CERAMICS – Introductory Course

(This course description is done in a daily format due to it being a one semester course. This enables the instructor to account for the uneven number of class days in each semester)

DAYS

Project

Day 1

Handout "needs" sheet

-          Identify storage area with name

-          Identify wheel # on the seating chart

-          Fill out seating chart

-          Label tool kit

-          Label apron

-          Label cubby hole

-          Label clay bag

            - Demonstrate

                        - cylinder - cut in half to show proper thickness

            - bowl

            - bottle    - save to show trimming in cone (next class)

            - trimming –angle of needle tool

-Note direction of the rotation of the wheel and the   placement of the hands on the right side

                                    - clean- up - sponge

                                    - recycle scrap

Day 2

Pinch pot with an added foot, fire, water, earth…

                        -Slides of the Raku process and tea bowls      

                                    - Needs for pinch pot

                                    - needle

                                    - clay

     - clay saw

     - slip use

     - scaring

     - add on foot

     - shape vessel, square wavy lip, texture etc.

                     - Raku  - explain

                                   - give 3 handouts

                                                - pinch form process

                                                - philosophy

                                                - qualities of clay

                                    - kiln loading - bisque

Day 3

Wheel forming and recycling of clay

Day 4

Wheel forming and recycling

Wheel forming -cylinder

                        - Demo and do

-Note direction of the rotation of the wheel and the   placement of   the hands on the right side

Day 5

Make and keep wheel form to trim

Day 6

Demo cylinder - cut in ½ to make glaze tests

                        - thin even walls

                        - ±  4" high

                        - scraped so no sharp edges

                        - make glaze test in 1^st firing

Day 7

Trimming - glaze Raku

                        - Demo and do

                        - loop tool

                        - wood tool

                        - name

                        - kiln loading - bisque

Day 8

Bisque firing – unload

                        - Glaze Raku

                        - Demo wheel forming LIP

                        - use of sponge

-          Demo RIB

Day 9

Raku - kiln firing –marshmallows- use handout to explain oxide -residue

                        - Demo grinding, sanding bottom of pot after firing

                        - use of goggles and gloves

Day 10

Video - Ferguson /after Raku glazing & firing so that they have a visual  & technical context or frame of reference for   understanding

Day 11

Demo spout- trimming – point out uneven problem of trimming with spout

Day 12

Demo handle application

Day 13

Make stamp and demo use

                         - Demo color slip

                         - Demo scraping

Day 14

Demo bowl- Demo trimming- Demo kneading, wedging, upward/downward

Day 15

Demo glazing

                        1 - Waxing as a resist

                                    - bottom ¼" up

                                    - design if desired

                        2 - Methods:

                                    - Dipping

                                                - use of tongs

                                                - by hand

            - overlap 2 glazes -3 colors

                                                - Brushing

                                                - Pouring

                                                - arc patterns

                                                - random drips, runs, splashes

                   3 - Wipe waxed bottoms clear

                        4 - Place glazed forms in the glaze kiln

                        5 - Spraying

                                                - strain the glaze

                                                - turn on spray booth

                                                - turn on compressor

                        - test the viscosity of the glaze it must be correct for spraying ( thin enough)

                        - pour glaze into small plastic bottle, attach to gun, should not be tightly screwed.

                        - pressure should be about 30 pounds

                        - Do It…

Note: If you do not want to clean up everything after you use it (mixer, bowls, strainer, spray gun, etc.)

Do Not Use This Method!!!

Day 16

Glaze- load glaze kiln - explain use of pyrometric cones

Day 17

Demo ribbed form - Fire kiln

Day 18

Demo Bottle - necked form

Day 19

Unload kiln - trim bottle in cone

Day 20

Demo – Paddled altered form

Day 21

Demo as needed each day

                         - if time and interest demand,

                                    - do slab box form

                                    - do coil form - small cup

                         - Show slides and videos as time permits and as required by

                         students needs

At this point in the course all of the techniques necessary for the student to complete the course will have been demonstrated at least one time. The class time from here on is lab and demo time. This gives the student adequate classroom time to complete the projects necessary for fulfilling the course requirements.

                       PROJECTS- (The following are the basic requirements for each  

                                              Semester)

1 - RAKU Handbuilt Pinch Pot ( a cup or bowl type form with an added foot)

1 - STAMP - to be used to imprint patterns in the clay

6 - CYLINDERS -  one of each of the following

1 - evenly thrown cylinder 3" wide x 4" high wall thickness                             

     plus or minus ¼" - cut in half. Use 2 halves for glaze tests.

            1 - using stamps and colored slip, to be glazed with a transparent glaze.         

            1 - with a lip

            1 - with a spout

            1 - with ribs

            1 - paddled altered form (i.e. square, triangle, organic)

5 - BOWLS or OPEN FORMS

5 - BOTTLES or NECKED FORMS

5 - FORMS WITH HANDLES

                        - pulled / minimum - 1

                        - extruded / minimum - 1

                        - coil / minimum - 1

Areas of Handbuilding that may be explored.

                        - coil form showing coils as the design element

                        - slab form

                        - coil form, smoothed inside and out, choosing your form from a historical perspective