Handbuilding with coils- in class project

Pottery-tips/Making-a-clay-coiled-pot-Lakeside-Pottery-Tutorial

More inspiration at the Rosenfield Collection

Glazing a Mug Using Mutiple Glazes with Hsin-Chuen Lin

Make sure to write down glazes and techniques you use for your work in your journals. This video is especially for Janet, Adrianna, Jane, Ashley and Jenan. Beginning students shuld stick to one dip and/or pour of 1 to 2 glazes. If you use 2 or more glazes consult with Nathan, Jane, Janet or I which ones work and do not work well together.

salvidore jimez-flores “I Am Not Who You Think I Am"

 "The content of my work is socio-political and is driven by my powerful life experiences. It deals with immigration, identity, culture, injustice, language, and religion. I have observed inequality, marginalization, discrimination, oppression, and racism in México, as well as in the United States. As an artist I feel I have the responsibility to address the issues that affect my community and to create awareness and propose actions through my art. I’m an artist and an activist that believes in the power of art."- Salvidore Jimez-Flores

The Human Condition

The Human Condition: The Stephen and Pamela Hootkin Collection of Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture at Chazen Museum (Madison, WI Sept. 5­ – Nov. 30, 2014) is huge and sprawls with fluid ease through the Rowland, Garfield and Mayer galleries of this elegant institution. Its scale is not just due to the number of works, over 100, or the number of artists, 34, but because of the large scale of many of the pieces.

Judy Fox, Rapunzel

Sneaker slip inspiration- student work examples

HAve a smashing Weekend!

Project 1 and Slip UPDATE- IMPORTANT!

So Nathan mixed all the slips and they are the correct consistency. Do not add water at any time. If you think the slips or glazes are the wrong consistency tell myself or Nathan.

Also Longhorn red is terracotta. If you have longhorn red then you have the clay you need.

The slips are there and ready to be used. Your shoes should be slipped and dry by Thursday. I'll give you an extension but there will be no more class time to work and they will be put in the kiln room finished or not next Thursday at the start of class.

Alicia's student work! Self portrait as a knight.

Remember your ideas, sketches, and research are also due Thursday at the start of class. We will discuss as a class.

You guys are amazing and talented and I can't wait to see your shoes and the ideas you've come up with! Have a great weekend,

Glaze Application tips for Bisqueware

Application is a very important factor in determining the fired surface quality.
 Thickness and method of the application can drastically affect results. Experiment with sponging, brushing, pouring, dripping, scratching into surface, layering- to list just a few possibilities.
Before you start some basic rules for all types of glazing techniques:
NEVER add water to a glaze, slip , oxide or any materials in the studio. If it looks too thick or thin tell the professor or Nathan asap.

Always sponge off your bisqueware to remove dust and oils that may have collected and will prevent  glaze from working correctly. Let bisque dry thoroughly before glazing.

Have your sketchbook ready to record what you do. You will NOT remember and I will ask you "How did you do that?

Wipe off the bottom of all work as glaze melts and will stick your work to the shelves. Leave 1/4 inch from the bottom for room for glazes that might run as you are learning.

WAYS TO GLAZE:
Painting: Even applications are best. • Use soft brushes- sumi Japanese brushes work best as they load up liquid and flow smooth and evenly)
• Apply in short, loaded strokes • It is usually necessary to apply 2- coats to be sure all parts are evenly coated. I suggest painting in one direction. Letting that dry and then painting in the opposite direction to cover more surface.
 • Let dry completely between each coat to prevent pulling off layers*
Advantages: • Requires only a small amount • May be best method for small scale work • Easy, low tech
 Disadvantages:• Even though 2 coats are applied, painted glazes often appear splotchy after firing due to uneven coating • When the 2nd coats are applied, the brush tends • to pick up patches of glaze, causing thin spots*
 
Dipping:

I'll be passing out a I'll be passing out a handout and giving a demo but this post is important to read and reread for help. Always stir bucket well. Glaze tends to settle. 

Make sure to let glaze dry before you dip again especially if it is another glaze.

Look at the test tiles on the wall to see what type of glaze you are using. Matte glazes tend to stay put while glossy glazes tend to run. Never dip more than twice and be aware if it is a Matte or glossy glass so you can predict how high your second dip should be... grinding glaze off of kiln shelves is never fun a and it will be your job if it is your fault.

Always wipe off the bottom and 1/4" up the side of your piece when finished. Again because glaze will fuse to kiln shelves.

Spraying: Advantage is it's great for a even coats and covering larger forms. Disadvantages are set-up, clean-up and it takes many more coats... 5 or so... ask Janet as she is the spray booth expert!

Another disadvantage is that it can be hard to do sections or smaller areas. You can tape off or wax... I'll talk about this next Tuesday.

Stains and oxide tips for Advanced and Beginning Glazing

Some really good tips here.

Call for Entries

The University of Dallas invites you to participate in a juried ceramic competition featuring artists living in the central south region of the United States.

Eva Kwong,  known for abstracted work that are colorful and sensuous forms inspired by natural objects.

Internationally recognized ceramic artist Eva Kwong will be selecting artists for the 2015 University of Dallas Regional Juried Ceramic Competition. From a selected field of artists, Eva will issue distinctions of "Awards of Merit" and present two deserving artists with "Best of Show" awards. Solo exhibitions will be scheduled in the following academic year for the "Best of Show" award winners.

This show is open to ceramic artists over the age of 18 who currently reside in the states of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Submitted functional or sculptural works must use clay as the dominant material and must have been created within the past two years.

The postmark deadline for entering this show is November 20, 2015.

To access this year's prospectus, view the show history, and apply online, please use the following link:

http://udallas.edu/constantin/programs/art/undergradprograms/ceramics/competition.html  

Weekly Inspiration- trompe l'oeil

David J. Gilhooly

• "3 Donuts". ceramic (1.75x3.25 in) 1973

Basic tools = sophisticated forms

The pinch pot is the most elemental of pottery forms requiring simply one’s hands and a lump of clay. Because of this, it is often the first technique most of us learn when introduced to clay.

But that doesn’t mean it is merely a beginner technique. Many artists use pinching techniques to make sophisticated or complex forms. Lily Zuckerman makes beautiful vessels starting from a solid lump of clay, with no clay added and very little cut away. In today’s post, an excerpt from our latest book release Sculpting and Handbuilding, she explains her process. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.

The Process

“Starting with a solid block of clay, I slowly and methodically pinch the form. No clay is added and very little clay is trimmed away‚ encompassing many changes of state, from the uncomplicated lump, heavy with potential, through precarious and fluid chaos, and ending with the form.” 

1. Initial stages of forming a vessel with her fingertips from a thick clay slab. 

 2. Pinching out the two chambers of the tray.

via: ceramic arts daily. Full article and demo here.

Visiting Artist Natalie Macellio

Directions: http://www.eastfieldcollege.edu/co/LOCATION.asp

Kate McDowell

Sculptor Kate McDowell interview here. If your interested in her work do a little more research, print some images you respond to of her work and write about it in your sketchbook.

Images to inspire your carving and modeling 3d skills.

Sneakers galore here and on Pinterest

Created another board for our class- check it out here!

Ceramic Shoes (bisque) ~Smith Middle School, Miss Murphy 4th grade slab construction

8th graders brought in a shoe or boot to use as inspiration for their clay project.

Yasuhisa Kohyama

No Fear Monday! Attach well, mash-compress-slip and score- clay and you can do anything.

Student Work: Sneaker inspiration

Test Tile due Tuesday

6x6x1 inch square White Stoneware tile.

Half smooth/ Half Textured. Put 4 hole in corners.

Paint each of the slip in a stripe across tile: 1/3 1 coat, 1/3 2 coats, 1/3 3 coats
This will show us 1, 2 and 3 coats of the slip below glazes that will be assigned later.

Remember to finish your pinch cup... make another and make it better! Push even thickness of walls. Height, slip work, carving and creativity!

Also research a minimum of 3 Marilyn Levine sculptures.
Review Vocabulary and have a good weekend.  See you Tuesday!

Project 1: Trompe l'oeil Sneakers Due Sept 25th

Look, look again and learn. Using pinch and slab building techniques make an exact replica of a pair of sneakers. Reference the real shoe as well as your large black and white photographs to recreate and learn about building, modeling, carving and ultimately slipping with a gray scale your shoes. The best sculptures and learning will come from a pair of sneakers with variation of texture and a history of wear. The older the better!

remember the importance of slipping and scoring to attach. Think about all sides as well as interior and exterior of sneaker. really look at texture, stitching and rips or holes of your shoe(s). I'll give more details and demo the slab roller. Project due dry greenware in 3 weeks Thursday September 25th at the start of class.

For next Tuesday September 9th have your slab test tile (tbd) slipped and dry ready to put into kiln room. Complete your cup (there is time to start over or do 2 if your looking for that A and to learn) Have clay, tool, photos and be ready to start your shoes. Look up Marilyn Levine and print 3 of her sculptures to put into your sketchbook for reference and inspiration. Note title and say why you choose each work.

Have a good weekend!

Lucille Ball -Pottery Inspirational Wednesdays!

Decorating with Slip

Slip is a versatile and wonderful part of ceramics. A slip is a suspension in water of clay and/or other materials used in the production of ceramic ware. We made slip for attaching clay parts to each other aka slipping and scoring in class last week. This slip is not used for decorating. Decorating with slip that has colorants and/or other materials to make it flow and form to your pieces is a great way to paint your surface and get color and drawings on you forms. It can be used to create contrasting imagery or designs on your surface.

Here is a video from ceramic arts daily.
Remember a variety of brushes will give you more line variation. Best when applied to leatherhard ware. Building layers of color and scraping back or etching through drawings works well too! Stamps and stencils can give you more ideas to work with as well.

Here are some examples on Pinterest. More info during my demo in class.

Historic cup... our ancestors had a sense of humor

A Pythagorean cup (also known as a Pythagoras cup, a Greedy Cup or a Tantalus cup) is a form of drinking cup that forces its user to imbibe only in moderation. Credited to Pythagoras of Samos, it allows the user to fill the cup with wine up to a certain level. If they fill the cup only to that level, the imbiber may enjoy a drink in peace. If they exhibit gluttony, however, the cup spills its entire contents out of the bottom (onto the lap of the immodest drinker).