In this project, you will create a rough traditional maquette using simple household items. The goal here is not to create a finished sculpture but just a three-dimensional sketch that you can light and use as a reference for a drawing.
Materials
Scrap materials like cardboard, paper, fabric, wood... If you have clay, you can use it, too.
Kneadable erasers are useful, as are rubber bands, string, and wire.
Smartphone or photo camera.
Examples
Steps
Gather your material. Anything goes! Fabric, paper, string, wire, clay, etc.
Create a little sculpture. Let the material surprise you.
Set up an interesting light direction.
Extra points: create a story moment in your composition.
Take a photo.
Upload your image.
Meet these Challenges
Keep it simple.
Choose your lighting to create a clear sense of form.
Include more than one material, such as paper, wood, metal.
I already had some clay at home, so I used it for this assignment. I even made a simple metal skeleton affixed to a wooden base with some screws, and it brought me back to my art college days. The lighting of the maquette is not spectacular, but I didn't have many light source options at my disposal, so I decided that would be okay for now.
Some kind of Bird / Dragon? This was so much fun. It helps a lot with the "I dont know what to draw" problem. In a playful way the drawing idea emerges organically.
I ended up with a star shaped warrior returning to his dark shack to eat.
I wanted him to cast a strong cast shadow on the wall to create a forboding atmosphere. There should also be a strong separation between light and dark.
I also included an image of the scene lit with even lighting
The light source will be a small fire in the corner of the room.
Former program director at Barcelona Academy of Art. Passionate about teaching craft and exploring the inner game of art.
Help!
Browse the FAQs or our more detailed Documentation. If you still need help or to contact us for any reason, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Overview
In this project, you will create a rough traditional maquette using simple household items. The goal here is not to create a finished sculpture but just a three-dimensional sketch that you can light and use as a reference for a drawing.
Materials
Examples
Steps
Meet these Challenges
Duration
This project should take 1–3 hours to complete.