Skills/Projects
Skill #1 Wedging/Preparing Clay |
For this Project each student will master and become proficient in properly wedging clay before use. Why is it important to properly prepare your clay before use? Wedging is important for three main reasons. Firstly, it removes hidden air pockets out of your clay that might if not removed blow up in the kiln.
Secondly, it mixes your clay making it homogenous, no drier, stiffer spots and softer, moister spots. Making your clay homogenous makes it easier to work with and lessens the chance of it cracking while drying. Thirdly is takes the stagnant particles in the clay and gets them into motion making it easier to control the clay when throwing it on the pottery wheel. |
Skill #2 Centering Clay on the Potters Wheel |
For this project students are to become proficient and centering clay on a potters wheel. Centering the clay is one of the most important steps in throwing pottery. If your clay is not centered when you begin to pull up the piece, it will be off balance, and you will fight the clay the whole time.
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Skill #3 Creating the Opening in the Clay |
This project students are to become proficient at opening the clay as part of the throwing process. How you open the clay on the potter's wheel will effect the rest of the throwing process. If rushed or done with poor hand placement, the pot may be doomed to be off-center.
During opening and creating the floor of the pot, the wheel should be rotating at either full or three-quarter speed. Keep the clay's surface well lubricated. It can be advantageous to keep a sponge tucked into your right palm so you can release water onto the clay as needed, without having to cup water and bring it across from your bucket. Your movements should be firm and smooth during opening and throughout the throwing process. |
Skill #4 Pulling A Cylinder |
You are ready to pull the wall if the outside of the hump is centered
and the clay is opened in center. As your skill increases, it will become apparent that pulling can also have a centering function - many professionals use this technique. But as beginners, it will be important to pull from a well centered and opened form. If the opened hump is off center, the probable causes are either insufficient hand tension, allowing the rotating cylinder superior force, or releasing pressure too quickly. Pulling has three main purposes: thinning the wall, extending the form, and directing the shape. Note: If further spreading of the bottom is needed, the indentation is made prior to pulling. The lowest portion of the wall is squeezed between a surface on the inside and another on the outside of the wall. This helps trim away excess clay which spreads out at the base of the wall. Besides defining the base of the walls visually it helps the fingers in raising the clay up from the bottom of the pot. |
Skill #5 Shaping the Cylinder |
Once you have created a cylinder you should focus on shaping the cylinder into the desired shape. When shaping a cylinder it is important to consider the thickness of your cylinder. The thicker the cylinder the wider the pot, the taller and thinner cylinder the skinnier the pot will be. It is also very important to draw out several designs and pick your favorite to shape.
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Skill #6 Rolling out Coils |
Coil building is a great way to build pots, sculptures, and just about anything. You can build all kinds of shapes, from structured "perfect looking" pieces to very organic pieces. But as anyone who has tried to roll coils can attest, it is not as easy as it looks! Beginner's coils tend to flatten, get hollow on the ends, be lumpy, or break into pieces. This tip will focus on how to roll nice, straight, even coils.
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Skill #7 Creating Slabs |
Learning to create slabs is a key skill to learn when creating both hand built and wheel thrown pieces. Students are to explore and become proficient in both rolling out and throwing slabs. Slabs are a great way to create beautiful hand built projects.
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Skill #8 Creating a Pinch Pot |
Students will explore the pinching technique in their projects. Learning to use the pinching method is vital to creating hand built ceramic projects. It is a great way to create the base of a coil built project. Pinching clay into various shapes and sizes and connecting them together will step your hand building projects up to the next level.
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Skill #9 Trimming a Foot |
Students will become proficient and trimming their projects to look both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Trimming is a great way to make a sloppy looking pot look clean and beautiful.
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Project #1 Create a Bowl |
During this project you will explore the many options of creating a bowl. Not only will you explore the functionality of a bowl but you will also apply various skills to create a unique and beautiful piece. While making bowls you will explore the limits of the clay. Bowls are a great way to apply all the skills you have learned thus far while still leaving the door open to rang of surface designs.
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Project #2
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This first project is intended to help you take the idea of a basic cylinder form and making it into a cup, mug or goblet. Not only will you be able to fine tune your cylinder skills but you will also begin to explore the possibilities of design and functionality. Students will apply both hand building and wheel throwing skills to create two identical or matching cups, mugs, or goblets.
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