Project 2

Project 2:

For your final project, create a compound shape. Then cut that shape apart and re-work it (by soldering it together in a different order, by making each bit a separate piece, by forging the pieces individually, etc.) to create a new piece(s). The new piece must have one movable connection.

Consider the surfaces of the piece- different surface treatments, metals, textures, patinas, etc. Think about what you want the final piece to be- object, wearable- and technical considerations that apply- connections, display base, clasp, etc.

Due next class:

5-10 Sketches of the compound shape and alterations. Scale maquette of your favorite. Create a rough outline of steps of fabrication from original shape through final form(s).

Final piece due beginning of class December 12. 

Lesson 8: Connections

Lesson 8: Connections

Connections for hollow constructions can be simple or very complex. Because of the steps of construction, you need to have a blueprint for your connections as you start fabrication since many connections need to be set up or fabricated in between hollow construction steps.

T-Bar or Ball/Socket links:

Both the T-bar and and Ball/Socket links function the same way. The crossbar of the T or ball sits inside the hollow construction. The other side can either be a fixed link soldered onto the form or the same (sitting inside for movement)

• Create your hollow forms but leave them open.
• Create the links- only put T or ball on one side.
• Drill hole in your form where the connection point is and slide link through hole.
• Solder that form closed. Hold the part of the link outside the form in a third hand to prevent from dropping into the form.
• When doing this you do not need an additional air hole.
• If fixed on other side:
• Close second form- placing the air hole where the connection point will be is will allow you to hide the hole under the link.
• Solder link to second form (over air hole if applicable)
• If moveable:
• Drill hole for connection in second form.
• Feed link through hole.
• Solder second T or ball onto the end of the link inside the form.
• Solder the form closed.

Jump Rings:

• Close your forms.
• Solder half jump rings to the form where you want your connections.
• Finish the forms to final finish (minus patina).
• Link the forms together and solder the final ring.

Tube Hinges:

Tube hinges work best for longer hinges.

• Close forms.
• Solder knuckles on to forms.
• Solder knuckles to one side, then measure and mark the other side. Cut the tubing a little longer than you need so you can file down for a perfect fit.
• Ball one end of the hinge pin and feed through.
• Set the other end.
• For tricky and inset hinges, chasing tools work well to reach into tight areas.

Sheet/Rod hinges:

These types of hinges can work very well for hollow forms and for small hinges.

• Take a sheet and fold into a U.
• Alternately cut out a slot in a thicker rod to form a U shape.
• Fit single sheet or rod into the opening to complete the hinge.
• Drill hole through.
• Solder U to first form.
• Solder single sheet or rod to other form.
• Ball up one side of hinge pin and feed through.
• Set other side.

Rivets:

You can rivet forms together as well. This is tricky, and mostly used for when you want 2 forms pivoting around each other.

• Create forms but leave open. One form should have the side to be riveted already attached, then other one should not.
• Drill hole for your rivet.
• Ball one end of the wire, feed through the separate sheet and cut to length.
• Place on block and set.
• Solder both forms closed.

Other connections:

• Drill holes and feed a jump ring through the holes.
• Drill holes and thread together. Feed small lengths of tube between forms to separate.

Lesson 7: Finishing Techniques

Lesson 7: Finishing Techniques

Order of operations and steps of construction are very important in Hollow Construction. Think about your surfaces at the beginning when you are designing your piece. All of the finishing techniques you have learned can be applied to hollow forms, but some of them need to happen earlier in the process than they would otherwise.

Sanding:

• For flat surfaces, the sanding discs work very well. Remember to rotate the piece evenly.
• Check each grit before moving to the next one.
• For curved surfaces- wrap sandpaper around paint stirring sticks or your file to create a sanding “file”. This will also help keep the surfaces smooth and even. Make sure to cover as much of the surface as possible with each stroke.
• Sand in circles for a matte finish, in one direction for a shinier look.
• You can get a shiny look by moving up in sandpaper grit.

Polishing:

• Be careful polishing on the buffing machine. If you lose your grip and your piece goes flying it can dent.
• Smaller surfaces can be polished on the flexshaft.
• If you want to highlight the corners and edges, burnish them. This adds the touch of polish and highlights the form without being super shiny.

Textures:

Roll Printing:

• Roll print and texture on the sheet before cutting and forming. This way you can choose the best areas to use for your piece.
• When soldering, the solder will want to flow and fill in your texture.
• When possible, have the textured side face down when soldering so you are soldering on the back surface.
• Alternately, you can paint your texture with yellow ochre to help prevent solder from flowing there. Be careful that you don’t get any on your joints!
• You won’t be able to planish your forms, so spend extra time with the mallets.

Stamping and Hammer textures:

• For all over stamped textures, follow the roll printing steps.
• For selective stamping; planish, file and sand the forms. Then place back on the mandrel and stamp.
• For the top and bottom, mark where you will be soldering and then stamp.
• For hammer textures, planish, file and sand to 320. Then place the form back on the mandrel and hammer for texture. File and sand the tops after this.
• For the top and bottom, mark where you will be soldering and hammer texture just past that point.

Patinas:

• Patinas go on at the end, as usual. Make sure to seal patinas. Some patinas will make seams more noticeable- be careful of that!

Finishing tips:

• Do not use the tumbler! The steel shot can go into your air holes and then it’s stuck. If you have an open form or one with a lot of piercework, you can tumble.
• Make sure you have filed and sanded away all solder spill. If you are in doubt or having trouble telling, heat the piece gently. This will start to discolor the metal and the solder will show prominently.
• Be patient.
• Pull out your dust tray when filing and sanding- line it with a soft towel. The most common casualty in hollow construction pieces is dropping them, leading to dents.
• Think ahead. If the next step is going to make an area unreachable or really difficult to sand and finish well, do it now.

Lesson 5: Cone

Lesson 5: Cone

• Draw out your cone on paper in side view.
• Make sure that your drawing is to scale.
• Using a compass, place the point at the tip of the cone, and adjust the legs so that the pencil tip hits each corner.
• Draw ¾ of a circle with the compass.
• Measure and set your compass to the distance between the 2 bottom points.
• Place your compass point on the left point and make a tic mark with the pencil.
• Repeat with the right point.
• Bring your compass in to 1/6 of the previous length.
• Mark this distance onto the end of one of your tic marks.
• This will give you 3.14 (pi- π) the diameter of your cone!
• Draw straight lines from the center point out to the end tic marks.
• This is your pattern for your cone.
• Make sure that you have made notes on each measurement.
• If you like, cut out the paper template and bend and tape to make sure it is the right shape that you are looking for.
• When you are happy with your paper version, repeat the layout process on metal, using dividers instead of the compass.
• Cut out your template and file the edges smooth.
• Using your half round needle file, file down the thickness at the tip of the cone.
• Anneal.
• Mark lines from the center out to the bottom with your scribe.
• Place in the vise and bend.
• Bend around so that the edges meet.
• Hammer on shoulders to bring edge in close together.
• Solder and pickle.
• Hammer on the cone stake to round out the form.
• Planish.
• Check against the steel square to make sure the sides of the cone are straight and not flared.
• File the bottom edge flat. Use the steel square to make sure you are filing evenly.
• Solder to a bottom plate.
• Cut off any excess and file.
• File and sand the cone to 600.

Tips and tricks:

• The thinner to tip of your cone is, the easier it will bend around.
• To make sure that your cone is indeed round, trace around the bottom on a sheet of paper. Rotate the form slightly and make sure that it still lines up with the drawing.
• If drilling an airhole, do that in the bottom plate before soldering.
• For an open top cone, mark where you want the cone to end on your profile drawing. Draw a ¾ around those marks as well as the bottom marks. If you are doing an open top cone, there is no need to file down the thickness at the top edge.

Homework:

Using 20ga. brass, create a closed cone. The cone should be 1.5-2” high with a 1-2” diameter. The cone should be finished, filed and sanded to 600 grit. There should be no visible airhole.

Due beginning of class October 10.

Lesson 6: Sweat Soldering

Lesson 6: Sweat Soldering

Sweat soldering is the best way to attach large overlapping pieces of metal together. There are 2 common methods for sweat soldering- sandwiching and feeding. Sweat soldering allows you to place pierced out designs onto another sheet of metal.

Make sure that both pieces of metal are clean and flat. All burs from filing and piercing should be removed.

Tips:

• Sweat soldering takes a lot more solder than you think it will- remember that the entire area needs to have solder on it.
• Leave a small area that you can cut off afterwards as a place to feed any additional solder into.
• Place sweat soldering piece on grates or tripods to allow for quickest heating of the pieces. The soldering boards absorb heat.
• The entire piece(s) need to get hot all around in order for the solder to fully flow.
• Sweat soldering is easiest when the pieces are flat. Once soldered, form with plastic mallet.

Sweat Soldering- Laminate method

• If one of your pieces has piercing or a smaller area than the other, this is your top piece.
• Clean both surfaces to be soldered well- no dirt or oils on the metal.
• Both surfaces should be clean and fit together well.
• Lay your top piece on the soldering board face down so that the side that will be soldered is up.
• Flux and heat your flux until clear.
• Place chips of solder all over the piece.
• Heat until the solder begins to slump and flow. Do not let it flow completely!
• Pickle and brass brush.
• Reflux the piece and lay with the solder side down on top of your bottom piece.
• Use cotter pins, cross tweezers, or third hands to apply a small amount of pressure- holding the 2 sides together.
• Heat until the solder flows.

Sweat soldering- Sandwich method

• Clean both surfaces to be soldered well- no dirt or oils on the metal.
• Flux both surfaces to be soldered.
• Heat top piece until the flux is clear.
• Place solder chips all over the top piece.
• Place the bottom piece over the top piece and clamp together.
• Heat until the solder flows.

You should be able to see your solder line around every edge of the piece.

If you do not see that solder line, you need more solder.

Feed in any additional solder from the easiest area to clean up afterwards.

Project 1

Project 1: Compound Shapes

Combine at least 2 of the basic shapes to form a compound shape. Play with the measurements, proportions, and scale to come up 3 variations on that shape. This form(s) should be the central focus of the piece(s). The overall design is up to you, I recommend working with the maquettes to determine what you want to make.

Skills I want you to focus on and use in this piece are: fitting shapes together at angles or on curves, soldering skills, creation of the compound form.

Think about proportions and overall size.

Sketch 5 different ideas on compound shapes and pieces, 3 proportional variations on each. Make a maquette of your top shape idea. Sketch out and demonstrate how/if the pieces will connect and be integrated into the piece.

Lesson 4: Pyramid

Lesson 4: Pyramid

• Draw out your pyramid from a side (profile) view. Do this on paper first, and then on metal.
• Measure from the tip of the pyramid to the bottom points, set dividers, and scribe an arc.
• If doing an open top, follow the same step to scribe the arc for the top as well.
• Measure the distance between the 2 bottom points, and set dividers to that distance.
• Mark off that distance 2 times on the right and one on the left for a total of 4 sides. Make tic marks where the dividers meet the scribed arc.
• Repeat with the top marks if open.
• Draw a straight line connecting the each point where the arc and tic marks intersect. This will mark out your 4 sides.
• Repeat with the top set of marks if open.
• Draw straight lines from the center point out through the intersections.
• Make sure that these lines are scribed deep and straight.
• Cut out your template.
• File the edges.
• If closed, file the down the thickness of the metal at the top.
• Begin with your triangle (3-square) needle file and score along the deep scribe marks.
• When you are 2/3 of the way through the thickness of the metal, switch to your square needle file.
• You should be 95-98% of the way through the thickness of the metal.
• File the side edges of the template to a 45 degree angle.
• Measure the thickness of your metal (20ga=.8mm). Mark this distance on the top of your sheet.
• File from the bottom edge to that line- this will give you a 45 degree angle.
• Bend the pyramid together along the scored lines.
• Solder all of the score/bend joints.
• Solder the 2 edges together.
• Hold with binding wire if needed while soldering.
• Use your triangle or square needle file to clean up any excess solder- both inside and out.
• True the form on the square bezel or ring mandrel, or on the small anvil.
• Planish the sides.
• File the bottom edges flat.
• Use the steel square to make sure that all angles are 90 degrees.
• Solder to a bottom plate.
• If open, also solder to a top plate.
• Cut off excess and file.
• File and sand to 600 grit.

Homework:

Using 20 ga. brass, create an open-top pyramid. Height between 1-1.5”, and the bottom of each side should be no smaller than 1”. Pyramid should be soldered both top and bottom with no visible airholes and finished to 600 grit.

Due beginning of class October 3.

Lesson 3: Cube

Lesson 7: Cube

• Measure out the height of your cube onto a sheet of metal and mark with dividers.
• Cut a strip with the bench shear on your divider mark.
• Use the steel square to make sure that one end is at a right angle.
• Measure out the width for each side (for a perfect cube this is the same measurement as the height) and mark with a steel square.
• Cut off any excess with the bench shear and square the ends.
• Use your scribe and metal ruler (or steel square) to scribe a deep line for each corner seam.
• Use your triangle needle file and file down into the thickness of the metal at those points.
• When you have gotten 2/3 of the way though the metal, switch to your square needle file.
• Continue filing until you are almost all the way through the metal.
• You should be able to see a thin score line coming through the metal on the back.
• The closer you are to going through the metal, the sharper your corner will be.
• File the 2 ends of the strip at 45 degree angles.
• Bend the filed sides together.
• The ends should meet up as well.
• Hold with binding wire and solder all the corner seams.
• File the top and bottom edges flat.
• Double check all measurements.
• Solder to a bottom and top plate.
• Plug the air hole if using one.
• Cut off excess sheet, file and sand.

Tips and Tricks:

• Remember that the thickness of your top and bottom plates will add height to your cube- so you need to subtract 2* thickness when marking the height of your strip. Example: For a 20mm cube in 20ga metal, the height of the strip should be 18.4mm (20-2(.8)).
• Make sure to file slowly at first and keep your scoring perpendicular- check it!
• If you are having trouble doing all of the sides on one strip, do 2 strips. File each end of the strips at a 45 degree angle and score down the center.

Homework:

Make a 20-30mm square cube out of 20ga. brass. The cube should be the same measurements on all sides, and all sides should be square. File and sand the cube to 400 grit.

Due at the beginning of class Sept 26^th.

Lesson 2: Cylinder

Lesson 2: Cylinder

• Cut a strip for the ring.
• To calculate the length of the strip: C=πD
• C is circumference of your circle/ring, the length of the strip you are cutting.
• D is the diameter of the circle.
• Pi = π = 3.14
• Example: If you want a 2” diameter cylinder, π(2)= 6.28”= the length of the strip.
• Mark a line at each end of the strip with your dividers.
• Place the strip in the vise with the protective plates in place. The line you scribed should line up with the top of the vise.
• Push over to bend.
• Repeat with the other side.
• Bend in the center of the strip so that the edges meet.
• Bring the edges down so that they meet level. To do this, hammer with a mallet on the shoulders of the ring to bring them in.
• You want the ends to meet level so that there is the most contact between them to create the strongest soldering joint. If the edges meet at an angle the joint is more likely to crack under stress from forming.
• Work the edges over and under to create tension.
• Solder.
• If you have solder spillage, file that off now. If the seam is pretty neat, don’t worry about it- check inside and outside!
• Place on a mandrel, and hammer with a mallet to round out the ring.
• Flip ring partway through if using a tapered mandrel
• Planish the ring. Begin at the seam, rotate the ring around while hammering and end at the seam.
• Check that the sides of the cylinder are parallel and not flared by placing it on the steel square.
• Mark any areas that are too low (where you see daylight) and hammer those areas.
• File the top and bottom edges flat.
• Use the steel square to make sure you are filing flat and not at an angle.
• Solder your cylinder to a bottom plate.
• Drill a small hole in the bottom plate for your air hole.
• Cut off the excess bottom plate.
• Solder cylinder to a top plate.
• Cut off the excess.
• Close your airhole.
• File and sand your cylinder to 600 grit.

To close your airhole:

·         After you are certain that the solder seams are complete on your piece, neutralize the pickle and draw out all water.

·         It is very important to make sure that there is no water left in your piece before plugging the airhole!

·         Heat the piece very gently (as if you were annealing) until all water has evaporated.

·         Cut a small piece of wire that fits tightly into your airhole. The wire should stick up above the top surface by about 1-2mm.

·         Flux and solder.

·         It is very important that you solder the wire in place with one try! Double check that it is fully soldered before placing in the pickle.

·         Clip off excess wire, and file flush to the surface.

Tips and tricks:

• When deciding on what diameter you want for your cylinder, make sure that you have stakes to hammer and form with that are a bit smaller than your diameter. Otherwise you will not be able to fit onto a mandrel until it is already perfectly round. Likewise, make sure we have a mandrel that is very close to your final diameter otherwise rounding and planishing are trickier.
• If you are using a tapered mandrel, hammer the bottom half of the ring, flip it over on the mandrel, and hammer. This way you are hammering on the same part of the mandrel.
• When soldering your ring together, place the ring on top of a solder ball. When the ring drops down to the surface of the board, you know that solder has melted. This also reduces cleanup.
• If you need a mandrel to form around, pipe from the hardware store is an excellent solution.

Homework:

Create a cylinder from 20ga. brass. The cylinder should be 1.5-2” tall with a diameter no smaller than ¾”. The cylinder should be sanded to 600 grit.

Due at the beginning of class September 12

Lesson 1: Sphere

Lesson 2: Sphere

• Cut out 2 disks with the same diameter- either by saw or with the disc cutter. The disc cutter has a limited range of diameters.
• Anneal.
• Dap using the block and punches.
• Your disk should sit 1/3-1/2 of the way down in the first depression.
• Listen for the solid ping of the punch, not the hollow thud.
• After annealing, your disk is dull. As it comes in contact with the surface of the dapping block it will become shiny. Look for this to ensure that you are dapping evenly.
• Anneal after every 3 hole shifts on the block.
• Measure your hemispheres: 2h=d
• (two times the height of your hemisphere should equal the diameter of your hemisphere)
• Continue dapping until you have the measurements correct.
• Find the dapping punch that fits your sphere tightly, and place it in the vise.
• Planish with the flat side of a planishing hammer in concentric circles from the center out to the edge. Planishing trues the shape/form to the stake you are using. It is the best way to make certain that you shape is accurate and even.
• You should always hit in the same place on the punch, and rotate your hemisphere around.
• Your hammer marks should be even and cover the entire surface. You do not need to hit hard- this is fine-tuning your shape, not smashing it!
• File the edges of your hemispheres flat.
• Measure to double check that 2h=d is still true.
• Make any adjustments if the measurements are off.
• Drill a small hole in one of the hemispheres.
• Solder hemispheres together.
• You can use binding wire to hold the 2 pieces together- the binding wire should be perpendicular to the seam. Place the bound sphere on a mesh plate or in the annealing rocks to prevent it from rolling away. You can also use the straight pins to create a “box for the sphere. 
• Pickle.
• Put sphere into baking soda/water mix to neutralize any remaining pickle. When the piece stops bubbling, the pickle is neutralized.
• Draw out baking soda solution with syringe, flush interior with water to make sure all pickle residue is gone, and dry.
• File off the planishing marks- make sure that you file smoothly- your sphere should not look faceted!!
• Sand with 320 and 400 grit sandpaper.

Tips and tricks:

• If you want the disks a different size than the disc cutter allows, use your dividers to mark the circle and pierce out. File the edges so that the disk is as close to a perfect circle as it can be.
• If you have finished with a hole, and the next one is slightly too small, take a smaller punch, and hit a few times in the hole you just finished. This will bring the edges in slightly.
• Then use that same smaller punch to hit in the center of your piece on the new hole to help get it down in the hole without marring the outside surface on the edges.
• If your hemisphere gets stuck in a hole, use a smaller punch and tap a few times to release it.
• When you dap, the outside lip of your hemisphere is at an angle. You will be filing off that angle to solder. This affects your height measurement. Err on the side of making the height slightly larger (app.5mm) so that when you file the lip flat, the measurement should be perfect. You can file down more if it is still too tall.
• After filing the edges flat, use the scraper to remove the bur created by fining. This will let you see the edge clearer and allows you to double check that everything matches up correctly.
• When drilling on a concave/convex surface, always drill from the concave side. The form will automatically center the drill bit at the lowest point eliminating the need to center punch.
• Instead of using binding wire to hold your hemispheres together, you can push 4 straight pins into the board to form a cage around your halves. For best results, the pins should bend in towards each other at the top.

Homework:

Create a sphere from 20ga brass. The diameter of the sphere should be no smaller than 3/4 inch. The sphere should be sanded to 600 grit. I will be measuring and rolling your spheres on a flat surface to check accuracy!!

Due: Beginning of class September 19

Policies

Class Cancellations:

For cancellations due to school closure or inclement weather, call the main Corcoran line 202-639-1800 and listen to the recorded message.

For cancellations due to instructor illness or emergency, I will be contacting you each via your preferred method. You can also contact the registrar at 202-639-1820.

Makeup classes will be determined at the next scheduled class session. In scheduling makeup sessions, we will try to accommodate everyone however that may not be possible.

Studio and Class Policies:

• Always wear closed toed shoes in the studio. No sandals or Crocs! If you do not have closed toed shoes, you will not be allowed to work in the studio.
• Take any cell phone conversations into the hallway or outside.
• Please be respectful of other students working and keep conversations at a low volume.
• Please be respectful of other students, teachers, and tools.
• No eating in the studio and any beverages must have a lid.
• Clean up your area! Brush off and wipe down your desk. Empty you dust tray into the trash or scrap bin. Return all tools that you were using to their proper location.
• Use caution when working with the machines. Tie back long hair, and follow all safety procedures set out by your instructors
• Listen to and respect the lab techs. They are not your teachers, so do not expect them to instruct you, but they are there for your safety and to help. If they ask you to observe a rule, do so. Your open studio time is a privilege and can be revoked.
• If you don’t know what something does, don’t turn it on or use it. Wait until you can speak with your instructor.
• If you have not been instructed in class as to the usage of a tool or machine, do not use it.
• Class time is for class projects. If you have finished all of your class work, then you can work on extra projects.
• Open studio time is for completion of class projects.
• Most of the tools are communal. Take turns, and be respectful that you are sharing.
• Open studio hours will be posted on the studio door. Changes to the hours (workshops, make-up sessions) will be posted weekly. Call the studio before coming in to make sure that the studio is open.
• You may not work during a regularly scheduled class that you are not enrolled in.
• If you will be absent, notify your instructor ASAP.
• You are responsible for the information in your syllabus and in the student policy handouts and the official Corcoran Student handbook.
• For Open Studio access, you are required to have the correct safety sticker. Stickers are good for 1 year. Green is regular studio hours. Enamelling and Resins+ hours have separate stickers. Talk to your instructor if you do not have the stickers you need to be able to work.

Supply List

Advanced Hollow Construction

Corcoran College of Art + Design Cont. Ed.

Fall 2012- Jenn Parnell, teacher

Materials Sheet

Supplies to purchase:

Dividers

Digital Calipers

Scribe

Ruler with metric measurements

Extra-fine point sharpies

Sandpaper (320, 400, 600)

Scotchbrite and/or steel wool

Slitting needle file (cut 2- available from Otto Frei)

Flat bottom riffle file (231-900-2 at Contenti)

Hard and Medium solder

Drill Bits (assorted sizes)

Saw blades (1/0, 2/0, 4/0)

Metals:

For the first set of forms, use 20ga brass sheet. Brass is preferred over copper for this. You will likely need most of a 12x6 sheet for this.

For your 2 projects, you can use whatever metal you like. I would recommend staying in the 18-22ga range, but metal choice is up to you.

Copper, brass and nickel sheet are available for purchase in the studio during class time. Sterling or gold sheet needs to be personally ordered by you.

Syllabus and Class Schedule

JE3300: Advanced Hollow Construction

Fall 2012

JE3300/Section A

Wednesdays 9:45am-1:00pm

Instructor: Jenn Parnell

Office Hours: Wednesdays 1-1:30pm; by appointment

Phone: 512-589-6431 (cell)

Email: jenn_parnell@corcoran.edu

Homepage:

Required Text: none

Supplemental Text (not required): The Complete Metalsmith - An Illustrated Handbook

Tim McCreight, Davis Publications, Inc. Worchester, Mass

Course Description

Students in this course perfect the fabrication skills they have already learned, acquire more advanced hollow construction skills, and deepen their understanding of design principles. Techniques covered include construction of simple and compound geometric forms, and forming and forging forms to create complex hollow elements. Prerequisite: JE1210 Introduction to Jewelry II.

Course Objectives

At the end of this class students will:

1. Understand the geometry and mathematics used to create hollow forms

2. Understand the construction and fabrication process and steps for hollow construction

3. Be able to demonstrate construction of

• Sphere
• Cylinder
• Cube
• Pyramid
• Cone

4. Be able to demonstrate develoment of the above simple forms into complex forms with the following techniques:

• Fabrication of combination forms
• Forging and Forming
• Cutting and Resoldering

Course Expectations

Projects and Homework Assignments: You are expected to complete the class projects as well as the homework assignments on time. You are expected to keep a sketchbook for your designs and notes.

Technical Proficiency: I look for effort in completing assignments to the highest level of skill you can. I expect that as the course progresses that you will push your technical knowledge and continue to pursue perfection in the skills you learn.

Creativity: I expect that in your projects, you will express yourself as an artist and attempt to integrate your artistic vision and interests into each piece.

Attendance/Participation: Attendance is extremely important. You are expected to be on time. If you miss class, you are expected to talk with your classmates to get the notes for that day. You are expected to participate actively in class, ask questions, and comment in critiques.

Course Requirements (Assignments, Projects, Exams, etc.)

Students will create 5 completed forms: sphere, cylinder, cube, pyramid, cone. Students will then complete 2 hollow construction projects: one using a compound shape, one using altered and recombined elements. In addition to the projects, students will also complete design homework and maquettes.

Each project will be critiqued- the first 2 as a group, the last one individually as part of final critique which encompasses all work from the semester.

Grading Criteria

See the Corcoran Student Handbook for Undergraduate and Graduate Grade descriptions.

Grades are determined based upon the following:

1. Timely completion of all class projects with effort for creativity and technical skill.

2. Attendance and participation in class discussions and critiques

3. Timely completion of homework and samples/exercises.

Attendance Policy (see Student Handbook- http://www.corcoran.edu/student-handbook )

Students are expected to attend all class sessions and course-related activities for each course in which they register. Students may not attend any class for which they have not officially registered. Three absences (two during the summer term) within a given class, or 20 percent of the semester, are grounds for automatic failure of the course. In exceptional circumstances, the Director of Student Affairs, in coordination with Director of Continuing Education, may approve emergency absences for medical or other legitimate reasons. In such cases, students are required to provide medical or other supporting documentation. Absences due to religious holidays must be pre-approved by the instructor one week in advance of the absence.

Although students may miss up to two class sessions, they are not relieved of the obligation to fulfill all course assignments, including those that can only be fulfilled in class. Of special note to all students: instructors may modify the standard attendance policy (stated in this handbook) according to how they weigh various components of the curriculum throughout the semester. If there are any changes to the standard policy, they will be written into the course syllabi that are reviewed on the first day of classes.

Honor Code (see Student Handbook)

Faculty members are responsible, to the best of their ability, for maintaining the integrity of the learning and testing process, both in the classroom and outside of it, and for fostering conditions of academic integrity. To alleviate misunderstandings, all instructors are required to delineate at the beginning of each semester what constitutes a violation of the Honor Code in their classes. This should include an explanation of:

1. The extent to which collaboration or group participation is permissible in preparing term papers, studio work, reports of any kind, tests, quizzes, examinations, homework, or any other work.
2. The extent to which the use of study aids, memorandum, books, data, or other information is permissible to fulfill course requirements.
3. Guidelines on what constitutes plagiarism, including requirements for citing sources.

Course Outline

Week 1- September 5

• Introductions
• Studio Tour- introduction to the equipment, basic safety for the machinery, shop protocol
• Discussion of Hollow Construction
• Lesson 1: Sphere
• Lesson 2: Cylinder
• Homework: Fabricate and finish a cylinder and sphere to 600grit

Week 2- September 12

• Cylinder critique

• Lesson 3: Cube
• Homework: Fabricate and finish a cube to 600 grit

Week 3- September 19

• Sphere critique

• Lesson 4: Pyramid
• Homework: Fabricate and finish a pyramid (open top) to 600 grit

Week 4- September 26

• Cube critique

• Lesson 5: Cone
• Lesson 6: Sweat Soldering
• Introduce Project 1: Compound Shapes

• Homework: Fabricate and finish a cone (closed top) to 600 grit
• Homework: Designs and maquettes for Project 1

Week 5- October 3

• Pyramid critique
• Lesson 7: Finishing Techniques
• Discuss Designs for Project 1

• Work on Project 1

Week 6- October 10

• Cone critique

• Lesson 8: Connections for Hollow Forms

• Work on Project 1

Week 7- October 17

• Lesson 9: Forging Forms
• Work on Project 1

Week 8- October 24

• Lesson 10: Cutting and Recombining Forms

• Work on Project 1
• Introduce Project 2

Week 9- October 31

• Discuss Designs for Project 2
• Assign Research Project
• Work on Project 2

Week 10- November 7

• Project 1 due- group critique
• Work on Project 2 

Week 11- November 14

•   Work on Project 2

Week 12- November 28

• Work on Project 2
• Research Project due

Week 13- December 5

• Work on Project 2

Week 14- December 12

• Project 2 due

• Individual Critiques
• Fill out review forms and discuss class experience