Mar 19, 2014
Why carve miniatures? Does the size of the artwork change your relationship to it? Does small artwork draw you closer to it than large artwork? Click here to look at the sculptures of two artists: Diem Chau, originally from Vietnam, and now in Seattle,Washington, and Brazilian artist Dalton Ghetti. Submit a response : Name two things that small artworks give to the viewer that big artworks do not. Explain your reasoning.
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The size of artwork definitely changes the artists relationship to the piece. One thing that smaller artworks do is they incite a personal relationship between both the artist and the audience. In order to make art on a small scale, there has to be attention to detail and one must be exact and precise in every move they make. In larger pieces of art, mistakes are easy to correct but smaller pieces require planning and caution to make sure no errors are made. The works of Diem Chau and Dalton Ghetti are good examples of this principle. In their particular artworks, the smallest mistake will ruin the entire piece and there can be no correction. In this sense small art demands more of the artist than do larger pieces. Small art also demands more attention from the audience. With small art, instead of taking a step back, the viewer must take a step forward and really look closely at the art to see it, which can cause a more personal connection and increase the effect that the artwork has on the viewer. The second thing that smaller artwork can accomplish is a greater sense of appreciation for the artists effort. When one looks at the works of an artist like Diem Chau they are taken back by how minuscule his art is and it makes the viewer think about his process and how long it took him to create his art. Often times, when someone looks at a piece of art they don't see the time and effort that was put in to create it, but with smaller pieces, it is more evident.
Carving miniatures requires intense concentration, time, and effort. I think that artists carve miniatures to make the statement that although small, miniature carvings require just as much (if not more) effort end energy as large carvings. Most people underestimate the potential of anything small until it captures their attention, and the works of Dien Chau and Dalton Ghetti do just that. By carving figures on familiar objects such as pencils and crayons, the audience can immediately mentally refer to the size of the object and then imagine the even smaller carving constructed upon it in amazement. I believe that the smaller your artwork is, the more personal relationship you will have with it due to the greater demand of focus on details and structure. Since miniatures capture one’s full attention, an artist will be sure to accentuate the details that he/she wants or doesn’t want to stand out. Small artwork draws you closer to it than large artwork. If you think about, when we see large artwork, our first instinct is to take a step back to focus our vision and attention on the entire figure. By taking this step back, the piece of artwork seems less intimidating for the mind to evaluate and ‘shrinks’ the piece. On the other hand with miniatures, the audience is immediately drawn in and can quickly evaluate the piece. One can see the piece exactly as the artist intended it to be seen—up close and personal—without the audience having to change their point of view, struggle to interpret the piece, or miss crucial details. Something that small artworks give the audience is a better appreciation for the artist’s efforts. When examining the details of a miniature carving alone and then referencing the already incredibly small structure that it stands upon (such as a crayon or pencil tip), the audience immediately realizes how much individual detail and concentration was required of the artist. Something else that small artworks give the audience is an emotional attachment. Smaller, non-intimidating structures are generally more pleasing to look at and more intriguing to approach for further inspection. Besides, humans love anything that they can call cute and delicate.
The two main differences between making smaller artwork as opposed to larger artwork mainly comes from the admiration the artists received and the artist trying to differentiate themselves from other artists. Carving tips of pencils not only takes a keen eye and a steady hand, but also concentration over long periods of time. Although it is still a massive undertaking (so to speak) when making a larger piece of art, when someone views miniature sculptures or any piece of art for that matter, we have a better grasp of how difficult that is. Having the viewer know how difficult is it to handle small objects or craft small objects contributes to the admiration for the artists. Artists may carve miniature sculptures in order to differentiate themselves from other artists in their field. No two artists want to be exactly the same, one may wish to be knows as the artists with huge installments whereas the other may wish to be knows for carving tips of pencils. It all comes down to how the artist wishes to be viewed by the world, and their artworks helps aid that.
The size of the artwork definitely changes your relationship to it. Closer attention must be paid to the smaller piece. Every carving must be precise and carefully planned since there is less room to fix one's mistakes. Smaller artwork draws a person in closer physically because in order to properly examine the piece, one must be able to view all of its details. A large piece requires the viewer to back up in order to see the whole piece. Small works can bring forth senses other than sight. Because one would have to get closer to a small work, the viewer might also smell the material (if the material used gives out a scent. When standing further away from a larger piece, the scent may not travel as far. Small work demonstrates the artist's careful craftsmenship and patience- such qualities can be observed and admired by the viewer.
Carving miniatures is a challenge that can turn out really well if the artist is talented and concentrates on their vision of the piece. Carving little sculptures is also something of a feat, considering the intense effort it takes to create them. I think the size of the artwork changes your relationship to it, but not by much. A well done carving that's large, to me, is just as amazing as a smaller one. I know the miniature took more effort because of the small details, but large sculptures are just as precise. Even though I don't think the relationship changes that much, smaller artwork definitely gives you more of a "wow factor" when you see the specific little details that the artist clearly worked hard to create. Looking at Diem Chau and Dalton Ghetti's work is really something special because the camera even captures the little things that make the carvings magnificent. Smaller sculptures can also be made of much more material than large ones. You wont find a huge carving made out of a crayon because they don't usually come in big sizes, but smaller sculptures can be made of out underappreciated canvas, like pencil lead!
Carving miniatures brings appreciation for detail to the viewer. Small figures such as miniatures require a steady hand that can preform detail on a much smaller scale than on bigger pieces of artwork. When the size of a piece of artwork is merely a few inches in height, it forces the viewer to notice the intricate detail, and how exact and planned the piece of artwork must be. Considering the relationship between the piece and the viewer, I think that smaller pieces of artwork allow the viewer to form a more intimate bond with a smaller piece of artwork than a larger piece of artwork. A smaller piece of artwork allows for a more imaginative interpretation by the viewer. It's almost like how a child can easily bring a toy car to life, or a doll to life. A smaller form of artwork allows the viewer to give meaning to the piece of artwork in any way they please, especially for pieces that are not so abstract. The combination of appreciation of detail and the establishment of a more intimate connection with a piece of artwork is better received in smaller pieces of artwork than larger pieces of artwork due to a bigger net for interpretation, allowing for a deeper analysis of meaning.
Miniatures are a lot more difficult to do, because of how much more time, attention, and concentrated effort they require. That being said, you can put the same amount of work into a big sculpture, but it is not as necessary for it to be distinguishable as a dog from a cat. Small artwork requires more concentration of energy and accuracy in what you do, because in comparison to your hands, small artwork is very easy to be messed up as a result of natural clumsiness. The size of the artwork that I am looking at definitely changes my view and relationship with it, but only at extremes of the scale do I begin to take favorites. If a one inch by one inch canvas portrait of someone is drawn alongside a six foot by six foot portrait of that same person, I will like the smaller one better because of how much more approachable it is, because of the meticulous precision demanded by such a small canvas. What the small artworks give to the viewer is the idea that so much art happens on a small scale, and by looking at the whole thing, you miss the small details. Another theme prevalent in the other pieces is that you can make art out of anything, including small things. They give you the idea that you can make art when bored at home, its just about the perspective with which you view art. The small carvings out of the pencils show how serious concentration but a simple idea can result in amazing artwork.
Small sculptures just have an attention to detail that bigger sculptures cannot achieve. The artist has to focus and be gentle with the piece because 1 wrong move and you have to start all over again. It also achieves a feat that would in most cases be impossible with larger sculptures: In order to appreciate the piece, you have to come closer to it to appreciate the details carved into it.
Small artwork gives the viewer a greater appreciation for detail because it's harder to create details on smaller figures than bigger figures. Also carving the smaller pieces takes so much patience and effort, it gives a greater appreciation for the piece in a sense. Not that big pieces take a short amount of time it's just that small pieces have much more of a potential to be destroyed because they're so small and fragile. I'm always amazed by smaller pieces than bigger pieces because I feel as though bigger pieces can be fixed somewhat easily whereas working with small pieces if you so much as sneeze the piece is almost destroyed, if not blow away by the sheer force of the sneeze itself, then it's accidentally broken or smashed by some involuntary movement. I have so much respect for small pieces. I have respect for art in general, but small pieces, especially the ones on grains of rice painted with fly eyelashes, just amaze me so much that someone has the patience and time to do all of that.
Sculpting miniature creates a whole different experience for both the creator and the audience. The sculptor needs to be extremely concentrated and pay close attention to detail because it is much easy to ruin a miniature sculpture than a large one. One small mistake could ruin the whole piece. For example, if Diem Chau or Dalton Ghetti were careless they could easily break the tip of the pencil they were shaping. Smaller sculptures also require more attention from the audience, because they have to look closer to even examine the piece. They may even have to hold to piece to see it clearly which creates a more personal relationship between that individual and the piece.
Tiny works of art require a steady hand and immense attention to detail, and as a result engage and surprise audiences more than regular sized carvings. Artists like Diem Chau and Dalton Ghetti appreciate the impact of smallness on viewers and take advantage of its ability to awe. They recognize that by reframing the definition of 'great' not only to mean large and loud, they create beauty through understatement. Their work is able to speak for itself, and its reception is more pure because it is out of the way, not in anybody's face, and a viewer must work to see it. Smaller pieces are more personal because they require such intimacy during the carving process. They are close to the artist, and that shows in the final product and in the effect the art has on viewers.
Small sculptures are so much more interactive for the viewer because the viewer has to get really close to look at all the detail rather than step back. It draws the viewer in because from far away you would probably not be able to tell what it is, like the pencil lead, but up close you can see all the detail and dedication that was put into the work. With that, two things that small artworks give the viewer are a sense of appreciation and passion. First of all, they appreciate the time, caution, and dedication that the artist put into the work. With such little things, it is obvious that it took a long time and a steady hand to complete. And finally, the viewer can feel the passion of the artist. If the artist was not passionate about the work or their occupation, they would not make this type of small art. An artist has to be very passionate to be able to do things so carefully.
While a huge installment like cloudgate can cause a certain awe in the audience, carving on a very small scale creates a parallel but less obvious reaction. In order to appreciate the artwork you have to get very close. This makes the interaction with the art a personal experience rather than a shared one you might get with a larger piece viewed by many people at the same time. While the large sculptures are impressive because of their size, the miniatures rely mostly on the quality of the process and artist that gave it form. When you work with a larger piece it is easier to rectify a mistake, but with a very small piece a mistake could upset the entire piece. Thus, smaller pieces give the viewer a more accurate picture of the competence of the artist and that artist's mastery of a medium. Also small pieces make detail more impressive. In our condition today with advertisements everywhere trying to compete for our attention, detail is lost. Rather than an in your face appeal that larger sculptures tend to have, smaller ones are subtle to begin with and discovering the shoe carved on the tip of a pencil has eyelets is more impressive than seeing a life sized shoe sculpture with eyelets. I think it is most like the way classical music pieces have their crescendos and staccatos they also have pauses in beat that are just as impressive.
Being a sculpture student, I can say any sort of sculpting, whether large or small, takes immense effort, concentration, and practice. However, miniature sculptures provide a different perspective on the piece itself and require more skill and concentration than working on a larger piece. Size can provide a new perspective to the viewer. For example, I chose to carve macaroni for my food sculpture, but I am doing one noodle about the size of my palm. Of course, a macaroni noodle isn't the size of your palm, but it can help the viewer realize that the delightful macaroni we eat is a bowl composed of one type of noodle that is in most cases, quite small. It brings forth this idea that can often be undermined when eating a bowl of macaroni and cheese. A small sculpture takes more precision than a large one. A viewer can appreciate the hard work and effort an artist put into such a small piece, making the little amount of medium they have and turning it into something just as wonderful as a large piece
Using a small piece to carve into gives the audience something that is referred to as the "wow" factor. Taking into consideration the time that an artist put into a piece and the details that they worked so hard at is something that is achieved by those smaller pieces. I also feel like it has this believe it or not factor that only these small pieces have, sometimes bigger pieces have it but in my opinion it doesn't happen that often with those bigger sculptures unless they're huge. I feel like it's the small attention to detail that makes these small sculptures really wow the crowd.
In many cases, miniature artworks impress the viewer more than any larger pieces because the average person finds it hard to make a beautiful piece on a larger scale, let alone on something 1/50th of the size. These types of sculptures and carvings require such a steady hand and are very tedious. These pieces focus heavily on perspective- they might not be as impressive blown up to life size, because there is a lot more room for error at such a scale. Detailing a piece smaller than the size of a peanut, is an entirely different story. It takes someone with a lot of patience to create such pieces, and with so little material in the first place, every move must be calculated and precise. Another thing these miniature carvings give to the viewer is inspiration of use for common household items in an artistic and innovative way. In particular, Chau and Ghetti use everyday items to express to the viewer how not even pencils and crayons are bound to a 2-dimensional world. While most of us struggle to make art with pencils and crayons, we never would've even thought to use them as mini blocks of stone or ice or any other commonly carved material.
Carving miniatures allows an artist to show a different take on an object. Carving miniatures is more difficult to do but allows the artist to make the carving more personal by either choosing to keep the item to scale or exaggerate certain things to get a point across. By changing the size the carving wouldn't be able your express detail as easily as a large object because of lack of space but would be able to make the viewer see the details they want them to see. Small artwork draws you closer to it so that you can really see the image but can also cause you to step back because by seeing it in two different ways you can see things you didn't see before.
Working at such a small scale gives the artist a new perspective of the object being sculpted. The small scale makes the artist pay more attention to fine details that may be overlooked if made with a larger scale. For example, Diem Chau was able to sculpt a miniature boot with small details, like the holes for the laces. By working with such a small scale, the artist cannot take anything for granted. Every curve and every engraving has to be done meticulously. The artist is able to analyze the subject more closely. This makes the viewer and artist appreciate and acknowledge small objects more.
Realistically, I believe that the difference we feel in working with art pieces in different sizes is only as big as we make it. Some people feel much more attached to a smaller work of art because of the intimacy they develop over it, the time put into it, or because small things are "just so gosh dang cute." Others however do not feel this and get the same feeling as they would working on a larger scale. It's still art, it's still a process, it's still frustrating as hell, and it still feels great when we create something wonderful. It's a matter of perspective really. All this being said, carving miniatures can be done for various reasons, but if we think practically, the answer is obvious: it uses less material and you've got more for next time!
I think that no matter the size of an art piece, the artist is still dedicating a vast amount of time and energy and passion on said piece. However I do enjoy creating smaller pieces the most because of the way they make you work. A smaller piece requires different tools, a different setting and usually a different focus. With a smaller piece the artist has to work on the details to create the bigger picture, while with a bigger piece it's usually the other way around, work on the bigger picture to create detail. Smaller pieces are fragile and have to be handled with care, depending on the material it may or may not be more fragile than a bigger piece. Artists have different goals and different preferences and I think it all depends on their intentions.
I think the sculptures by Dalton Ghetti and Diem Chau is awesome. I think small artworks give you a more meaningful relationship with the piece and and it helps you appreciate whatever you are carving more. When you sculpt a smaller piece, it seems to be more challenging because there is less room for error, therefore you have to focus on using your material efficiently and effectively. Unlike with a big sculpture, with a little sculpture, you can't just carve a big chunk out of it and then later shape it into what you intended. You have to be very careful and sculpt with every goal and intent in mind. Even though Ms. G says it's better to sculpt less, I think it is just as hard sculpting less opposed to more. Since you have to be very careful and purposeful, sculpting a small piece take a lot of time and in return helps you form a better and more meaningful relationship with your piece. Also when carving a smaller sculpture, I think it helps you appreciate whatever you are sculpting more. By sculpting a smaller piece you have to focus on every little intricate detail of the piece. By doing this, you may realize things about the piece you are working on that you never knew before. For example, if you are sculpting a flower, maybe you never noticed before the exact texture of the stem of the flower and how detailed the petals actually are because from a distance and on a big sculpture you may just see a green stem and pink petals. Small sculpture helps you appreciate the smaller things about a piece, and in return make it more meaningful.
The making of miniatures, like other different forms and techniques, provide a different intimacy between the piece, the artist, and the viewer. The process of making it requires attention to detail, cautiousness, and acute precision, and it clearly shows. The size and material are extremely unforgiving, so the care the artist puts into it really changes the relationship between the artist and material. The devotion they may put into creating the piece changes the dynamic between it and the artist. Also, its size really gives a different perception. You can recognize the forms and shapes of objects yet its only larger than a pencil tip. It can really make you enjoy and appreciate the little details and craftsmanship.
Carving miniatures forces the sculptor to have to really concentrate on their piece, and put a lot of effort and time into it. Because the sculpture is so small, it can be quite difficult to get all the details right, and to not mess up. We've experienced all these things as we are making our miniature sculptures. Small artworks force viewers to take in all the details, as they will have to look very closely at the piece to understand what it's about. When you see a big artwork, you can just glance at it quickly and still get an idea of what is is, and not see all the detail that has been put into it. To understand a small artwork, you have to examine it closely, enabling you to see all the small details. Small artworks also force viewers to have more compassion and appreciation for the artist, as seeing a small artwork really makes them think about the amount of time and effort that had to be put into creating the miniature sculptures. Viewers think about how much time it must've taken the artist to carve the tiny eye, or get the tiny texture just right, and about how they managed to do it so well. Viewers develop a deeper appreciation for the artist's work.
Miniatures are cool, people marvel at the tiny size, which strikes such a contrast with other regularly large objects of art. One thing that draws people close to an artwork, is the size,the photographs give us an up close view of the sculpture, but in real life,the size of the sculpture forces you to get closer and REALLY examine it and puts you in a position to better see the detail. I do think the size of the artwork matters a lot, where the common conception is that bigger is better, or if not that, the bigger an art piece is , the bigger the impact on the audience. However,miniature carvings defy this idea and fill the audience with an even greater respect for the author and the intricacies of their artwork. That is one thing that small artworks give to the viewer that big artwork does not. Another thing that small artwork gives to the viewer is a feel of restriction and limited scope. Looking at Diem Chau's sculpture of the girl (the one where the girl is carved out of the graphite in a pencil) people wonder, just how did he do it? Versus a large white canvas board, on which the imagination can roam unbounded, the pencil tip seems to be the most claustrophobic (and cramped!) space ever.
BIG ARTWORKS TAKE THE ATTENTION AWAY FRPM DETAIL, WHERE AS SMALL ARTWORKS DO NOT. IT MAKES YOU FOCUS ON THE DETAILS BECAUS E BY IT BEING SO SMALL IT MAKES YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR THE DETAILS. I THINK SMALLER SCULPTURES MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT THE SKILL LEVEL OF THE ARTIST MORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS MORE.
Artists that make small artwork give the viewer a new idea of perspective that larger pieces can't necessarily give. The tiny carvings of the pencil lead literally leaves a sense of awe in the viewer of the impossibility that something so small could be carved so intricately. Making sculptures that are larger than life scale is difficult as well, but to our minds it seems much more manageable to go bigger instead of smaller. Our hands can only be so precise on the small scale. The crayons and pencil carving are also just so creative, like the average person wouldn't even think to do that. It draws you in the view the piece closer and to bend our minds trying to think about how it could be done.
Size defines the relationship the viewer has with the piece and with the artists. Smaller artworks draw the viewer's eye and usually consist of more attention to detail but not always. Sometimes the artists is trying to make a point with the size of their piece and with other works the size either compliments the surrounding area or contrasts it. With these particular artists, Diem Chau and Dalton Ghetti, the carvings make the viewers not only curious about what the figure is but also make sthe viewer think about what they consider with the realm of possibilities. Sometimes smaller works are more personal almost like they have a secret, a secret the viewer can share with the artist.
The size of the artwork has a huge impact on ones relationship with it. While a large artwork makes a big statement, small artwork can be something almost understated. It's almost as if to say that yes, this subject matter matters no matter how small it is. Also, even if it seems counterintuitive, small artwork makes you notice the detail, and appreciate the artistry. Where a large amount of detail is impressive on a large work of art, some of the subtleties could get lost. However, on a small work of art, you are forced to see all the details, since there could be not as many. In that matter also, small artwork often draws you in closer than larger artwork. Since it is so small you have to get up close to see anything, and thus you are physically closer to see the entirety of it. So overall, small artwork gives you a closer connection with the art and insight into just how difficult it is to make it on such a small scale.
Size is very important. Most sculptures tend to be of normal or a much larger size. I believe that Chau made the sculptures small to show that size doesn't matter. If anything, something that is small has had much more effort put into it. Personally I do think that the size effects the relationship from art work to artists. If a piece of art work is small then that means that a lot more care will be put into keeping it. Because the object is small, of course it can easily be lost. This makes the artist more attached to it then a much larger piece. I believe that small pieces of work draw in a person. It is amazing to see what can be done on such a small scale opposed to a bigger you. Also it's cool to see how so much time, effort, and detail was put into the sculpture to make it what it is and will become.
Miniature sculptures lure in viewers by the size, having them pay extra attention to the details. With miniature sculptures there is less to look at and therefore key details and meanings are prevented from being lose. The size itself may add to the meaning. Creating these little masterpieces takes not only a skillful hand but meticulous planning. Though the art is on a much smaller scale, it may take a longer time to complete in comparison to others.
I think that carving miniatures include more intricate details and are more complicated pieces of artwork. Mistakes are easier to make and harder to fix whereas larger carvings give you more room for mistakes. Carving miniatures require an intense amount of concentration and attention. Carving miniatures also create a more appreciated relationship with the audience. Larger carvings require a significantly less amount of concentration and therefore usually have less intricate and complicated details. Miniature carvings draw you more closely to it making the detailing extremely important.
Although both large and miniature artwork is impressive, miniature artwork moves the viewer differently. With miniature artwork a sense of fragility is present; something so small must be fragile and require intense focus and control with every movement spent carving it. Although larger pieces do require focus and control, smaller pieces are easier to break and therefore may be consider riskier. Another effect of small art is the way it can put life into perspective. Not all people can see the lead of a pencil as a giraffe, or as an elephant; most people cannot even fathom this idea. When a artist makes miniature art, it makes the viewer see objects in a different way, makes thing seem more possible. By seeing pencil lead made into such beautiful simple objects, it makes me see something as small as pencil lead as an art medium.
I think carving miniatures is definite proof of skill, especially if all of the smaller details are captured within the sculpture. On the other hand, creating a miniature of an object could make a usually complex object look simple, making it something easy to swallow & digestible. Miniatures can make a typically humongous and daunting object approachable and friendly almost. I think this makes it easier for the view to form a relationship with the object. Smaller art practically forces the viewer to draw near to it just so they can begin to understand it. With larger pieces, the viewer is pushed away and are forced to begin to comprehend it from a distance. Small works force the viewer to see and pay attention to the detail. It also forces the viewer to see almost everything and reduces the likelihood that something is missed. Viewers of big pieces on the other hand can easily get away with missing details the artist spent time including. Its also significantly easier to spend less time with big pieces because you can see the whole picture, and if it doesn't capture you immediately, you'll move on to the next thing before even seeing the whole thing.
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