Skip to content

Convexity Exercise

a black and white photograph of a detail of a crevasse in a three dimensional form
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a black and white detail photograph of a curved form
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a photograph of a smooth white three dimensional form that bulges at the center
Xandy Peters, BID 2011
a photograph of a curved, wedge-like three dimensional form in dramatic lighting
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a photograph of a lumpy three dimensional form in dramatic lighting
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a black and white photograph of two similar bulbous three dimensional forms of different sizes
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a black and white photograph of a smooth three dimensional form that comes to a point on one end
Student Work, Author Unknown, 2010s
a black and white photograph of a bulbous three dimensional form
Student Work, Author Unknown, 1980s
a color photograph of a curvy three dimensional form with dimples that is resting on a pedestal
Student Work, Author Unknown, 1990s
a black and white photograph of a curvy three dimensional form on a wood pedestal
Alex Morpurgo, BID 2013
a black and white photograph of a squishy form with one hard edge
Student Work, Author Unknown, 1980s
a white abstract form on a pedestal with dramatic lighting
Student Work, Author Unknown, 1990s
a white, blobby form
Student Work, Author Unknown, 1990s

Convexity is the expression of positive volume or form pushing into negative space. Students are asked to make organic forms in clay, sketch them from different angles, then make larger forms that accentuate the most interesting gestures from the sketches. The goal is to create final forms with established dominant-subdominant relationships.