OBJECTIVE By studying how Rodin portrays movement, students will experiment with the depiction of motion through various mediums.     VOCABULARY modeling, free-standing sculpture, repose, static, fluid     MATERIALS Pictorial examples of Rodin's use of movement Drawing paper Pencils Modeling Clay Sculpting Tools Water (preferably spray bottle with water) Newspapers (to protect working surface if needed)   BACKGROUND Rodin was known for his ability to capture movement in his work. He believed that movement lended the work a "mysterious quality" that gave the sculptures the illusion of life. He explored movement in many different ways. His figures were rarely static and he contended that even his portrait busts suggested some kind of motion. Rodin also studied movement by drawing and sculpting a series of dancers in various poses. He captured their actions without attention to muscle, but rather a fluid representation of their physical activity. To study movement, Rodin would even go so far as to ask his models to move about the room while he studied them.   PROCEDURE Experiment with the following movement activities: Drawing Working in small groups or as a class, students can begin by modeling different action poses chosen by a leader. Students should pay attention to each part of the body and how it moves.   Now working in pairs, students can take turns posing while the other one sketches the movement. Using Rodin's drawings as examples, encourage students to make very quick sketches of the models— attempting to draw as fast as the movement.   Modeling figures in clay Each student should be given a ball of clay to divide into three parts (small, medium, and large).   Using the larger pieces, the student should roll two coils that are about the thickness of a thumb. The third piece should be rolled into a ball.   Using the ball as the head, the smaller coil as the arms, and the larger coil as the legs, the pieces should be joined together and smoothed out so that you cannot tell where they were attached.   Shaping the figure as they go, students should be certain that the upper arms and thighs are thicker than the forearms and lower legs. Remind them not to make the extremities too skinny as they may break off and have to be re-shaped.   Students can now select a pose and carefully bend the figure into position. They should be aware that the parts that support the weight of the figure will have to be reinforced with more clay or by adjoining pieces in order to make the figure sturdy.   Students can now refine the shape, adding whatever details and textures they see fit.   As they work, remind students that the clay dries out, so they should apply water to their piece periodically to avoid cracks. (A spray bottle works good for this or they can just smooth the water on the clay using their fingers. Be sure not to use too much water, just enough to smooth out the cracks.)   *Note: if the class is going to work on their sculptures for more than one day, be sure to cover them with plastic so they do not dry out. When the students are finished, they can fire their sculptures in a kiln or air dry them (will not be water resistant if not fired, but should be durable enough).   EXTENSION Explore how movement is used in other kinds of art throughout history.   Explore "Action Painting" or "Abstract Expressionism" and discover how the physical movement of the artist can affect what is depicted on the canvas.   Further explore the connection of movement and emotion. Have students pick an emotion and then create a movement which depicts that emotion. The students could then draw their movement and add colors to represent the emotion. (red—angry, blue—sad, etc...)   Have students make their own "flip books" to emulate the process of creating motion pictures (see artist Eadweard Muybridge— try these links).