The body is at the core of all design. We design for bodies so students must develop an awareness of the body in order to design for it. It is also critical that students understand the various shapes, sizes, and capabilities of bodies. These studio exercises are to get students in touch with the ways that bodies move in space making them attuned to the body and its relationship with its environment.
Finding Form
Students begin by selecting grayscale images of bodies in motion. Next students analyze the images to abstract forms from the human figure. In these exercises students must consider how the body moves and what “lines of action” are in motion.
Gesture Drawing
Studio students engage in gesture drawing as a way to understand the mechanics of how the body moves. These exercises are best done outside of the confines of the studio to give some “air” to the students as they work. The changing of the environment encourages them to be creative and draw what they “see” rather than drawing what they “know.”
Bodies in Motion
In this studio session students trace their body movements in 1:1. Then they compiled their 1:1 tracing outlining the body rhythm to their movements.
The Body and Sound
For this project students had to consider the movement of the body as it and its coverings as related to sound. As groups students collectively choreographed and performed their ideas of the embodiment of sound.
