Cylinder Slab Built Pot

Inspiration- Slab constructed pot videos- I've really enjoyed watching the techniques of different artists with the creation of slab built pots, and wanted to try them out. I also wanted to practice scoring and slipping on accent pieces such as feet. 

Process

For this project, I began the process of construction by rolling a flat slab, measuring the sides, and cutting the excess edges evenly with a sharp pen tool. I then worked on scoring and slipping the two edges together to form a cylinder shaped pot. I then stuck plastic bags and cloth into the cylinder in order to keep it from caving in while it sets up and dries. After letting it dry for a day or so, I then rolled another slab, placed it over the bottom of the cylinder, then cut around the piece to get a correctly sized bottom. I score and slipped the bottom to the pot, then made three feet and scored/ slipped them to the bottom. After the basic construction was complete, I started thinking of underglaze designs & colors. I decided to paint the entire pot besides the inside, a turquoise color underglaze( Speedball turquoise). After doing a few layers of this, I then went with a black underglaze( Speedball black), and squirted it over the sides of the pot, to give it a fun drip effect. The pot then entered a greenware kiln; following this, I painted roughly 2 coats of clear glaze over the entire piece. It then entered a bisque kiln and was complete.

 

Judgment

I worked very hard on the construction of this piece and tried new things with both my glazes, and process. I am thoroughly happy with the way the final piece turned out.

                                     Beginning Stages

                                                                 

                        The Underglazing Process

       Underglazes (Speedball Turquoise & Black)

                                           Final Piece

 

Plate with Feet Project  

Inspiration

Google.com images/ slab built plates with feet

Process

To begin, I rolled a slab, then used a container to trace out the plate and cut the excess slab  with a sharp pen tool. I then placed the plate inside the bowl to get the curved edges that plates usually have. I began forming the two symmetrical feet; after the plate was done setting up, I scored/slipped the feet to the bottom.  After the plate construction was complete, I decided to go with a pretty purple and black underglaze to paint my designs (both Speedball underglaze).  I decided to go over the top of the plate with purple, then went over it with black stripes. After the top was finished drying, I turned it over and painted black over the entirety of the bottom.

Judgment

I am happy with the way I constructed my plate, and tried a unusual design for the feet. I also like the unconventional, striped design I decided to paint in the top of the plate, but think I had room for improvement for the precision of them. Next time, I would draw lines with a ruler to give me a good guideline for painting the stripes.

                                   Beginning Stage    

                                                     

                    (Speedball Purple Underglaze)

                                       Final Piece  

Layered Installation Project

Inspiration- Google.com images/fun monogram graduation gifts -I have also been wanting to make a special college graduation gift for my older sister, Annie.

Process

I began this project by  rolling out a large slab of clay, then using three different sized containers to cut out my large, medium, and small levels. I smoothed each circle out, and scored/ slipped the levels onto one another, starting with the large at the bottom. I then cut two holes at the top of the largest level for hanging purposes, plus thinned out the middle of the joined levels at the bottom. After letting this set up, I took letter stamps and pressed "AUBURN UNIVERSITY" into the opposing sides of the large level. After this, I chose my underglazes I chose colors that match the school's colors (medium blue and black Speedball, navy blue and white Amaco). I layered on the navy blue to the first level, but wanted to make sure the color came out blue so I layered medium blue over it as well. The second and third level I layered with white. After touching up each level/ letting them dry, I painted black tiger stripes on the second level (Auburn tigers). Following this, I traced my sisters initials onto the top level with light pencil marks. I then painted over the initials with black underglaze. After entering a greenware kiln, I watered down a lowfire speedball orange gloss glaze and painted over the top level; I wanted to make sure that the initials would still be seen. I then painted the bottom with the same color, and covered the other levels with the Amaco clear gloss glaze, and completed the piece by having it fired in a bisque kiln.

Judgment

I am very proud of the way this piece has turned out and can't wait till graduation time when I can give this to my sister. This is probably one of my best pieces I've done this year. I got the colors I had hoped for with my glazes/ underglazes, and am very impressed with the final piece.

                                                                    Beginning Stage

                                     
                                       Final Piece

Wind Chime Partner Installation Project

Inspiration- Mrs. Thompson's Pinterest account- fish collage

Process

For this project, Caitlin and I decided to make a themed wind chime that would be created by mixed materials. We went on Ms. Thompson's Pinterest.com account and found a really cute fish themed wind chime. After preparing a large slab or two, we then made stencil-like cutouts to cut the shape of fish and starfish out of the clay. We then covered the pieces and let them dry a bit, going back over each and smoothing them out. After this process was done, we decided to make designs with different colors of underglaze on a few of the clay pieces. We chose the following underglazes: medium blue, pink rose, yellow, as well as white. After going through the first firing ( greenware), we decided to use clear gloss glaze on a few of the pieces with designs, and interesting crystalex glazes for those without designs. Here are a few of the crystaltex we used: blue caprice, monsoon seas, kiwi, and yellow universe.After this was done and they came out of their bisque kiln firing, we bought sea shells, beads, and two sizes of hemp thread to create the rest of the wind chime. We then used a drill and hammer to poke holes in all of the shells, and attached the beads and shells to the threads. After this was done, we wound the thick hemp around the hanging mechanism to make it match the theme of the wind chime, and tied all of the decorated threads to the ring.

Judgment

I am thrilled with the way the wind chime turned out as a whole, but wish the fish pottery glazes turned out more decent. The beads and shells worked great with the fish and starfish we created.

                                                               Final Piece

Sgraffito/ Plate Project

Inspiration- Video notes on the use of the sgraffito technique

Process

For this project, I decided to form a plate using a slab-rolled piece of wedged clay. I then used a metal pedestal to place my slab over and cut around the circular surface to get a perfect circle to begin my plate. I then let my piece set and dry a bit between two solid boards and fabric. After drying a bit, I then used a bowl or jar to trace the mid section and rim of the plate. I then began cutting out little bits of clay in the circle I traced, using a sharp clay tool. After this, I spent a lot of time carefully layering my royal blue underglaze (Speedball) over both sides of my plate, roughly around 5 layers. After letting my underglaze dry, I looked up a reference to tribal Aztec designs. After finding the right design, I began using light pencil marks and a ruler to cut my plate into 4 or 5 sections. After this, I got ideas from my reference to begin tracing designs into the different sections. After entering a greenware kiln, I then layered around 2 to 3 good coats of Amaco clear gloss glaze over the entire plate. My plate then entered a bisque kiln to reach completion.

Judgment

I am extremely impressed with the final result and am excited to expand my skills in this fun technique of making designs. I am surprised though, by how lucky I was that my designs turned out so precise; best results using this technique are achieved if you keep the piece covered and lightly hydrated. I kept my plate in an opened bag, but still got the designs I was hoping for, if not better.

                                             Below is my reference for the Aztec designs

  Beginning Stage

 

 

                                                                        Final Piece

 

Flower Project

For this project, I decided to make a flower, with the petals and middle piece. I originally was planning on joining the individual pieces, then score and slip the flower on my thrown vessel project, but the flower pieces were already dry and couldn't be joined. With the pieces being apart, I think the flower is now abstract and interesting. I used crystallite glazes on each piece, and chose each glaze to accent the others. I really enjoy the different shades of green and blue and like the way my interesting flower turned out.
Below are pictures of my final flower project....

Vessel/ Wheel-thrown Project

For this project, I needed to make a vessel that can hold a couple cups of water. I decided to try my hand at the wheel and received help from Ms. Thompson with centering and opening up my piece. I then finished the final shaping on the rim and pulled the rim out to give it an interesting curve. After going into the kiln for the first time, part of one of the bottom corners sheared off during its green ware firing process. I decided not to sand out the bottom because I could see air bubbles in the bottom, along with the fact that the part sheared off cut deep into the piece, leaving me with little room to do anything further. I can still put this to good use with either being an abstract pottery piece, or even something helpful like a pot to put a plant in.
Below are pictures of my final piece.....

Deer Skull Pottery Project

~For this project, I began working with about two large handfuls of wedged clay. At first I was not sure what figure to make, but I've always been so deeply inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's work with animal skulls. I then thought of trying to bring the interesting form of a skull to a three dimensional perspective with my medium of clay. I went on google and found some different viewpoints of a deer skull, which really helped me add some realistic detail to the piece. The first step of my process was getting the general shape of the skull. I then let the piece dry a little bit more to get a more solid piece that made it easy for me to carve in and mold the details to the form. The third step is thinning out the skull, by using a curved tool to carve out large chunks of clay where I found that it was thick. I am now putting the final touches on this greenware piece, and making sure that it will make it through its first firing in the kiln. So far in my creation process, I like the shapes and ridges I have created and hope that my piece will stay in tact throughout the firing and glazing stages. I regret not adding some deer antlers or horns to the figure, but felt that they would be come extremely fragile before going into the kiln and would most likely break off, destroying the piece altogether.

~Below are pictures of my project thus far, and some of my inspirations as well as references.