Unit 4 Projects:
Series of Four/Handles on a Piece
Plan:
- Wedge clay
- Separate clay into four even sections
- Form into balls and press your thumb into the center of each
- Start by expanding out at the base of each of the pinch pots and work upward, expanding as you go
- Once all of the pinch pots are formed make sure that they are all the same shape, and smooth them out
- Roll out a slab of clay and measure and cut four handles
- Slip and score the handles onto each of the four cups
- Carve initials in the bottom of each cup using a needle tool
- Pick four different color schemes, one for each cup and gather underglaze in shades of the scheme
- Starting with yellow in the center of each, expand upwards, blending the colors as you go to create an ombre effect
- Repeat with each of the four cups, doing one in pinks, one in blues, one in greens, and one in grays
- Fire!
- Glaze each cup its corresponding color, one in pink, one in blue, one in gray, and one in green
- Glaze the inside of each cup with clear glaze
- Fire again!
Overall I was pleased with how my series of four came out. The cups are all the same size and I really enjoy the ombre effect I attempted to create. The hardest part of making my series of four was probably the handles. They were hard to shape and shrunk once they went through the kiln, causing the shape to be altered further. If I were to do this project again I would make the handles more interesting and make the cups slightly larger to accommodate the handles more nicely. The ombre effect I did I really enjoy and am going to do more of as the year progresses. I gave the cups as a gift to my grandmother for Christmas and she loved them, so I am very pleased with the result and usage of my series of four.
Lidded Box
Plan:
- Wedge clay
- Roll in slab roller
- Measure and cut out the base, sides, and lid of the box, as well as the second layer of the lid to let it sit within the box
- Use a bevel cutter to make each edge fit together
- Score and slip box together
- Smooth out all edges and seams of the box
- Score and slip the two layers of the lid of the box together
- Roll three coils
- Braid the coils together, and attach the handle to the lid of the box
- Underglaze "Hazel" on the bottom inside of the box in pink and teal
- Underglaze handle in pink
- Carve initials on the bottom of the box
- Fire!
- Glaze with Mayco Jungle Gems Crystal glaze in Strawberry Sundae and clear glaze on the handle and name on the inside of the box
- Fire again!
Overall I am very happy with how my lidded box turned out. I am impressed with myself for making a braided handle successfully and for the way the colors turned out. If I were to do this project again I would make the sides of the box smoother and more even, some of them got a little beat up in the process.. The most difficult part of the project was measuring how large the inner piece of the lid was to make it sit snugly in the box. I eventually figured out how to measure the inside of the inner rim of the box but it took a few tries. I made the box as a Christmas present for my little sister and she really enjoyed it and is using it as a jewelry box. I am pleased with the end result of my box and am happy that it is being used every day. I think the Crystal glaze gives it a really fun effect that makes it the perfect present for my sister.
Monster
Plan:
- Based on the drawing of the monster I received, sketch out 3-D plan
- Wedge clay
- Form into a ball and press your thumb into the center
- Start by expanding out at the base of the pinch pot and work upward, expanding as you go
- Once the pinch pot is formed smooth out all edges and ensure that the base is stable
- Roll out 3 coils and 3 balls to attach to the ends of each
- Slip and score each of the balls on the coils and then the coils on the back of the pinch pot
- Roll out a slab and cut two rectangular pieces for the mouth and two ovals for the eyes
- Cut teeth into the bottom of one rectangle and the top of the other
- Score and slip mouth and eyes onto the front and sides of the monster
- Using a signing tool, carve a spiral into each of the eyes
- Underglaze the eyes yellow, and the mouth orange; paint the spiral in each of the eyes black
- Underglaze the tails turquoise and each of the balls red
- Underglaze the bottom "wave" of the monster in blue
- Underglaze the remainder of the piece in gray underglaze, then layer shades of gray and brown to create a rock-like effect
- Carve name into bottom of pinch pot
- Fire!
- Glaze the whole piece in clear underglaze
- Fire again!
Overall I am pleased with how my monster came out. I am rather disappointed with the tails, however. Each time I scored and slipped them off they had fallen off the next class. Eventually, I had to end up keeping them rather short and foregoing the balls on two of them. I am disappointed with this aspect of my monster but am content with the remainder of it. I really like how the mouth turned out and the spiral detailing within the eyes. The monster looks somewhat like a rock, which is the effect I was going for which I am excited about. I am excited to see what my third grader thinks of the monster and how it reflects their painting.
Collaboration Piece
Plan:
- Meet with freshmen to discuss ideas and come up with a page of ideas for a piece based on the hero's journey
- Wedge clay
- Roll out a slab, and using a reference image of the map of Odysseus's journey make an outline of the countries he went to
- Cut out the base of the map and the map itself
- Underglaze base of the map blue to represent the ocean
- Underglaze map green to demonstrate land
- Slip and score map to base
- Using red underglaze outline the route Odysseus took on his journey
- Put yellow dots in each of the spots Odysseus went
- Using a darker green underglaze paint mountains on the land
- Paint boats to show his journey in the bottom corner with underglaze
- Using black underglaze create a square spiral pattern along the border of the piece
- Carve my name in the back and carve a hole to hang on a wall with
- Fire!
- Glaze in clear underglaze
- Fire again!
Overall I am somewhat pleased with how the piece turned out. Originally I was planning to make the map in a dish using just underglaze but the 3-D aspect of a wall hanging with raised islands called to me. The raised aspect of the land on the wall hanging looks very cool. I am displeased that I did not leave enough space along the top of the piece to continue the border all the way around. However, I do really like the square spiral I did to emulate traditional Greek patterns characteristic of the time. I think that I could have made the lines more clear demonstrating Odysseus's journey but overall I think I accomplished the desired effect of a map of his efforts. I am excited to see how Astra reacts when she sees our joint creation.