Giacommetti

6. The long, thin figures of Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) have become famous symbols of modern
sculpture. These fragile figures standing alone in an empty space visually express how many people
felt after the terrible destruction of the Second World War. Giacometti worked with volume, texture and
negative space to express a feeling of isolation in his work. The thin, gaunt bodies of his sculptures
suggest the hard times many people experienced after the war. A very limited color scheme adds to
the solemn mood.
Emotional Sculpture in the Style of Giocometti
Scribbled Line Gesture:

7. Scribbled line drawings are similar to regular line gesture except you are utilizing scribbles to imply
value/shading. You’ll remember in our unit on the Elements of Art that lines which are closely grouped
together give the impression of darker value (tone). The more lines you put in a concentrated area, the
darker it will appear.

8. "
The long, thin figures of Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) have become famous symbols of modern
sculpture. These fragile figures standing alone in an empty space visually express how many people
felt after the terrible destruction of the Second World War. Giacometti worked with volume, texture and
negative space to express a feeling of isolation in his work. The thin, gaunt bodies of his sculptures
suggest the hard times many people experienced after the war. A very limited color scheme adds to
the solemn mood.

9. Making a sculptural figure involves critical thinking and problem solving. In this project students use
an instant papiermaché such as Celluclay over a wire armature to make a figure. Making the sculpture
stand up on its own is not easy and students have to figure out the best way to prop up the sculptures
up as they work on them. The process of this project is additive, working from the bottom up. The
instant papier maché is heavy when mixed and, if the armature is thin and flimsy, applying little bits of
material.

10. Setting the Mood
After sharing works by Giacometti, tell students: “Think back to a time when you felt alone and
isolated. If you had to sketch an idea for a sculpture based on Giacometti’s work, how would it
look? Would it be one lone figure or more? Would you be suspended in space or trapped within a
cage? Would you be standing alone on a large or small platform? What would your stance (posture)
be? Would you be by yourself or would you have props? Would you have exaggerated and/or distorted
proportions?”

11. “Think of your mood/emotion during that time of loneliness and then think how you would translate it
into a sculpture using Giacometti’s style of art. Use a paper to sketch out your ideas. Stress to the
students that the stories behind their sculptures are personal and do not need to be shared but the
theme/emotion should be expressed.”

12. Procedures
Once the designs have been sketched, have students begin with an armature of a figure using wire
and tape. Stress that the smaller they work the more challenging it will be to apply the instant
papier maché. Working extremely large will stress the wire into distorting the figure, causing
frustration. Finished sizes that work the best range between six to fourteen inches in height.

13. Once the wire armature is formed, have the students mix up the instant papier maché to a pulp a little
at a time. (Dust masks may be needed for students with asthma.) Working in an additive style from
the bottom up, have students start adding the wet papier maché pulp to the armature, making sur e to
“squeeze” it on the wire. During this process, the students will need to prop up their sculpture as they
are applying the pulp. Anything can be used as a prop; rulers, stools, old books, string, etc. Drying
time varies depending how thick the paper pulp is applied.

15. "My sculpture shows me running towards what I am longing to find out, my potential but there are obstacles
in the way trying to hold me back. My figure is black because I feel that black represents confusing and I
am confused of who I really am and if I am running towards the right direction."
Assessment
I set completed sculptures from a different class on the tables and give each student five pieces of
paper. I then ask them to walk around and read the artist statement for each piece. They write a
comment for five pieces of their choosing and leave the papers next to the relative sculptures. I then
ask the students to take two more pieces of paper and go to two pieces that have no or very few
comments left for them and write a note to the artists. This eliminates the “but I did not get any
comments” syndrome so often associated with this type of assessment. We then have a group
discussion about the works of art.
Materials
 Armature Wire or newspaper
 Wire cutters/ scissors
 Masking tape

16.  Celluclay (plan on two 5 pound bags per 15 students)
 Metallic spray paint
 Tempera or acrylic paints