Introduction to Clay

Rules in the Clay Studio

1. Clay and glazes contain silica, which is not good for you. Work carefully to avoid disturbing dust.

2. Clay must be kept moist while you are working on a project. You are solely responsible for keeping your clay projects covered with plastic.

3. Clay clogs the drain! When you are done working for the day, you must clean your tools and your hands in rinse buckets.

4. You must also wipe your tables with a damp rag. This minimizes dust, and leaves the studio clean for other artists.

The Tools

1) Clay basically dirt & water

2) Kiln a device used to cook all moisture out of clay; there are many types, but we will use an electric kiln. Clay must be fired (heated in a kiln) in order to become permanently formed.

3) Modelling tool anything that helps to shape clay (a spoon, a smooth stone); we have specially designed wood modelling tools.

4) Ribs metal or wood; can be smooth or serrated (toothed); serrated ribs are good for scoring.

The Tools

5) Ribbons metal loops that function as carving tools; come in various shapes & sizes.

6) Pin tool a metal pin or a toothpick; useful for putting ventilation holes in a piece

7) Glaze silica-based colourant; glazes must also be fired in a kiln to become permanent; makes pottery food safe.

Clay Stages

1) Greenware clay that has not been fired

2) Slip watery clay (like milk); used as glue when joining piece of clay.

3) Leather-hard clay that has partially dried; it holds up its own form, but can still be manipulated.

4) Bone dry clay that cannot lose anymore moisture without being fired; it looks off-white. Clay must always be bone dry before firing, or it will explode!

5) Bisque ware clay that has been fired but not glazed; it is white. 6) Glaze ware clay that has been glazed

Important Processes

1) Wedging also called kneading; pushing & pulling the clay to get it to a homogenous state (even moisture, no air bubbles).

2) Scoring creating rough texture where two pieces of clay will be joined; slip must be applied to the scored area before welding the clay.

3) Welding blending two pieces of clay together, after scoring & slipping.

Crucial Things to Remember!

Maintain even thickness (0.5 in / 1cm) to avoid cracks

Dry evenly (cover work in plastic)

Eliminate air bubbles and contained air (or your piece will explode in the kiln).

Clay Vessels

You will make one simple clay vessel, using one of the techniques you just saw.

Your vessel must be at least 5 inches in one dimension.

Once you have shaped your vessel, you will decorate the surface using a textured motif.

A motif is a design that is repeated in an artwork.

Examples hand, foot, eye, lips, various types of line, geometric or organic shapes

Drawing the Human Figure

Drawing the Human Figure

The body can be divided into 3 equal parts:The torso,

The hips & thighs, and

The calves & feet

The adult figure is 8 heads tall.

It is also 2 3 heads wide.

Drawing the Human Figure

You will create 5 gesture drawings of the human figure (skeleton + basic shapes).

Your drawings must clearly show the main joints on the body:shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles

You must draw the entire figure (not just the hips up, etc.)

The goal is to capture the correct proportions.

Try different poses.

Figurative Sculpture

You will make a figure out of clay.

Now that you've practised drawing the figure, you will complete a more detailed drawing to plan out your sculpture.

Hint: standing figures are very hard to do in clay.

Figurative Sculpture

Your sculpture must be at least as big as your hand.

You will build the figure solid, and hollow it out later.

You must incorporate at least 2 different textures on your sculpture.

It does not have to be perfectly realistic.

Glazing

Glaze is a clay-based colourant.

Glazes must be fired in a kiln to become permanent.

Glazing

Important things to remember:

1. Glaze makes clay food safe.2. Glazes change their appearance after being fired. 3. Glaze fuses to anything it touches in the kiln. Keep the bottom of your work clean up to 0.5 inch/ 1cm from the

bottom.4. Mix the glaze before applying it. Apply 2 even coats of glaze.

Glazing Techniques

1) Dipping immersing the entire clay piece into glaze; after dipping you MUST remove all glaze from the bottom with a wet rag.

2) Pouring pouring glaze onto your clay piece; again you MUST remove all glaze from the bottom with a wet rag.

3) Brushing painting the glaze onto the clay piece using paint brushes; since glaze is a thick, sandy material, it is crucial that you clean your brushes with soap so that no glaze is left in the bristles.

4) Overlapping mixing glazes in a separate container or on the clay piece can provide very interesting results.

Glazing Techniques

5) Masking glaze will not stick to areas of the clay that have been covered with masking tape; you can use tape to create patterns on your work and then remove the tape before firing.

6) Sgraffito scratching through a layer of glaze to create patterns of unglazed clay

7) Mishima putting glaze in carved designs, and wiping away the excess. The glaze only stays in the carved areas.

Figurative Sculpture:
Artists Statement

Explain how you decided on your design.

Describe the strong qualities of your sculpture.

Describe the places you think you could improve. How could you improve them?

Create a chart that outlines the positive and negative aspects of working in clay.

positivesnegatives