Students used a subtractive method to create bas-relief sculpture on drywall. (A brand name of this material is “Sheetrock.”)
The drywall was cut into 12″ (or smaller) squares, and students glued it (back side down) to a piece of cardboard the same size. The cardboard helped the piece stayed together, even if it cracked while they were working on it. They used damp (NOT WET!) sponges to soften and remove the paper on the front of the board, which was a slow process.
Students were reminded that this was not really an “art” material. The boards were fragile, and sometimes there were imperfections (such as air bubbles) under the surface. They had to be flexible and willing (when necessary) to alter their design.
As they planned their pieces, they had to decide which parts would be raised, and which parts they would carve. As the drywall was only about 1/2″ thick, their cuts had to be relatively shallow. Thin, raised lines were best avoided to prevent them from breaking, but once they had worked out the details, they sketched their design onto the drywall.
They used a thin carving tool to outline their image.
Keeping the surface of the drywall just slightly damp minimized the dust and made it easier for them to start carving.
When they had finished carving, the relief sculptures were painted to add color and to seal the drywall. Here are some of the finished pieces from various times that this project was offered:
