The Process:Stages of clay: Plastic > Leatherhard > Bone Dry

(all greenware)

Once it’s bone dry (left to dry for 7 days) it can be

loaded into the kiln

After the first firing….

The first firing is the “bisque fire”

Your work is in the “Bisque” state if it survived

We don’t glaze before the first firing just in case it

does explode or break (so it doesn’t stick)

If it survives the first firing it will survive the

second because it is cooler)

It is ready to be Glazed

Clay Types: High Fire

The first project, lump box, as made of HIGH

FIRE clay.

This clay is light grey in color while in it’s plastic

stage, and is harder and “grittier” than the lowfire

clay.

The clay turns a speckled beige color when fired.

This clay works with oxides and highfire

DIPPING glazes

Limited color supply, but more professional look

Clay Types: Low Fire

For the second project, rattles, we use LOW

FIRE clay and glazes.

The clay is dark grey in it’s plastic stage, and

softer than high fire clay because it does not

contain “grit” sand.

This cla,y once fired, becomes a solid white color

This clay does NOT work well with oxides.

A large variety of bright color options for glazing,

and all glazes are “paint-on” in small bottles

CLAY, LOOK!

Transformation

RattlesTransformation:1. (noun) a complete change usually into something with an improved appearance or usefulness. the act or process of transforming

Portraiture Pictured

A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or

other artistic representation of a person, in which the

face and its expression is predominant. The intent is

to display the likeness, personality, and event the

mood of the person. A portrait often shows a person

looking directly out at its viewer to engage with them

on a personal level. Portraits are often important

state and family records, as well as remembrances.

Historically, portrait paintings have primarily

memorialized the rich and powerful

Portraits can be done in any medium

And are used to express a lot about the artist

and the person they are portraying

Self-Portraits

Portraits can be…

Realistic

Telling

Exaggerated

Emotional

Busts – Portraiture in Ceramics

Busts – Portraiture in Ceramics

Robert ArnesonStarting in the 1960s, Arneson and several other

California artists began to abandon the traditional

manufacture of functional items in favor of using

everyday objects to make confrontational statements.

The new movement was dubbed Funk Art, and

Arneson is considered the father of the ceramic Funk

movement

Arneson used common objects in his work, which

included both ceramic sculptures and drawings. He

appeared in many of his own pieces — as a chef, a

man picking his nose, a jean-jacketed hipster in

sunglasses.

For this project….

You will be using the pinch pot method to make a rattle that represents a person – any person – in any capacity! Realistic or not!OrAn invented creature, character, or emoji!

Samples

How to make a rattleStart with a solid ball of clay that you can cup your hands around.

Cut the solid ball in half.

Pinch out both sides as evenly as possible. The walls should be about 1/4

inch thick.

Pat each half down on the table to make the rim wider for a larger surface

area.

To make it into a rattle…

roll 3-6 small balls of clay and wrap them out to dry.

Place them inside one half of your orb, wrapped in a paper towel.

Wrap up your work for the day

When almost leatherhard, score and slip the two pinch pots

together, with the balls of clay inside.

Poke a small hole in the orb so it doesn’t EXPLODE

Let the TRANSFORMATION begin:Make a face for your orb, transform it to have any emotion, or transform it into

something with even more significance.

Using the PINCH method… pinch from the bottom up, two equally sized,

rounded pots. The walls of each should be equal and should be about 1 cm

thick.

What will you be graded on?

Does it make noise?

Does it have a FOOT

Does it have RELIEF features?

Does it have INTAGLIO features?

Does it have a variety of TEXTURES?

Is your piece BALANCED? Physically? Visually?

Was is crafted well? CRAFTSMANSHIP?

How nice and thoughtful was the application of glaze?

Was it completed on time? BISQUEWARE? GLAZEWARE?