Humanities Study Guide

Humanities Study Guide

© 2020 Page 8 of 62 the artist chips away, sands, and takes off layers until they are finished. The additive process creates sculptures by layering material one on top of another. This process is common with plaster, clay, wax, and sometimes metal. The artist's process is unique to them and can be altered however they choose; these are merely examples of the most common techniques. Other elements that add to sculptures are texture, movement, and location. Although statues in formal settings are discouraged from being physically touched, our minds still understand what it would feel like to touch them. This concept is related to the texture of the sculpture; it can add a conveyed meaning. For example, Michelangelo’s David is made of marble, which is smooth and appears flawless; this makes the statue feel perfect, pristine, and almost inhuman. Similarly, metal can feel industrial and harsh, andwood feels rustic and primitive. These are subjective and dependent on your personal taste, but critics agree that a material conveys meaning. The way the sculptor places the body or subject can give off a feeling of movement . Some positions imply stagnation, while others can make you feel like they are in mid-step by the placement of the foot. Freed sculptures are pieces of art that move. This type of sculpture has become more prevalent in modern times, especially after the creation of the mobile in the 20th century. Lastly, the location , where the sculptor places and intends for the sculpture to be, is often part of the artwork. Many sculptures are made to be placed in temples, churches, and nationalist locations, while others are in parks or select areas that influence the inspiration of the art itself. People use all these elements and traits to evaluate sculptures. 1.4 Architecture Architecture has been evolving for centuries, and when we look through the past, we can see how the buildings were unique and creative structures. Architecture is, simply put, a hollowed-out structure that we experience by moving through its insides and outsides. Architecture is defined as the shaping of buildings and spaces. Due to the cost of building such monumental structures, great architecture is strongly associated with money and power. Three essential elements must be present in great architecture: design, material, and function. Design is the most important part of a building because it is the way it uses space. Remember, architecture is an art form that gets to encapsulate a space and turn it into something else. An architect may design a centered space , building something to focus on an object or feature . The object or feature may have a gravity towards it, where everything seems to lead to this one location within the building (for example, a stadium is built to bring everyone’s attention to a court). When an architect designs space to promote comfort, calm, and a feeling of freedom, we call this living space . Sometimes the building itself is the center of life, and everything bustles around its doors; this is called a configurational center -- think of perhaps a Town Hall, or a Library. Although the buildings themselves are works of art, they also hold a purpose for everyday life. For example, consider the great Notre Dame, in Paris. Most people would not mistake it for a hospital or office building; the function or purpose is evident. The earliest architects constructed their buildings Achieve