01.00 Introduction
Overview
This module bridges art history and studio practice by exploring the concept of reproducibility from the earliest woodblock prints to digital 3D fabrication. We will examine how the ability to copy an image or object potentially changes its value and meaning. Does the original matter if the copy is perfect? We will consider the Found Object, materials used “as is”, and distinguish them from raw materials like clay. This section focuses on Marcel Duchamp and the “Readymade.” Is the artwork the object itself, or the artist’s choice of the object?
In the studio, students apply these concepts by selecting a found object and creating a reusable two part plaster mold. This process introduces the technical workflow of identifying parting lines, managing undercuts, and mixing plaster, culminating in the ability to mass produce forms via slip casting.
Learning Objectives
- use cottle boards to create a shell for casting the first half of a two part plaster mold
- identify the parting line on a manufactured object
- add mold keys for registering mold halves
- identify found objects in art
Keywords
- undercuts
- slip
- parting line
- mold key
- mold clay
- found object
- two part mold
- cottle board