Submitted by: Speelman,
Melissa
Sycamore Junior High Cincinnati, Ohio
Unit: Contemporary Sculpture - Recycling - Paper Mache
Lesson Plan: Life Size Paper Mache Characters
Grade Level: Middle School (High School, too -- adapt for lower grades
-maybe as group projects)
Procedures:
Melissa is the kind
of middle school teacher who asks herself this question first "Would
I have fun doing this if I were a middle school student?" She
was intrigued by the work of C. Jagdish right away and began looking
for materials she could use. Her first stop was the copy room where there
was a stack of empty photocopy paper boxes (get your custodians to save
these for you -- they are great for so many projects). She found more than
enough for her eighth graders. Her assignment was simply to create some
kind of character - no restrictions. Several chose to do self portrait
sculptures. Some students chose to work in pairs and made taller
people. For some students, it is just the making of something that is
important and they don't need the project to take home. Student who work
in groups will have to decide who gets the finished work. (Continued below)
Actual bathing suit
added- See detail | See a close up of this self
portrait | Very
expressive faces using chip board
Chipboard cut and shaped for hands
Smaller sculptures added to the story Some
students paired up
Melissa studied the faces of Jagdish's work and decided
that folded and cut Chipboard
would work to create the abstract
cubist look (Jagdish uses cast paper). Students quickly padded the
shoulders and shaped their heads with wadded up newspapers. Be sure to
have plenty of Masking Tape on hand. Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil Roll
can work
wonders to help smooth shapes out, if desired.
What other materials might you be able to use? Maybe
some larger size vegetable/fruit cans can work for necks - roll of
cardboard for neck ... Five gallon ice cream containers from Baskin and
Robbins (or any local Ice cream parlor)....Corrugated cardboard scored and
bent into a column for the body-- so many possibilities! If you decide to
use balloons
as a base to get heads going -- with cardboard or chip board
faces taped to the front - then I would suggest a first layer of plaster gauze
strips since balloons do shrink after a day of two (another layer of Papier Maché can be applied over the plaster). Whatever materials you decide to
use - do not expect students to remember to bring them in (smile) -- you
will send mom's scurrying to the grocery store at midnight only to find
all boxes have been burned already.
Working rather quickly -- smooth strips of newspaper
dipped in Wheat Paste
over the entire armature. If you have enough brown paper
bags, you could use those, but soak over night. You second layer can be
end rolls of paper toweling (ask your custodian to save those for you
too). Arms can be added keeping rather flat and abstract as Jagdish has.
Notice the cardboard "Peace" hand on example above. Note: Flour
and water, Elmer's Glue (thinned with water) - or kid safe wheat paste
gives you a harder finish needed for this project.
Paint in Acrylics. Melissa's goal was for students to
get that subtle shading that Jagdish
uses. See how some of the near finished work has a slight cubist look
to the faces (one side darker than the other). Glass globules have been
inserted for the iris of the eyes (see
detail) - quite spectacular! Updates to this lesson to
combat for now enjoy and imagine the possibilities for your
classroom!
Resources:
Here is an artist from India that can spark an idea for
many projects. C. Jagdish is an avant
garde sculptor who has created a new genre called ' paper
sculpture'.
C Jagdish - from India:
http://www.genesisartgallery.in/artist_details.asp
C Jagdish
http://www.genesisartgallery.in/work_details.asp
"C. Jagdish was born in Hyderabad, India in 1956. He had a passion for drawing even at a young age, but did not discover the medium of paper until he created puppets for a childrens theater group during his first years struggling to live as an
independant artist. These papier mache creations developed into busts, masks, and life-sized figures depicting the artists astute perception of the outside world and the fallibility of human nature. Inspired by toys, aquaintances, and incidents
from his childhood in India, each piece becomes specific and unique, it's character subtly revealed through clothing, facial expression, posture, and use of hands. It is Jagdish's depiction of intimate human emotion that gives his work such universal appeal, affectionately commenting on society and dramatically narrating his stories."
"After winning his first paper sculpture prize at the All India Miniature Exhibition, Jagdish was awarded a grant scholarship to work at the prestigious Garhi Studio in Delhi. There he developed his sculpting technique and style, leading to the
British Council and Charles Wallace India travelling grant for study in Britain. In 1991, Jagdish was the first Indian offered the status of "artist in residence" at Lakeside Studio outside of Chicago. His highest honor was becoming recipient of
the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award in 1993, the largest grant offered to independant artists in the United States. Jagdish continues to work on 3 continents, with studios in India, Great Britain, and the U.S." [1]
See collage, masks, paper sculpture (really neat), and doors (made from
cardboard with folk art look).
Use for a contemporary mask maker - take a look at the sculptures on
his site - they are really
interesting (look like you could do them with paper mache- paper pulp and
cardboard)
C. Jagdish has created over
400 paper sculptures. They are in private
collections all over the world. He is today a tri-continental artist
sharing time between his shows, lectures and art meetings across America,
Europe and Asia.
The basic lower frame of the sculpture, that are life
size or larger, is made of heavy rolled paper which gives it a cylindrical
shape. The upper part from the head to the torso is separately cast and
adjoined. Finally to facilitate painting of arms, legs , clothing etc., paper is cut and pasted.
Combine with a unit about Marisol
Escobar
