Standing in the Shoes of Michelangelo by: Heather Kilgore

Before: Bar of Soap representing a block of marble.

After: A canoe and oars carved using the Subtractive Method.

I chose to experience a glimpse into the great Michelangelo Buonarroti’s world by “sculpting” a bar of soap into a canoe and oars using the subtractive method. This technique whittles away an original mass (in this case, a bar of soap) to create a shape, rather than molding the shape, or adding onto the shape. When I first sat down to “carve” my “marble,” I was very perplexed as to how to begin and what to make. I set about using a large kitchen knife, and then realized that a smaller knife offered a lot more control and allowed for greater details to be created. Luckily, I prepared for this and bought several bars of soap. I started over with a smaller knife and immediately had better results. I used the knife to “shave away” thin strips on the soap in order to achieve the desired shape, much like whittlers do with a piece of wood. This was definitely an interesting experience, and showcases the extreme talent/patience Michelangelo possessed in creating masterpieces out of a solid block of stone. I have much respect for his ability and what he was able to do. In the meantime, I think I’ll stick to using soap to clean things rather than attempting to create art.