Associate Professor Thomas Sakoulas
State University of New York at Oneonta : Art Department		 [ Contact ]

De-Emphasize the Corner

Emphasis:

  • Concept Development
  • Additive building method
  • Planning and executing
  • Craftsmanship
  • Material limitations
  • Positive and Negative form
  • 2D to 3D projection

Example Assignment
Your assignment might be different; Consult your class handouts.

Construct half a cube out of foam core the edges of which must be exactly 12” long.

In building this corner you will need to cut two square pieces and two triangles. When connecting the pieces make sure you account for the thickness of your material and the natural limitations of foam core. This means that you should either undercut some or all of the parts, or you should bevel all of the connecting edges in order to create the object to the desired specification.  It would also be prudent to re-enforce the joints by gluing extra pieces of foam core along the inside of all the edges.

Part 2

Create a relief design on the above-described object that would de-emphasize its corner. Your design should be made out of cut out pieces of foam core that can be laminated up to two layers.  You may, for part of your design, use a single layer of foam core, but in no case you should use more than two stacked layers.

The top layer of foam core must always be cut flush with the bottom layer so as not to create any undercuts in the design.  If you decide to use a “step” effect with the layers make sure that it looks deliberate. Your final piece should be monochromatic and as smooth as possible (especially at the cut edges of the foam core).

Notes

Pay particular attention to the negative space when creating your design.  Negative space is the part of the original cube that will show through and must be considered an intricate part of your design.  So, plan ahead and create your design as a whole, always being aware of the space between the pieces you cut out.  A successful solution to this problem will involve a delicate balance between positive and negative spaces, and between high and low areas as well as exceptional craftsmanship.

Supplies

  •          White foam core 3/16” thick
  •          Utility knife with retractable blade and/or X- acto knife #11
  •          Replacement blades
  •          Any fast drying paper glue (SOBO fabric glue works well) Do not use rubber cement
  •          Masking tape (Artist's tape is best)
  •          Metal straight edge

 

Resources

Student Work in the Gallery

TIPS FOR CUTTING FOAM CORE

It is best to cut foam core employing multiple shallow passages of the blade, rather than one deep cut

Always use a sharp blade - Using a dull blade will always result in frustration and messy results

Use a scrap piece of foam core or cardboard under the piece you are cutting, in order to extend the blade life. Always use a straight edge to cut straight lines and cut freehand curves very carefully!

Remember that, while cutting, the point of your blade at the other side of the foam core is probably 1/8” behind the visible part of the blade on the top of the foam-core

The Process of Creation

First create many quick drawings of the corner with different designs on it. It would not be unusual to create more than twenty variations while working out the general design.

Second, cover the corner with paper and draw your final design on it.
This is the time where most of the conceptual problems can be solved, while drawing on the three-dimensional object. We use brown paper for this stage since it is readily available at the studio. Here are some examples of this state:

example 2
example 3
example 4

Third, take the drawing off the corner and place in on the flat foam core. Cut through the paper and the foam-core following the design.

You will need a way to keep track of all the resulting pieces (maybe number each one so you know where they belong in the design).

Do not glue the pieces on the corner until you are done cutting all of them. Instead use a little masking tape to place them temporarily on the corner.

Fourth and final step: Glue all the pieces on the corner so they form a coherent relief design.

Safety

There are more accidents with blades in studio settings than with any power tools!

  •  Always keep your holding hand away from the blade
  •   Never use blades or power tools if your abilities are impaired due to illness or use of medication
  • Keep your work area clean from obstructions and postpone all conversation until you are done cutting
  • Do not talk to anyone who is in the middle of cutting.
  • Plan ahead so you will not have to do the bulk of your cutting under the pressure of a deadline