Ceramics 1
In Ceramics 1 we will learn and use many processes of clay. We will create beautiful unique forms using several different building techniques such as pinching, wheel throwing, coiling, and slab building. Various ceramics artists will be looked at and analyzed. Glazes, textures, carvings and many other surface techniques will be used to give the pieces a finished, functional use. At the same time we will be learning and understanding how to put our voice into our art.
Syllabus
ceramics_1_syllabus.docx |
Drying Stages of Clay
Composition/Unity Power-point
Project 1: Pinch Pot bowls and slump mold tray
Project Description:
Students will create a tray and three pinch pot bowl with pattern warm or cool color line designs. Students will be using pinching technique for the forming of their bowls and under glaze and clear glaze for the pattern line designs. Through this projects students will learn the drying stages of clay, wedging and procedures of the classroom.
Techniques:
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects must:
Elements:
Vocabulary:
Building Process:
Steps:
Glazing Process:
Steps-
Students will create a tray and three pinch pot bowl with pattern warm or cool color line designs. Students will be using pinching technique for the forming of their bowls and under glaze and clear glaze for the pattern line designs. Through this projects students will learn the drying stages of clay, wedging and procedures of the classroom.
Techniques:
- Wedging
- Pinching
- Forming
- Glazing
- Smoothing (using sponge and fingers)
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects must:
- Use pinching techniques
- Walls and base must be at least ¼ thick
- All the bowls are identical and fit nicely together on the tray
- Have an even smooth lip and base
- Have a smoothed out surface
- Be glazed using 3 different colors of underglaze
- Use either a warm or cool color theory
Elements:
- Form- is one of the seven elements of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat
Vocabulary:
- Pinching- A METHOD OF MAKING POTTERY IN WHICH A BALL OF CLAY IS PRESSED, PULLED, AND PINCHED INTO A SHAPE WITH THE HANDS. THE THUMB IS USUALLY USED TO OPEN THE CENTER.
- Clay-A MOIST EARTH OF DECOMPOSED ROCK; USED IN PRODUCTS SUCH AS POTTERY, BRICKS, TILES, AND SCULPTURE.
- Ceramics-A CLAY OBJECT MADE INTO A PERMANENT SHAPE BY FIRING IN A KILN.
- Plasticity-THE QUALITY OF CLAY WHICH ALLOWS IT TO BE MANIPULATED, SHAPEDMOLDED WITHOUT CRACKING OR CRUMBLING; WORKABILTY.
- Leather Hard-THE DAMP BUT STIFFENED STAGE IN DRYING CLAY. HANDLES AND OTHER ADDITIONS APPLIED AT THIS POINT.
- Bone Dry-UNFIRED CLAY THAT IS FREE OF WATER, ONLY CONTAINS THE AMOUNT
- Greenware-UNFIRED, BUT DRIED CLAY PIECES.
- Wedging- TO FORCE AIR BUBBLES OUT AND ALIGN CLAY PARTICLES TO FORM AGOOD WORKING TEXTURE (WET CLAY). KNEADING MOIST CLAY.
- Firing-HEATING CERAMIC CLAYS AND GLAZES TO MATURITY.
- Kiln-A SPECIAL FURNACE THAT REACHES HIGH TEMPERATURES USED FOR FIRING CLAY PRODUCTS; ELECTRIC, GAS, OR WOOD-FIRED.
- Bisque Fire-FIRST FIRING AT LOWER TEMPERATURE TO MAKE POTS LESS FRAGILE
- Glaze- A COATING OF GLASS WHICH IS FUSED TO THE SURFACE OF A CLAY BODY DURING FIRING. IT SERVES TO PREVENT THE PENETRATION OF LIQUIDS, PRESENT A GOOD WEARING, EASILY CLEANED SURFACE, AND DECORATE. CAN BE SHINY OR MATTE.
- Form-is one of the seven elements of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat
- Proportion- Proportion is the relationship of two or more elements in a design and how they compare with one another. Good proportion adds harmony, symmetry, or balance among the parts of a design
Building Process:
Steps:
- Create 3 sketches showing the front, side, and back the animal sculpture
- Prepare Clay by wedging it
- Form clay into a ball
- Place clay ball in your hand and push your thumb into the center of it
- Slowly spin the ball of clay in your hand and pinch up the walls until they have an even thickness of a ¼ inch.
- Make sure that the base of the ball is also a ¼ inch thick
- Creating a distinct lip by evening and smooth it out
- Use your fingers to smooth out and blend any large divots and bumps on the surface of the clay
- Take a sponge and dampen it slightly and rub it on the surface smoothing out any finger prints or small bumps and divots. Place aside until your piece gets to leather hard
- Repeat steps 8 and 9 on your now leather hard piece of clay, also smoothing out and cleaning up the base of your piece.
Glazing Process:
Steps-
- On bisque pottery
- Choose a warm or cool color design
- Draw your line patterns and design on your bisque pottery using a pencil
- Choose warm or cool colors from the underglazes
- Paint the design that is drawn on your pieces using the underglazes
- Don’t overlap the glazes
- Let the underglaze dry then put two coats of Mixing Clear glaze over the surface.
- Don’t glaze the bottom of the bowl Place your piece on the glaze shelf in the back to be glaze fired.
- Clean up!!!
Project 2:
Coil Pot
Project: Students will create a patterned vase using coil technique. Students will create four different coil designs to be placed in a pattern that forms their cylinder vase.
Techniques:
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects Must:
Element:
Form- is one of the seven elements of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat
Vocabulary:
Pattern-A regular arrangement of alternating or repeating elements (Shape, line, colors) or motifs.
Process:
Steps:
Glazing Process:
Steps-
Coil Pot
Project: Students will create a patterned vase using coil technique. Students will create four different coil designs to be placed in a pattern that forms their cylinder vase.
Techniques:
- Coiling
- Slab rolling
- Review:
- Scratching and Slipping
- Pinching
- Critiquing
- Wedging
- Drying Stages of Clay
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects Must:
- Use coiling techniques
- Must have four different coil designs
- Must be at least 7X4 inches and no more than 7X5 inches
- Must be glazed using at least 2 colors
Element:
Form- is one of the seven elements of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat
Vocabulary:
- Coiling- A METHOD OF CREATING POTS BY BUILDING BOTTOM AND WALLS WITH
- Needle Tools-Tools with a metal needle tip end for marking and carving into ceramic objects
- Slab Roller-TOOL USED TO CREATE EVEN SLABS USING A LARGE METAL ROLLER.
- Bat-A BOARD USED TO PLACE CERAMICS ON AS THEY ARE BEING WORKED ON
Pattern-A regular arrangement of alternating or repeating elements (Shape, line, colors) or motifs.
Process:
Steps:
- Create an idea/composition consisting of three sketches showing the front, side, and back of the face
- Prepare the clay by wedging it
- Start by rolling out a slab on the slab roller
- Cut that slab into a circle shape about 4 or 5 inches in diameter
- Place the circular slab on a bat
- Roll out three large coils
- Score and slip around the outside edge of the slab circle
- Place the coil around the outside edge of the slab circle (where it has been scratched and slipped) using your thumb to gently press the coil into the scored area
- Overlap the coil ends and break off the extra coil and smooth out the two ends together.
- Smooth and blend the coil into the slab base until the coil and base look as if they are the same piece
- Then scratch and slip the top of the attached coil and place another coil on top of that one gently pressing it into the attached coil, overlap the ends and smooth them together, finally smooth out and blend the coil into the already attached coil on the inside of the pot.
- Continue to repeat steps 11 until you have come to the desired height. Create one last coil that serves as the lip of your piece and place that in the top making sure that it is even and smooth. Then place your piece into a plastic bag for a few hours to allow all the coils to acclimate to one another.
- Place on the back shelf to dry out and prepare to bisque fire
Glazing Process:
Steps-
- Choice two colors of glaze that work well together from the glaze test tiles
- Put two coats of glaze on areas using first color
- Put two coats of second color on all desired areas but do not overlap the glaze.
- Repeat step 3 for all other colors
- Do not glaze the bottom of your sculpture or any areas that touch the table
- Make sure you cover all areas of your sculpture with glaze (except what was discussed in step 5)
- Place your piece on the glaze shelf in the back to be glaze fired.
- Clean up!!!
Project 3:
Pottery Wheel Cylinders
Project Description:
Students will Learn how to use the pottery wheel by practicing and playing around. They will first make a solid object. They will push and pull and use tools to make indentations in the clay form. This will give them their first feeling of how the pottery wheel works. They will need to complete three thrown piece one piece 3 inches tall, one 4 inches and one 5 inches with even thickness of walls, even lip, and trimmed base. The pieces will need to be glazed using one or two colors of glaze.
Techniques:
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects must:
Elements:
Vocabulary:
Balance- is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space.
If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel
stable. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are
similar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different
but still look balanced. In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar.
Throwing Process:
Steps:
Steps:
Trimming Process:
Steps-
Pottery Wheel Cylinders
Project Description:
Students will Learn how to use the pottery wheel by practicing and playing around. They will first make a solid object. They will push and pull and use tools to make indentations in the clay form. This will give them their first feeling of how the pottery wheel works. They will need to complete three thrown piece one piece 3 inches tall, one 4 inches and one 5 inches with even thickness of walls, even lip, and trimmed base. The pieces will need to be glazed using one or two colors of glaze.
Techniques:
- Wheel throwing
- Centering
- Opening
- Pulling the walls
Standard 2
Envision and critique art using specific criteria to discuss and evaluate works of art in order to be able to observe, describe, analyze, interpret and judge how artists apply materials and processes in a meaningful way.
Standard 3
Invent and discover to create. Using personal meaning; asses and produce works of art with various materials including application of new technology.
Requirements: Projects must:
- Have even wall thickness
- Have an even lip
- Be centered
- Be trimmed on the wheel
- Must be glazed using one or two colors of glaze
Elements:
- Form- is one of the seven elements of art. At its most basic, a form is a three-dimensional geometrical figure (i.e.: sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, etc.), as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat
Vocabulary:
- Pottery wheel-is a machine used in the shaping of round ceramic ware. The wheel may also be used during the process of trimming the excess body from dried ware and for applying incised decoration or rings of color
- Centering-Technique to move the clay in to a symmetrical rotating axis in the middle of a wheel head so you can throw it
Balance- is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space.
If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel
stable. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are
similar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different
but still look balanced. In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar.
Throwing Process:
Steps:
Steps:
- Prepare the clay by wedging it
- Start by dampening the wheel head
- Form the clay into a soft ball size ball
- Throw the clay down into the center of the wheel head
- Start spinning the wheel head slowly while you gently pat the ball of clay at a 45 degree angle with both hands to create a cone shape
- Run your finger along the bottom of the cone of clay to connect it more to the wheel head
- Place your left hand on the side of the clay using your lower palm to put pressure on the side and place your right hand on the top of the clay putting pressure down on the top…continue putting even pressure on the top and side until your piece is centered and spins with no wobbles (Skip to step 10 if you are ready to open you piece up)
- Play around with pushing on the sides with more pressure and then on the top with more pressure.
- Take tools and create texture and designs in the solid clay form, see what you can make with a solid form of clay.
- Press you finger down in the center of the centered clay and let it be sucked down into the clay until you have only a ¼ inch of clay between your finger tip and the wheel head
- Gently pull or open the clay up towards you.
- Even out the sides using a wood rib tool and compress the bottom of your clay piece which should look like a donut
- Use both hands one on the inside and one on the outside of your donut and gently pull up the walls using equal pressure on the inside and outside.
- Do this three times or until you get your walls to be even and roughly a ¼ thick
- Use the rib tools to push from the inside out or from the outside in until you get the bowl shape and form you desire.
- Use a sponge to clean up your surface and remove excess water
- Take your bat off the wheel and allow your bowl to get to leather hard.
- Once it is leather hard cut your piece off of the wheel head
Trimming Process:
Steps-
- Dampen the wheel head
- Place you bowl upside down on the wheel head
- Use your left hand as your gage and use your right hand to gently pat the other side of your bowl until it consistently rubs against your left hand
- Take three pieces of clay and put them on three different sides of your bowl to hold it in place, press those pieces into the wheel head as you put pressure on the top of your piece firmly
- Use loop tools to carve out the bottom of your bowl leaving a small lip on the outside of the base.
- Be careful not to go to deep so it punches through