Ceramics Stuff :)
Textured Tripod Cup
- What was the process? First, I sketched out an idea for my mug. Once I was satisfied with it, I rolled out a clay slab and textured 3/4ths of it. Then, I scored and slipped the edges of the slab and pressed them together. After the edge was smoothed together, I pinched the three feet into the bottom, and smoothed their edges. Once the feet were dry enough to support the weight of the mug, I flipped it over and carved slits for gills and holes for eyes. I added clay around the edges of the eyes and carved another, larger circle around the smaller one to make the eyes more lifelike. I also added clay above the gill slits to add dimensions.
- What did I do for the handle? I included handles in my original design, but opted to not include them in the actual mug, since I was not planning on using it for drinking.
- What did I find successful? What would I change if I did it again? I really had fun with adding details to the clay. I enjoyed adding the eyes and gills, and making them look super cool. Next time, I might try to devote a bit of time to the handles. It might've been a cool addition.
- What is a clay slab? A clay slab is a rectangular piece of clay that you use to create a mug. You roll your clay out and cut it to the desired dimensions of your project.
Inspired Artist Post
About the artist:
I'm very drawn to the way he makes nature look unrealistic in such a simple way. The shapes he creates out of simply light and trees tricks your eye and makes you really have to think about what exactly you're looking at. I think it's really cool how he can create such a complex image using such simple mediums as light and trees. I was also drawn to how much research he puts into his work. Before choosing a location, he does research on the background and the history of the land. He also researches the relationship between the land and geometry, helping him maximize the effect of his lights.
- Name: Javier Riera
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Material: Trees, natural fixtures, light
- History: Studied Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca, started exhibiting in 1993, used paint as a medium until 2008
- Interesting facts: He likes to research the relationship between landscapes and geometry to enhance the effect his light shows have. He has done his work mainly in public spaces.
I'm very drawn to the way he makes nature look unrealistic in such a simple way. The shapes he creates out of simply light and trees tricks your eye and makes you really have to think about what exactly you're looking at. I think it's really cool how he can create such a complex image using such simple mediums as light and trees. I was also drawn to how much research he puts into his work. Before choosing a location, he does research on the background and the history of the land. He also researches the relationship between the land and geometry, helping him maximize the effect of his lights.
Paper Mini Project
1. What did you find difficult? I had trouble deciding what to do with the paper and how to form the shapes.
2. What did you find successful? Cutting and curling the paper into different sizes
3. Did you use repetition? How? I used repetition in the rounded shapes, and having the piece have two similar sides.
2. What did you find successful? Cutting and curling the paper into different sizes
3. Did you use repetition? How? I used repetition in the rounded shapes, and having the piece have two similar sides.
Paper Mache Project
- Explain the process of paper mache. In paper mache, you first create a form out of various materials. I used tin foil, tape, wire for the legs and tail, and plastic bags filled with shredded paper for the body. Once your form is the way you want it, you cover it in 5-7 layers of newspaper soaked in flour and water. The paper mache should be hard and not malleable, but not too heavy. After your form is hard, you apply a layer of untextured paper towels in the same way. After everything is dry, you can sand it if you want it smoother, and then paint it.
- How was your piece successful? I think that the form was pretty good from the start. I also felt like I did a pretty good job painting it.
- What difficulties did you have with it? Was it the shape? Medium? Layers? I had the most trouble with applying the newspaper and paper towels around the legs and tail. Eventually, the legs dried together, and the tail adhered a bit to the body of the cat, which I didn't originally intend, but I still really like the way it turned out.
Clay Stamps
Three Stamps:
- Which stamp do you think would work the best and why? I think the star stamp works the best. It has the best impact on the clay, yet is subtle and doesn't overwhelm the other stamps
- Which one do you think you might have difficulties with and why? The moon. It doesn't show up very well on the clay
- Which style was the most difficult to make and why? The moon, it was hard to make it deep enough
- Which style was the easiest to make and why? The sun, because it was just a circle
- What did you find worked well and what stamp did not? Why do you think that is? The sun works best overall, because it is the deepest stamp, but it's very plain.
- Do you think that the practice will influence what you will make for your own stamps? Yes
Pit Fire
In Progress:
- Explain the process you have used to create you piece so far. I created the bowl by making the base out of a circular, flat piece of clay, then coiling rings of clay around to get height.
- What difficulties have you come across so far? What has been successful? I had trouble keeping the coils consistent and combining them without having them fall apart from the base. I had fun taping different things onto the piece before firing.
- What do you have planned to go from here? Has your design changed based on what your experiences so far? From here, I plan on firing the piece. My design changed into something simpler, because of how much trouble I had with coiling.
- Explain the process of pit fired ceramics and saggars. In pit firing, you wrap a once-fired clay piece in different flammable items, burn it in a pit inside of a saggar, and glaze it afterwards to get cool patterns. A saggar is the fire-proof container you burn your piece in. After you've pit-fired your piece, you coat it in spray to intensify the patterns.
- How do you feel your piece was successful and how might you change it if you were to make it again? Next time, I might try to add more colors. I was kind of intending for this piece to not have much color, but it'd be cool to try adding different colors if I do this again.
- What did you burn onto your piece? Cat hair, cat food, different tea bags, and loose tea leaves.
Sgraffito
Shape: Lekythos, used to hold oils and perfumes
Process: I cut the shape of the vase, divided it into registers to fit the story I wanted, sketched what I wanted to be on the vase, and cut and glued paper of different colors to create the images.
What did you think? I had trouble trying to come up with a story, and since I cannot draw well, I also had trouble making elements out of the paper to put around the vase, but the process as a whole was fun.
How was it successful?: I thought I did a good job using the different colors to accent what was most important to the story.
What would you do differently?: I think next time I would use the paper cutouts to add patterns, and draw the story instead of using paper.
Process: I cut the shape of the vase, divided it into registers to fit the story I wanted, sketched what I wanted to be on the vase, and cut and glued paper of different colors to create the images.
What did you think? I had trouble trying to come up with a story, and since I cannot draw well, I also had trouble making elements out of the paper to put around the vase, but the process as a whole was fun.
How was it successful?: I thought I did a good job using the different colors to accent what was most important to the story.
What would you do differently?: I think next time I would use the paper cutouts to add patterns, and draw the story instead of using paper.
Sgrafitto Tile
How did you get your idea? What inspired you? I got my idea from looking at other pictures of sgrafitto. I like astronomy, so I used that as inspiration
Explain your process so far. I cut the tile into a circle, transferred my drawing onto the circle by tracing it on the paper over the circle, carved oer the lines, fired it and glazed it
What did you think of the sgraffito process? It was fun, but harder to get the black off of the parts I wanted carved than i was expecting
How was your pieces successful and how might you change it if you were to do it again? I like the design I did, but next time I might try to make the carving a bit cleaner
Explain your process so far. I cut the tile into a circle, transferred my drawing onto the circle by tracing it on the paper over the circle, carved oer the lines, fired it and glazed it
What did you think of the sgraffito process? It was fun, but harder to get the black off of the parts I wanted carved than i was expecting
How was your pieces successful and how might you change it if you were to do it again? I like the design I did, but next time I might try to make the carving a bit cleaner
Tray Set
What is your tray set used for? How does your design make it used for that? My tray set is used for chips and dip. The bigger bowl is for the chips, and the smaller one is for the dip
How did you come up with your idea? I like chips and salsa
Explain your process and materials. (3 or more sentences) I made the bowl by putting a clay slab into a bowl of similar size, and using that as my base. I smoothed the bowl, made it the right height, then let it dry. Once it had hardened a bit, I took it out of the mold, and smoothed the outside, used my stamps to create the pattern I wanted, then fired it. I painted the background blue, and tried my best to neatly paint the stars and moons yellow. I used this same process to make the smaller bowl.
How did you come up with your idea? I like chips and salsa
Explain your process and materials. (3 or more sentences) I made the bowl by putting a clay slab into a bowl of similar size, and using that as my base. I smoothed the bowl, made it the right height, then let it dry. Once it had hardened a bit, I took it out of the mold, and smoothed the outside, used my stamps to create the pattern I wanted, then fired it. I painted the background blue, and tried my best to neatly paint the stars and moons yellow. I used this same process to make the smaller bowl.
Installation Art
Pros: The shading on the land and water was pretty good, and despite the trouble we had with the ball inside, the actual shape of the globe turned out nice
Cons: The ball inside popped when we put the wire on top, so we had some trouble with dents in the surface and had to do more layers than we expected.
Our process: We did layers of paper mache on top of a yoga ball. We used different types of paper (newspaper, magazines, paper towels, etc), then painted it white. In between steps, the ball inside popped, so we had to cut a small hole, pull the ball out, and then re-cover the hole. Then we painted the details.
Cons: The ball inside popped when we put the wire on top, so we had some trouble with dents in the surface and had to do more layers than we expected.
Our process: We did layers of paper mache on top of a yoga ball. We used different types of paper (newspaper, magazines, paper towels, etc), then painted it white. In between steps, the ball inside popped, so we had to cut a small hole, pull the ball out, and then re-cover the hole. Then we painted the details.