Figurative Ceramics
Your Project
4 different ideas on the computer of a figurative image. Figurative means: of or relating to artistic representation by means of animal or human figures. ► Choose one of the 4 and develop it. Add details, think about proportion, scale and balance. Don’t rush, really think about it. You should draw your sculpture from at least three angles. ► You will develop your final choose into a clay sculpture no smaller than 8x11. ► Remember to sign and date your work.
► Sketch
Clay Rules
your area when finished. ► Put your tools back where you found them. ► Wash tables with a rag. ► No Throwing Clay – One hour detention and you will not be working with clay again. ► Clay DOES NOT leave this room. One hour detention and you will not be working with clay again. You will receive a 0.
► Clean
Construction
► Items
you will need:
Clay tools Board for building up clay Plastic bags for covering your work Slip (liquid clay) for gluing parts together Canvas cloth/Paper towels for covering tables. This will prevent the clay from sticking to it
Three Ways of Building Sculptures
► Pinch
► Coil ► Slab
Pinch Method
Pinch Pot Method
with a ball of clay. Push your thumb into the center. Then pinch up the walls. ► Turn the clay as you pinch. This will help keep the walls at an even thickness. ► Gently pat the bottom of on a flat surface to create a flat bottom to your pot.
► Begin
Slab Method
Slab Method
the clay out with your fingers and palm of your hand to make a smooth surface. ► Using a rolling pin and two this pieces of wood, roll out your clay to an even thickness. ► Cut the clay to the correct shape to form the bottom and sides of your pot.
► Spread
Slab Method Cont…
(cross hatching in the clay) the edges. ► Apply slip (liquid clay) to the scoring. ► Assemble all the parts. ► Smooth together the parts to the lines are no longer visible. ► Place tiny balls in the corner to create stability.
► Score
Coil Method
Coil Method
out clay to create coils. ► Stack the coil on top of each other by scoring (cross hatching) both pieces and adding slip (liquid clay). ► On the inside of your creation you need to smooth coils together so they are no longer visible. This strengthens your piece. ► The needs to be smoothed together as well however you can leave the coil shapes visible.
► Roll
Drying Time
takes 7-10 days for the clay to dry depending on how much moisture is present at the time of assemblage. ► You should keep covered (with a few air holes) the first two days. ► Once the clay is dry (it shouldn’t feel cold to the touch) it is called green ware.
► It
Glazing
is a finishing process. ► Glazing is done in three light coats. ► Glaze is a special pigment and clay mix combined with chemicals that change color when extreme heat is added.
► Glazing
Three Types of Glazes
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►
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Raku: a fast process of adding extreme heat to create colors. Most times it comes out looking rainbow or like a heated copper pipe. High Fire: a slow process of adding heat to create colors with a gloss finish. Most times it comes out with two or three colors present. The colors vary depending on how hot the kiln reaches and how fast it was heated up. Where the piece is placed in the kiln also can effect the color. Low Fire: a slow process of adding heat to to create colors. Most times they stay the same basic color as they are in the jar. The do not have a gloss finish however. Once the clay has been fired in a low fire kiln with the color added you can add a clear coat and fire it again to get a gloss finish.
Firing
the drying process, pottery is fired at approximately 1816 degrees. ► Firing time for green ware is 12 hours. It then become bisque ware ► Firing time for low fire glazed bisque ware is 6 hours
► After
Of or relating to artistic representation by means of animal or human figures.
Questions…