Visual Arts Classic Q&A 2016

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Drawing:

• In the drawing category, does an "internal system" mean more that one, or can a student just focus on the heart.  She is reading system as plural.  

 
For drawing, the prompt is involving plants. It is simply an illustration of the inside of that plant.
 

• Drawing lists a maximum size.  Can they work a lot smaller than the maximum size requirements?   I have a student who wants to work with an 9x12 or smaller and the max size is 18x24.

 
Students can work smaller. The caution is that their piece may not have the same impact of students who work to the maximum size.
 
Painting:

• Can MDF board be used for Painting (very similar to masonite)?

 
1/4" or ⅛” MDF or masonite board can be used.
 

• Painting...Do the students have to draw from life?   Set up an interior space and take a photo?  Or can they find a photo from a magazine that shows interior space lit by natural light and paint that?

 
I personally would prefer seeing my students finding the space and taking a photo, so they can control the composition and light. It doesn't specify the source of the imagery, but creativity is important for the competition.
 

• I have a student who wants to do an interior space that has been lit by fire.  They were wondering if they buy the rights to a photographer's image can they use it as their own work?

 
 I really think that students should be finding and photographing their natural light interior space . In the tradition Pissaro. he would have been painting directly from his source. This gives students creative ownership of their piece.
 
Ceramics:

• I had a student ask me about the ceramics prompt.  We are a bit confused by a "scientific study".  I know there are lots of different types of scientific studies out there.  Does it have to be a specific type of scientific study?  Should they be labeling things, or should they focus more on a visual based scientific study?  If you could help clarify this that would be helpful.

 
The idea of scientific study is to observe a subject and sculpt it in clay. The student will not need to create labels, but the sculpture show how a scientist would pull apart or away layers of the subject to reveal more. In the revealing more, the human element can be exposed. Looking at the Kate McDowell's work it recommended.
 

• It says that we cannot use glaze and no paints are on the material list.  Does that mean we are just suppose to have the students make their sculpture out of clay, fire it, and just enter the bisque ware without any color?  That seems really weird to me, but that is how I interpret it.  Let me know what you think of this and what we are suppose to do.

 
The natural color of the fired clay is used for this prompt. Red and white clay is a great option here. Our grade schools use these clay bodies. If you look at the ceramicist from our artist list, you will see that she works with forms and clay color. There are colored porcelains as well.
 

• Is the Ceramics Prompt, basically a mythology project?  When it says anatomically correct...does that mean that if a student wanted to put fingers where the ears of a bunny goes, that is not what the prompt is asking?  Could you provide an example of what it is reference?

 
We were reference Kate MacDowell when we wrote that question. She would be best for look at for a visual reference. She adds human parts to animals, like a dissected bird with a human skeleton inside. From what I have observed, she places things logically.
 
Printmaking:

• In the printmaking prompt, can students add man made structures like a swing  for the life cycle of a tree?

 
I think that trees can have many things added to them through their life cycle, like broken limbs from storms or holes from animal, Why not a swing.
 

• Can acrylic gel medium be mixed with the ink for the printmaking prompt?   (does it count as a printmaking media?)

 
That should be fine as long as it is printed.
Sculpture:

• The sculpture prompt mentions "any suitable sculpture material for the main structure" .  My student was wondering if she could use fabric as some sort of sail on her sculpture.

 
A fabric sail would fall under system for movement, so fabric would be fine.
 

• For sculpture...can a student use flammable material in her sculpture for effect?

 
The material list refers to "Wood, plastic, metal or other suitable sculpture material for the main structure." Stay with these materials. Flames at competition could cause problems. I know at our regional, the pieces are on display on fabric covered benches. Fire would not be good. The Strandbeests are made from simple materials. I may need more information about the idea to really get to an answer.
 

• For sculpture...does she have to take the video or can she have someone else take the video so it's better quality? She doesn't really do much with video and is not confident with her skills in that area.

 
As far as the video, have her work with someone to learn the process. I teach video, so I was the resource to help my students understand how to create their video on their own. It a great learning opportunity.
 
Personal Adornment:

• Is it ok to use card stock to help support a brim of a hat?  Can you use starch?

Is stabilizing structure for display or to wear?  A student wants to make a cowboy hat type project
 
card stock or starch can work for stabilizing the hat. The hat should be able to be worn easily without combs or ties to secure it to the wearer
 

• So the card stock could be covered in fabric to form the brim? Yes

 

• I have a student who is interested in using duct tape dyed with dirt or greens for the "fiber" of the personal adornment prompt. I don't think this fits. Do you?

 
I don't think that Duct Tape would be considered a fiber. Fabric could be fiber, but duct tape is an adhesive. Duct tape could also be the stabilizing structure.
 

• On personal adornment, it mentions any stabilizing material.   Does this mean something like wire or cardboard as an underlying structure to glue fabric, or fiber material to?  Or does this mean something like liquid starch to stiffen the yarn or fabric?

 
For Personal Adornment, wire and cardboard would function well for stabilizing structures.
 

• I have a student who is interested in using the study of biolumiance in the creation of her hat.  Is she able to use battery operated lights to create the illusion of luminance?  She was also wondering if the metal she is planning on using for her support structures can be a part of the work itself.

 
The direction of this prompt is about about dying fiber. Biolumiance would not fit this prompt unless it could be achieved through dying.  The metal could not be anything beyond a structure due to it not being a dye-able fiber.
 

• Personal Adornment Question: Can printed fabrics and fake flowers be used? 

 
For personal adornment stick to dye-able fabric, fiber  or yarn only. That includes no fake flowers unless they are hand dyed and student. made.
 
Art History:

• Art History: Paper Max Size is 18 x 24.  Can a student cut up paper and make a collage of her drawings and keep it under that size as part of the creative visual diagram?

 
For art history, be cautious. I would hesitate to collage with an adhesive not on the material list. The images could be drawn from a collage.
 
Computer Graphics:

• Does "Scientific Process" include or be interpreted as a scientific experiment?

 
Scientific Process is referring to a naturally occurring event such as photosynthesis, digestion, a star being born, etc. A scientific experiment can study a scientific process, but it is not necessarily that process.
 
 
Traditional Photography:

• Traditional Photo- In the materials section it references Black and White film. The kids are creating paper negatives with pin hole cameras and camera obscuras, where does film come in? I have a student who is a little confused on the film incorporation here, if you could clarify I would be most grateful.

 
You are correct. No film needed.
 
Digital Photography:

• Regarding the final graphic, are students allowed to digitally render for the final collage (in addition to the scans & digital photos?

 
When you say digitally render, do you mean draw with a program? If this is you intent, this would be using a digital tool.
 

• I have a student doing digital photography who wants to know if they can use images of light painting within their image

 
I think that light painting would neatly fall under experimenting with lighting.
 

• Digital photography....Is their collage just printed on a normal sized photo paper? 8 1/2 x11?

 
Good call....no size. Most people will print at 8.5 x 11, but some may print bigger.