Gargoyles

What is a Gargoyle? Gargoyles had two purposes: Gargoyles are sculptures of imaginary beasts created during the Middle Ages. They were located along the roof and downspouts on cathedral buildings. Their function was to drain the water away from the stone carvings on the buildings. Gargoyles also served an additional purpose. Medieval Europeans believed that demons were trying to persuade, entice or trick people into a state of sin. Cathedrals were holy places that were believed to be free from sin, and medieval artists were employed to help keep them that way. These artists would create sculptures for Gothic cathedrals that were gruesome enough to scare away even the most terrifying demons. Some scholars also believe they were created fierce and fantastic looking to serve as a reminder to the people that the spirits of hell were awaiting them if they did not believe the religious beliefs of the church and try to lead a virtuous life.

Where did the imagery come from? Medieval artists created their gargoyles based on animals they had observed, especially noting the way animals look when they are defending themselves or attacking and need to look terrifying. To make them seem strange and other-worldly these artisans combined features from different animals, exaggerated characteristics like eyebrows, lips, and wrinkles, and used their imaginations to create creatures which would inspire fear and obedience. Artists also consulted Bestiaries. A Bestiary is a book that has short descriptions about all sorts of animals, real and imaginary, birds and even rocks, accompanied by an explanation of the powers and symbolism of each animal. These books were very popular during this time.

What were gargoyles made of? Although the first gargoyles were made out of wood, later gargoyles were usually carved from limestone or marble, and sometimes lead. Gargoyles were carved on the ground, from a clay model, and then placed in position. They were often painted, but the paint on old gargoyles still surviving today has either been worn off or been removed.

Examples of Gargoyles

Project Overview 1. Look at history of medieval architecture and gargoyles. 2. Use computer to find 3 images of gargoyles. Glue into sketchbook. 3. In sketchbook complete preliminary sketches of gargoyles. 4. In sketchbook, complete a full-page self-portrait of yourself (using a mirror). 5. Use a piece of tracing paper and reduce the detailed portrait to a line drawing. Add in the features that will turn your human face into that of a gargoyle. 6. With a partner, produce a plaster cast of your face. 7. Reinforce the plaster cast and build armature on the back to hang the final work. 8. Use newspaper/wire to build-up the plaster cast so that it resembles the gargoyle that was drawn in the planning stage. 9. Sand the gargoyle. 10. Paint using stone-coloured paint.

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