer: did the character you created surprise you, or did you have a plan of what you were going to make? Pause the video while you reflect on this question and share your answer with someone.

So how did you get on with your task of creating a playful figurative 3D portrait? Your work may have looked like this.

Here's Sofia: "I was surprised by the character of my 3D portrait.

As I worked with the clay, the features emerged.

Thinking in 3D was tricky at first, but it got easier with practise." That's so often the case.

Well done, everyone, for having a go at this.

Creating your playful figurative 3D portrait.

In our lesson, "Exploring Portraits through 3D," we've covered the following.

Sculpture has been used for centuries to depict people in 3D, using materials like marble, clay, and stone.

Modelling clay involves shaping it by hand or with tools to form figures or shapes, allowing artists to express their style.

Contour lines are important for visualising and defining the 3D form of a sculpture.

Portrait sculpture can be figurative or abstract, transforming real figures into simplified shapes and forms. Well done, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to be with you here, exploring portraits through 3D, experimenting with clay, being playful and light as you created your 3D clay portraits.

I look forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

In the meantime, stay creative.