Form, Volume, Mass, and Texture Study Notes

PART 1: FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.2: Form, Volume, Mass, and Texture

Copyright ©2015 Thames & Hudson

Introduction to Three-Dimensional Art

• Three-Dimensional Art: Defined as art possessing height, width, and depth.

  • Abbreviated dimensions include:

  • Height (H)

  • Width (W)

  • Depth (D)

Visual Elements in Three-Dimensional Art

• Four Key Visual Elements:

  • Form

  • Volume

  • Mass

  • Texture

• Shape: A two-dimensional representation.

• Form: A three-dimensional object or representation.

Definition of Form

• Form: An object defined in three dimensions.

  • Example:

  • Great Sphinx of Giza (c. 2650 BCE, Giza, Egypt) is one of the iconic representations of form in art.

Great Sphinx of Giza

• Notable aspects:

  • Largest single stone carving globally.

  • Artists sculpted directly from natural rock, showcasing the ability to transform the environment.

  • Represents power and monumental artistic achievement.

  • Date: c. 2650 BCE

  • Location: Giza, Egypt.

Types of Forms

Geometric Form

• Definition: Regular forms that can be expressed mathematically or articulated verbally.

  • Example:

  • David Smith, Cubi XIX (1964)

    • Material: Stainless steel

    • Dimensions: 113¼" x 21⅝" x 20⅝"

Organic Form

• Definition: Forms that are typically irregular, derived from living organisms, and exhibit unpredictability.

  • Characteristics:

  • Derived from living things

  • Used expressively for artistic properties that contrast with geometric form.

  • Examples:

  • Vesperbild (Pietà), Middle Rhine region (c. 1330)

    • Material: Wood

    • Height: 34½"

  • Lino Tagliapietra, Batman (1998)

    • Material: Glass

    • Dimensions: 11½" x 15½" x 3½"

    • Artist's Description: "A creature that emerges from his dark cave to share goodness and light."

Concept of Volume

• Volume: The space that is either filled or enclosed by a three-dimensional figure or object.

  • Open Volume: When artists create enclosed spaces using materials that are not entirely solid, resulting in an open volume.

  • Example:

  • Ralph Helmick and Stuart Schechter, Ghostwriter (1994)

    • Material: Cast metal/stainless cable

    • Dimensions: 36 x 8 x 10'. Located at Evanston Public Library, Illinois.

  • Vladimir Tatlin, Model for Monument to the Third International (1919)

  • Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse, In the Blue (Crest) (2008)

    • Material: Painted cypress

    • Dimensions: 24 x 108 x 11'. Installation at St. Petersburg Art Center, Florida.

Concept of Mass

• Mass: A volume that has, or appears to have, weight, density, and bulk.

  • Example:

  • Colossal Head, Olmec (1500–1300 BCE)

    • Material: Basalt

    • Location: Museo de Antropología, Veracruz, Mexico.

  • Discovered by Matthew and Marion Stirling (1945) with community support, measuring 8 feet tall.

  • Rachel Whiteread, House (1993)

    • Material: Concrete

    • Location: Bow, London, England (demolished 1994).

  • Marisol (Escobar), Father Damien (1969)

    • Material: Bronze

    • Location: State Capitol Building, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Texture in Art

• Texture: The surface quality of a work of art.

  • Subversive Texture: A texture that contradicts typical tactile expectations.

  • Example:

  • Méret Oppenheim, Object (1936)

    • Description: A fur-covered cup, saucer, and spoon; height: 2⅞"

    • Location: MoMA, New York.

Notable Artistic Works and Installations

• Guggenheim Museum by Frank Gehry (1997)

  • Location: Bilbao, Spain.

• Louise Bourgeois, Maman (1999)

  • Material: Bronze, stainless steel, and marble

  • Dimensions: 29’4⅜" x 32’9⅛" x 38’1".

  • Location: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain.

Additional Resources

• To explore artists utilizing form, volume, mass, and texture, refer to the MoMA videos featuring:

  • Joseph Beuys: Eurasia Siberian Symphony

  • Umberto Boccioni: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space

  • Dynamism of a Soccer Player by Boccioni

  • Constantin Brancusi

  • Marcel Duchamp: Bicycle Wheel