The Card Sculptures of Warren King
Having stumbled up the card sculptures of artist Warren King on Pinterest, I just had to find out more. I knew these amazing card sculptures would inspire Art Teachers and students alike. I got in touch with King and this is what he told me. He travelled to China for the first time and Inspired by the village where generations of his family grew up, made card sculptures of the people who shared his grandparent’s life. I posted the following questions to King and this is what he told me:
Were you interested in art at school ?
“I always had an interest in art, but in school, science and math were my priorities. I studied engineering in undergrad and grad schools, but I took art classes here and there when I could. I didn’t take art very seriously until almost 20 years after I graduated.”
Was your art teacher an influence on you?
“I had one art teacher in middle school who was the kind of art teacher that you dream of. Totally unhinged and exuberant. He was crazy, but he taught me to see color, lines and shapes in a completely different way.”
Do you make any other kind of art? Do you keep a sketchbook?
“I’ve never had formal training with paint or wood or stone, but I’ve worked with a few other unconventional materials like wire and plastic. I do love to sketch, and usually carry a sketchbook with me. More than anything, it’s a way for me to practice my observational skills. But I don’t finding sketching to be very useful in my sculptural work. The curves and intersections of a sculpture have to be worked out in 3D, so I design and build on the fly, without planning ahead on paper.”
What advice would you give students who were trying to make card constructed faces or masks?
“My best advice is on the technical aspects of working with cardboard: Think like a woodworker. Cardboard has a grain, and different textures and properties, like a fine wood. If you want to make the most of the cardboard, study the material and take advantage of its strengths and unique characteristics. And spend a little extra money on sharp knives and a good glue gun.”
See more of Warren Kings inspiring work at his website: www.wrnking.com
Please comment below if you know of any card construction artists who you think art teachers would love!
