Play this clip before Power Point (start at about 2:00) We will be making artwork that blends in with it’s surroundings – this is a little inspirational video to demonstrate some animals that are great at blending!

URBAN ANIMALS Papier Mache Sculptures

LIU BOLIN  China’s Shandong province in 1973,  He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Shandong College of Arts in 1995 and his Master of Fine Arts from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in  Also known as "The Invisible Man", Liu Bolin's most popular works are from his "Hiding in the City" series; photographic works that began as performance art in 2005.

URBAN ANIMAL SCULPTURES  This project is based on the series of Ceramic Sculptures by Merrie Wright called Urban Animals from  Her show at Goldsberry Gallery combines ceramic sculptures of animals and photos of those sculptures in appropriate setting.  What is amusing is that each of the animals--all of them wild animals-- seems to have developed protective coloring to help them survive a tough urban environment  You will be required to do the same with your Papier Mache Animals.

Merrie Wright, Decaying Swallow, earthenware sculpture and digital print The swallow has coloring that resembles the fading, peeling paint of the building in the background.

Merrie Wright, Graffiti Bluebird, earthenware sculpture and digital print Graffiti Bluebird assume the dramatic colors of the spraypainted wall behind it.

“Once you take them out of the environment, their coloring seems odd to say the least, if not completely arbitrary. Of course, the thing is that these color schemes only work as camouflage in highly specific circumstances--the bluebird has to be standing in front of a very specific piece of graffiti to be invisible.”

Merrie Wright, Construction Zone: Coyote, earthenware sculpture and digital print The coyote is painted to replicate the construction cones.

Merrie Wright, Reserved Parking: Squirrel, earthenware sculpture and digital print Wright's animals are like artists, who after centuries of camouflaging themselves as nature, now, in her vivid tableaux, camouflage themselves as man-made stuff. The question is whether this show is celebrating this... or regretting it.

For this project you will:  Choose an animal you want to replicate out of Papier Mache  You will sculpt the animal as realistically as possible  You will paint the sculpture to blend in with the environment  Choose an environment for the animal to be camouflaged in  Easy: School Environment  Better: Mount Horeb Environment  Advanced: Madison/Milwaukee Environment  Not nature! Remember these are Urban Animals!  Once you choose your environment, TAKE A PICTURE to use as reference when you’re painting.  You will be taking an after picture as well