TGF Self-Grading and What is Due

tgf_lesley_burnett_fal19
A nice example of a completed TGF Project, created by Lesley Burnett, Fall 2019. The six forms are lined up in a circle, in order of creation: 1- Original pyramid; 2- mirrored pyramid, making an octahedron; 3- stellation from the center of the faces; 4- elongating the stellations; 5- scalloping the concave dihedral angles (scalloping the concave edges), which bows all surfaces; 6- replacing the scallops with sharp notching, which facets all surfaces. Note the sheet of paper listing the steps.

At project end, you must have six unique, neatly constructed, logically transforming paper forms. They must be presented clearly and cleanly for critique. You must list the transitions you made on paper, with your name and self-determined grade written on the back. Below is a detailed and more specific list.

What is Due

Six 3D paper forms, following these rules

  1. Each form must appear as a solid, with no areas composed of only one paper thickness. In other words, all edges must form a dihedral angle between two sides.
  2. The forms can contain open-through spaces which will not break rule number one.
  3. They are to be neatly constructed.
  4. The first form may be a tetrahedron, cube, octahedron or other simple, regular polyhedron.
  5. Subsequent forms must be modifications of the first in this way:
    • Make a single transformation in each subsequent form.
    • The single transformation must be complete; don't indent one corner on a tetrahedron in one step and then another on the next. (You can, however, indent just one corner in a move if you like!)
    • Do not design beyond the next form in the series!
    • In the end, you must have 6 crisp forms able to be lined up in a row according to the order they were produced. You must be able to list the unique simple transformations from piece to piece without repeating a transformation.

At time of critique

  1. Provide a numbered list of each evolutionary transformation of your forms, in order, from your first to your last, that accurately describes ther logical progression.
  2. On the back of the paper, write your name and the grade you have assigned yourself, based upon the qualifications listed in the table below.
  3. You must be actively participating in the class critique.
Grade Qualification 1 Qualification 2 Qualification 3
A+ (100pts) All 6 shapes, neatly constructed, with all unique and logical transformations
A (90pts) All 6 shapes, not quite neatly constructed, with all unique and logical transformations
B (80pts) All 6 shapes, neatly constructed or not, but with almost all unique and logical transformations 5 shapes, neatly constructed, with all unique and logical transformations
C (70pts) All 6 shapes, neatly constructed or not, with few unique and logical transformations 5 shapes, not quite neatly constructed, with almost all unique and logical transformations 4 shapes, neatly constructed, with all unique and logical transformations
D (60pts) 5 shapes, neatly constructed or not, with few unique and logical transformations 4 shapes, neatly constructed or not, but with almost all unique and logical transformations 3 shapes, neatly constructed, with all unique and logical transformations

Things to Discuss in Critique

Read through the How to Critique page for more specific critique instructions, and the Good and Bad Evolutions page for details on how to label your transformations.

Technical execution

  • Are the forms well made? Are they clean, without extraneous wrinkles, creases, graphite marks, or smudges of glue?
  • Do they meet all of the assignment requirements?
  • Is there a logical progression of evolution from each form to the next?
  • Are there any repeated transformations?
  • Does the list of transformations accurately correspond to the sequence of geometric forms as they are arranged?

Aesthetics

  • Is it beautiful? (what is beauty)
  • Are the forms complex?
  • Is there symmetry or asymmetry? If so, what kind (radial symmetry, bilateral symmetry, asymmetry), and does a particular transformation change it from symmetrical to asymmetrical or vice versa?
  • Is it composed of primarily straight, geometric lines, or is it curvilinear? If it is curvilinear, is it sinuous, biomorphic, bulbous, serpentine, spiraling, etc.
  • Is there rhythm: a repetition of forms, shapes, lines, etc., and if so, what effect does that have on the piece? Does it seem dangerous, because it has multiple sharp spikes extruding from all angles? Or does it feel friendly, because it has soft round curves on all sides?

Originality

Did the artist try something new and innovative? Or did they try to exactly copy one of the examples given in class? (Drawing inspiration is totally fine! However, simply copying doesn't help you learn in the same way as using your own creativity.)

Ambition

Regardless of the final outcome, did the artist try something really complex and difficult that stretched their abilities and made them think deeply about the project?