Critical Conversations: bridging pathways forward to greater understanding and creative solutions.

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.