Faux Scrimshaw Plaster of Paris

Scrimshaw is an art form which is an etching and engraving on whale bones, teeth.  Historically it was a crafted created by whalers in the 19th century and earlier.  The whalers would etch and carve on leftover bones and teeth during their spare time on long sea voyages.  Many pieces are can be viewed as journals and documentation of their journeys.  The images are based on legends of the sea, ships, mermaids, gods, visions, and hallucinations.  

The work can be purely sculptural as well as functional jewelry, jewelry boxes, canes, and knives. New England whalers are noted for scrimshaw art works.

Alaskan antlers

Plaster of Paris Faux Scrimshaw

This project is inspired by scrimshaw designs as well as images from other art historical time periods.  Aztec and Mayan designs can be applied and created to evoke artifacts from ancient time periods.  Also images from Day of the Dead or fossils and petroglyphs can be used as references for the art project. 

Artists can image that they have discovered ancient fossils and artifacts.  This kind of art form intentionally creating work that appears to be from another time period by distressing the material such as plaster of paris.  

Materials: plaster of paris molds (made by using plastic containers of various shapes and sizes)\

                 India Ink, needle tools, or sharp implements like small awls, ice picks, large nails, pencils (sometimes work too) steel wool, small brushes, clear spray varnish, gel medium or gorilla glue (for adhering strips of canvas or strong cotton fabric to the back of the pieces) thin wire (picture wire) for hanging.steel wool

plaster molds created by adding 1 to 1 of water and plaster of paris in a bowl.  Make at least 4 cups at a time.  Stir to warm up and pour into containers.  Let stand for an hour, drain excess water, let dry.  The molds can be removed after the draining of the water and placed on a shelf to dry.

-draw images onto dry plaster molds

-cover the whole surface with india ink

-steel wool surface a leave residual lines

-spray with damar varnish, clear varnish spray, liquid varnish (non water soluable)

The tiles can be reworked by adding more india ink until the tile appears satisfactory to the individual.

-optional : hanger on the back of the tile-with webbing and picture hanging wire adhered with gorilla glue or gel med. 

Eye-Human- Iris-Patterns, form, shape, texture, DRAWING /MM (felt) Eyes

Everyone's iris patterns are as unique as their fingerprint.

Art Rubric---General Art Middle School-High School...

ART GRADING SYSTEM

"How We Talk About Art"

"FORM & CONTENT"

FORM (designing, what you use)

Elements and Principles of Design:

Elements: line, form, shape, space,  value, color, texture

Principles: movement, contrast, pattern, emphasis, unity, rhythm, balance


CONTENT  (what it means, what it's about, ...)

What you are trying to say, define, and redefine includes:

Personal stories, nostalgia (specific times, memories), Historical events, Influences- Art Historical, Art movements & periods (Modern Art, Abstract art...), Artists, popular culture, spirituality, religion, World History, Anti-war, feminism, equal rights

MATERIALS/MEDIUM/MEDIA

pencil, color pencil, pastel, chalk, acrylic/oil paint, watercolor, fibers (yarn, raffia),clay,
paper making, photography, technology, video, performance art/conceptual art

                                                                                    
                                                               RUBRIC: 4, 3, 2, 1   
                                                                                     

                                                                                    

1. _____Respectful to teacher and fellow students.

2._____Respectful and appropriate use of class art materials and tools.

3. ____Clean up on time independently, without being reminded. Assist colleagues and teacher

           with maintenance of the classroom.

4. ____Clear understanding of assignments and projects-ability to follow guidelines.

5. ____Clear use of elements and principles of design for each project. (Form)

6.____"Content"-clear vision and explanation of assignment-verbally and in written content.

7.____Concern for craftsmanship, neatness, value of the art project. 

8. _____Allowing for "time" for the best results-refrain from rushing through work.

Grade Scale for Rubric                                   Grade Scale 100 pt. System                

4--A                                                                  100-90=   A

3--B                                                                    89-80=   B

2--C                                                                    79-70=   C                                               

1--D                                                                    69-60=   D

*assign a number from 4-1 for each of the 8 items- divide the total by 8 to receive grade results.

ie: if your total was 24-divide by 8 = 3 (B)

Ai Wei-Wei

LACMA 2011

\

San Paulo, Brazil

Houston, Texas

Ai WeiWei ( eye way- way) Born in l957 currently resides in Benijing. He combines contemporary art with art of ancient China.

1.How can art be an asset for maintaining the existence of a culture? (historical, autobiographical, memories through images)

2. What do you think Ai WeiWei is trying to express by incorporating the Chinese Zodiac into large sculptural forms? (displayed throughout the world, Los Angeles, New York, Texas, San Paolo Brazil...Wei-Wei- art is political)

John Valadez (1950) Los Angeles

Diane Gamboa (l957) Los Angeles

Chinese Zodiac Animal Story

The Great Race >

Long ago, in China, the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time.  On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race.  The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them.

The Ox helps the Cat and the Rat <

All the animals lined up along the river bank. The rat and the cat, who were good friends, were worried because they were poor swimmers.  Being clever they asked the strong ox if he would carry them across.

"Of course", said the kind ox.  "Just climb on my back and I will take you across."

The Rat Wins the Race +

The rat and the cat jumped up and were very excited when the ox took the lead. They almost reached the other bank when the rat pushed the cat into the water leaving him to struggle.  Just as the ox was about to win the race, the rat leaped on his head and on to the bank to finish first.

"Well done," said the Jade Emperor to the proud rat.  The first year of the zodiac will be named after you.  The poor ox had been tricked into second place and the second year of the zodiac.

The Tiger Takes Third Place  =

Shortly after the exhausted tiger clawed his way to the rive bank to claim third place. Swimming across the river had been an enormous struggle for him against the strong currents.  The emperor was so delighted with his efforts that he named the third year after him,

The Rabbit hops Across the River &

Next to arrive was the rabbit, who hadn't swum across at all.  He had hopped across on some stepping stones and then found a floating log which carried him to the shore.

"I shall be very happy to call the fourth year after you," the surprised Jade Emperor explained

The Helpful Dragon is Fifth  % 

Just then a kind dragon swooped down to take fifth place.  The Jade Emperor asked, "Why didn't you win the race, when you can fly?"

"I needed to make some rain, because some people and animals needed water to drink,"the dragon explained.  "

Then I saw a little rabbit on a long in the water and I blew a puff of wind so that the log would float to the river bank."

"Well that was very kind of you. You will have the fifth year of the zodiac named after you."

The Snake Surprises the Horse  #

The next thing the Jade Emperor heard was the sound of the horse's hooves.  Just as he was thinking the horse  would be the next animal to arrive, a sneaky snake wriggled out from around one of the horse's hooves.  The horse was so surprised that he jumped backwards giving the snake a chance to take the sixth place in the race.  The poor horse had to be satisfied with seventh place.

The Goat, Monkey and Rooster Work Together  @

Not long afterwards a raft arrived carrying the goat, monkey and the rooster.  They explained to the Emperor how they had shared the raft that the rooster had found. The goat and monkey 

The goat and monkey had cleared weeds and pushed the raft to the shore.

The Emperor was very pleased that the animals had worked together.  He said the goat would be the eighth, the monkey the ninth and the rooster the tenth.

The Dog takes a Bath  **

The next animal to finish was the dog. "Why are you so late when you are one of the best swimmers?"asked the Jade Emperor.

"The water in the river was so clean that I had to have a bath on the way." Explained the Dog.

His reward was to have the eleventh year named after him.

The Boar Claims Last Place  $

There was one place left in the zodiac and the Emperor wondered when the last winner would come.  Finally he heard a grunt from the boar.

"You took a long time to cross the river,"said the Emperor to the boar.  "I was hungry and stopped to eat," explained the boar.  "After the meal I felt so tired that I fell asleep."

"You have still done well," said the Jade Emperor.  "The last year of the zodiac will be named after you."

The Cat Crawls Out of the Water   ^

As for the cat who had been pushed into the water by the rat, he finally crawled out of the water but was too late to have a year named after him.  He felt very disappointed by the rat and since then cats have never been friends with rats.

From that day to this the Chinese Zodiac has followed this cycle of years named after these twelve animals.

*topmarks.co.uk

Chinese New Year for 2015 is Feb. 19.   It is also the year of the Goat, it sometimes is known as the Year of the Sheep or Ram, since the Chinese word does not specify the difference.

1. Why is the cat and the rat no longer friends after the Emperor ordeal? 

What does the expression: "carrying a grudge is like taking poison and expecting someone else to die."

2. What deed did the dragon do that made him fifth place? What did the Emperor say to him when he saw him after the rabbit?  

3. Regarding the Dragon's response to Emperor: how do you think the expression : "No good deed goes unpunished." pertain to the behavior of the dragon.

4. The goat, monkey and rooster worked cooperatively to reach their goal.  In your opinion what kind of behavior/personality traits do each animal have that constructed a cooperative paradigm?

(paradigm= model, example, pattern,prototype, archetype)