Coil Unit - Ceramics 1

Ceramics 1 students will be making a coil construction that is approximately twelve inches tall or more, and contains negative space.  We viewed these videos in class for inspiration.

Coil Pot Tutorial

Finley Pottery Video

Stop Motion Coil Construction Video 

Coil Construction w/ Negative Space

Coil Construction

Coil Construstion w/ Negative Space

Coil Construction w/ Negative Space

Glazing

Works in Progress (Ceramics 2/3)

Students are completing the Sgraffito Unit and have begun creating pieces for the Raku Unit.  Several students are getting into the Fall spirit and are making pumpkins just for fun!

pinch pot elephant

Using the internet as a resource and inspiration...

VW Bug

Giraffe Pinch Pot

Raku piece in progress

Sketches for work in progress

Flashback Friday!

 Here are some old photos of students working in the Ceramics room!  

   

Ceramics 2/3 - Sgraffito

Sgraffito is a decorating pottery technique produced by applying layers of underglazes or colored slips to leather hard pottery and then scratching off parts of the layers to create contrasting images, patterns and texture and reveal the clay color underneath.
http://www.lakesidepottery.com/Pages/Pottery-tips/How-to-create-sgraffito-pottery-tutorial.htm


Click on this link to see a video demonstration about sgraffito!

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/ceramic-decorating-techniques/a-good-scratch-kathy-king-gives-helpful-tips-for-using-sgraffito-in-your-work/

sample work in progress
(This piece is leather hard and painted with underglaze. The sgraffito technique has been used to make a creative design. The piece will be bisque fired, clear glazed and fired for a second time to create a shiny finish.)

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

student work in progress

Pinching

We just started out Pinch Unit!  Students are making pinch pots with a foot for their first assignment.

Check out this link from Ceramic Arts Daily for information and photos on how to create large pinch pots!

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/handbuilding-techniques/how-to-make-a-pinch-pot-using-a-pinch-and-paddle-method-to-create-large-pots/

Here is a great link that gives step by step instructions for making a simple pinch pot.
http://www.osartistsco-op.com/how_pinch.html

Ceramics 1 student creating a pinch pot mug...

Adding a foot...

Burnishing - rubbing a smooth object on your greenware to create a mirror-like finish.

Check out this link from Ceramic Arts Daily for more info about burnishing your pottery!
http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/ceramic-decorating-techniques/make-your-pottery-shine-without-glaze-sumi-von-dassow-explains-the-basics-of-burnishing-pottery/

Wedging Clay

In Ceramics 1, we have started our "pinch unit."  Here's a quick video that demos wedging clay!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNZhkHJ1ozE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Image borrowed from http://www.evolutionstoneware.com/howto.html

New Blog!

Welcome!  I hope you enjoy some excting news and photographs from our Ceramics classes.  Here's an old photograph of a student (now graduated) throwing on the potter's wheel.