Designing your own 3D Environment
as a Heaven or Hell

Learning Objectives: It is hoped that this project will lead students to demonstrate a complex understanding of:

  • the concept of overt and covert communication (the form dictates the true experience)

  • her / his own covert and overt preferences and fears (be aware of how you feel, not how you think you feel)

  • how elements of art and composition (placement) form the emotive impact and success of a design

  • how to design and represent a space or place that solicits an affective response from an intended audience.

 

Preface:

This project is first couched in a discussion about Overt & Covert intentions of built environments. Ideal models include schools & churches.

heroes

Anselm Kiefer, Germany's Spiritual Heroes.notredameinterior

Notre Dame de Montreal, Interior Altar.

 

fallingstars

Anselm Kiefer, Falling Stars

We all have our own notion of things that are heavenly or from hell. In this project you will use the tools of two-point perspective, the elements of art and principles of design to construct a space that would exist within your heaven or hell. Before this can happen you need to resolve what your idea of this space is. We will use a few strategies to get there.

The full assessment targets HERE

STRATEGIES

1. Take 15-20 minutes and, in small groups of two or three, sketch out (visually or in written form) how you would represent an exemplar for any three of the seven deadly sins or virtues in a way that would affect you.

  • lust (extravagance) vs chastity
  • gluttony vs temperance
  • greed vs charity
  • sloth vs diligence
  • wrath vs patience
  • envy vs kindness
  • pride vs humility

2. Get together with another group to share and discuss your creations.

RESEARCH: 3. On your own, in writing, identify characteristics that would be most pleasing and displeasing for you to be living with for eternity. Make a list for each. WARNING: Be careful what you wish for, as you will be with it for eternity!

Consider: texture qualities, colour relationships, line qualities, lighting, artifacts in the space, perspective (high for power vs low for weakness), composition (head on vs aloof), materials.

Research and select three architectural elelemts you could use in your space to enhance your concept.

Strategies could include:

-- keeping paper and a pencil with you at all times and jot down the this you come across that you are attracted to and repulsed by

-- scour magazines for images that attract and which repulse you.

sevensins

SKETCHES: 4. come up with sketches for at least 3 different possible arrangements for your heaven or hell. Consider point of view, features, composition (principles of design), colour pallets, etc. What medium and treatment would best represent your space? Paints (viscous, thin, layered, flat), colour pencil (line qualities?), water colour, or mixed media (found materials, col lo age, paint, etc.). What architectural elements may be play a role?

PROJECT: 5. Once you have arrived at the BEST ideas for your space, including colours and textures, begin to create your space on a 20 x26" sheet of paper (Mayfair). This space should have an affective impact on your audience and be unified through a clear and unified idea or theme. Two-Point perspective is a tool to help you create the illusion of internal and external spaces.

7. At the end of this project, type up a critical reflection that explains your rationale for your work. This should also clearly articulate the depth of understanding you have of your design.

* To stretch your perspective on things, you should get a kick out of these cartoons by Rube Golberg. Go to http://www.rubegoldberg.com/html/gallery.htm

For ideas in the surreal:

Salvador Dali

Rene Magritte

Francesco Clemente

Sigmar Polke

 

** For help with perspective drawing, visit: http://www2.evansville.edu/studiochalkboard/

margaret