The Figure in Action

How many forms can you make in clay? Students in art elective classes learned to create standing figures in clay. First, they explored clay by creating as many forms as they could think of using only their hands. 

Next, students created a standing figure in clay before exploring different gestures. They took turns posing for each other and moving the limbs of their clay figures to capture the different postures.

Through this exercise, students learned that their figures are more likely to stand on their own if more weight is added to the bottom than the top of their creations. Students mostly used the pinch and pull method to attach limbs and other parts to their figures.

After creating clay gestures, students made a decision about what action their final clay figure would be doing. Students wrote proposals and drew images of their plans. They considered how the position of a clay figure’s body might help to tell the story of the activity that he or she is doing. They also reflected on how the figure's actions might reflect our time. 

How will the position of the figure's body help to tell 

the story of the activity that he or she is doing?

                                                     

For inspiration, students looked at the sculpture “Tango” By Elie Nadelman. They discussed the ways in which body language helps us learn about people's actions.