Reedley College
Art 10 Projects
Fall 2024
Teamwork makes the dream work.
Centering, Pulling & The Cylinder
Alright folks time to get your hands dirty.
You will all be assigned in to groups for the first assignment. Your group will be your team helping you will the small things that present as you work your way through this project. Talk to each other, ask one another questions, help your group mates solve the problems your all working through.
Time for the exercises that wil get you ready for the whole semester. In this first exercise we will be working through the process of centering and developing basic cylinder forms on the potters wheel. These skills are essential ( I very much mean ESSENTIAL!) to the class and will be the foundational processes used with all your projects in this course. Its important you take the time to focus on developing and understanding how to control all these essential elements. Touch, wheel speed, body position and controlled movement are some of the major elements to explore and focus in on while you work through this .
This following processes will be demonstrated in class and be broken down into isolated steps and processes. Please remember to take notes and reference them until you gain familiarity with them. The goal of this practice is for you to build the ability to center the clay on the wheel and create a even and balanced cylinder form. Please make sure to pay attention during class demos and ask questions.
Below is a rudimentary breakdown of the process. These steps will be discussed and demonstrated multiple times. Remember the goal of these exercises is to get you and the entire class comfortable, familiar and confident with centering and cylinder making. Don't rush and build bad habits, work slow and concentrate on your movement and their results.
This basic form will be broken down into the following steps.
1. Center the Clay
2. Belly Button
3. Go to Depth
4. Open Cylinder
5. Flatten and Compress Bottom
6. Collar Cylinder
7. Pull Cylinder Walls To Raise Height
8. Compress Rim after Each Pull
9. Straighten Cyliner Wall with Rib
10. Undercut Foot For Removal From Wheel
Each student will be required to produce a finished cylinder with a flat bottom (1/2" thick), straight walls, even walls, level and rounded rim as well as undercut foot. Once you have completed this task your cylinders will be cut and examined. Students who complete this task will be encouraged to continue to throw cylinders to build confidence and ability. Cylinder making, with practice will become a simple task that you can perform on demand. Practice makes your skills get better, so get to the wheel and move some clay! Have fun.
You will all be assigned in to groups for the first assignment. Your group will be your team helping you will the small things that present as you work your way through this project. Talk to each other, ask one another questions, help your group mates solve the problems your all working through.
Time for the exercises that wil get you ready for the whole semester. In this first exercise we will be working through the process of centering and developing basic cylinder forms on the potters wheel. These skills are essential ( I very much mean ESSENTIAL!) to the class and will be the foundational processes used with all your projects in this course. Its important you take the time to focus on developing and understanding how to control all these essential elements. Touch, wheel speed, body position and controlled movement are some of the major elements to explore and focus in on while you work through this .
This following processes will be demonstrated in class and be broken down into isolated steps and processes. Please remember to take notes and reference them until you gain familiarity with them. The goal of this practice is for you to build the ability to center the clay on the wheel and create a even and balanced cylinder form. Please make sure to pay attention during class demos and ask questions.
Below is a rudimentary breakdown of the process. These steps will be discussed and demonstrated multiple times. Remember the goal of these exercises is to get you and the entire class comfortable, familiar and confident with centering and cylinder making. Don't rush and build bad habits, work slow and concentrate on your movement and their results.
This basic form will be broken down into the following steps.
1. Center the Clay
2. Belly Button
3. Go to Depth
4. Open Cylinder
5. Flatten and Compress Bottom
6. Collar Cylinder
7. Pull Cylinder Walls To Raise Height
8. Compress Rim after Each Pull
9. Straighten Cyliner Wall with Rib
10. Undercut Foot For Removal From Wheel
Each student will be required to produce a finished cylinder with a flat bottom (1/2" thick), straight walls, even walls, level and rounded rim as well as undercut foot. Once you have completed this task your cylinders will be cut and examined. Students who complete this task will be encouraged to continue to throw cylinders to build confidence and ability. Cylinder making, with practice will become a simple task that you can perform on demand. Practice makes your skills get better, so get to the wheel and move some clay! Have fun.
Cylinders
Now that we as a class have begun the process of producing cylinders, we will begin to put those cylinders to use. Cylinders are going to serve as a foundational form for the wheel throwing projects in this beginning level course. The first project will be the production of cylinders to specific proportions. As demonstrated in class you will be asked to produce FOUR cylinders; TWO that are tall and narrow by proportion; TWO that is low and wide by proportion.
Work for this first assignment will not be trimmed but rather thrown with a thin foot area. Work should be cleaned and bottoms should be addresses in terms of cleanliness and refinement. No sharp edges should be present and bottoms should be smooth and cleaned of debris and burrs. Works executed in this assignment will use a basic palette of black and white for decoration.
Additionally, you are expected to stamp/mark each of your pieces with your personal chop mark. A chop mark is a way to impress a pattern or mark on a ceramic piece. This mark will serve a your signature for your work. All work produced by you must have the same chop mark! This is essential in identifying your work. You will soon see for yourself that with the large number of students producing a large number of cylinders, a sea of vessels will soon arrive, making identification of your work difficult. You chop mark will help you keep track and identify work as your own. Any work not chop marked with your persona mark will not be counted or graded, so please chop mark all of your work.
Point Value: 100pts.
Requirements:
4 Cylinders total
2 must be tall and narrow by proportion
2must be low and wide by proportion
Areas of focus:
Craftsmanship: well made, free of defect or poor workmanship
Lip: Clean lips that show ability to control rim
Proportion: does the form have the required proportions (tall/narrow short/wide)
Sprigs: how can we use these simple tools to create pattern, decoration, texture and conversation
Goals:
Students will learn to control vessels of small scale and direct the form to meet personal aesthetics and visual liking.
Build upon and gain control of basic cylinder production.
Improve wedging and clay recycling skills.
Begin to make connections to formal details and the user interaction and experience of the forms produced.
Work for this first assignment will not be trimmed but rather thrown with a thin foot area. Work should be cleaned and bottoms should be addresses in terms of cleanliness and refinement. No sharp edges should be present and bottoms should be smooth and cleaned of debris and burrs. Works executed in this assignment will use a basic palette of black and white for decoration.
Additionally, you are expected to stamp/mark each of your pieces with your personal chop mark. A chop mark is a way to impress a pattern or mark on a ceramic piece. This mark will serve a your signature for your work. All work produced by you must have the same chop mark! This is essential in identifying your work. You will soon see for yourself that with the large number of students producing a large number of cylinders, a sea of vessels will soon arrive, making identification of your work difficult. You chop mark will help you keep track and identify work as your own. Any work not chop marked with your persona mark will not be counted or graded, so please chop mark all of your work.
Point Value: 100pts.
Requirements:
4 Cylinders total
2 must be tall and narrow by proportion
2must be low and wide by proportion
Areas of focus:
Craftsmanship: well made, free of defect or poor workmanship
Lip: Clean lips that show ability to control rim
Proportion: does the form have the required proportions (tall/narrow short/wide)
Sprigs: how can we use these simple tools to create pattern, decoration, texture and conversation
Goals:
Students will learn to control vessels of small scale and direct the form to meet personal aesthetics and visual liking.
Build upon and gain control of basic cylinder production.
Improve wedging and clay recycling skills.
Begin to make connections to formal details and the user interaction and experience of the forms produced.
Sprig Molds |
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Sprig Molds:
Sprig molds are small pressings of clay that capture texture and surface relief from objects and surfaces. The beautifully simple nature of clay makes it an ideal medium for making sprig molds. Gently pressing a smooth ball of clay onto a textured surface creates a negative impression into the clay. When dried and bisque fired these impressions (sprig molds) can be used to emboss surface, create decorative buttons and communicate information from the textural source of the mold itself. Bisque fired clay is naturally porous and allows clay to be pressed into it and will released with that texture.
Student are encouraged to explore the possibilities of their sprigs as to how they may relate to their personal history. Students are also encouraged to use a discerning eye to look for texture and form that is both crisp and detailed as well as artistically relevant and curious. Sprigs should add visual and tactile information to the surfaces they are used upon. Understated and illegible molds often detract from the composition and provide no added value to the formal and or conceptual makeup of the work being produced. Choose surfaces and objects that generate good molds. Test your molds when bone dry to see if they provide enough detail and are legible. Illegible molds should be recycled and not fired.
Point Value: Students sprig molds will be incorporated into the above project (1A) as a required element to complete the project. While this homework project has no independent point value, the sprig molds will be part of project 1A and be a required element in the decorative process. Students who do not complete this project will not be able to achieve full credit in project 1A.
Requirements:
Produce a minimum of 5 sprig molds
Molds should be of objects or surfaces that have strong surface relief as well as personal significance
Sprig Molds should have the students initials on them as an ID
Project Goals:
Understand the potential for clay to be used as a mold material.
Explore the potential of incorporating surfaces and texture that originates from sources other than oneself.
Explore the potential for communication and transfer of personal history through objects.
Test the possibilities of adding elements and texture on ones ceramic works surface to increase visual impact.
Experience additive/constructive process of joining clay objects together.
Sprig molds are small pressings of clay that capture texture and surface relief from objects and surfaces. The beautifully simple nature of clay makes it an ideal medium for making sprig molds. Gently pressing a smooth ball of clay onto a textured surface creates a negative impression into the clay. When dried and bisque fired these impressions (sprig molds) can be used to emboss surface, create decorative buttons and communicate information from the textural source of the mold itself. Bisque fired clay is naturally porous and allows clay to be pressed into it and will released with that texture.
Student are encouraged to explore the possibilities of their sprigs as to how they may relate to their personal history. Students are also encouraged to use a discerning eye to look for texture and form that is both crisp and detailed as well as artistically relevant and curious. Sprigs should add visual and tactile information to the surfaces they are used upon. Understated and illegible molds often detract from the composition and provide no added value to the formal and or conceptual makeup of the work being produced. Choose surfaces and objects that generate good molds. Test your molds when bone dry to see if they provide enough detail and are legible. Illegible molds should be recycled and not fired.
Point Value: Students sprig molds will be incorporated into the above project (1A) as a required element to complete the project. While this homework project has no independent point value, the sprig molds will be part of project 1A and be a required element in the decorative process. Students who do not complete this project will not be able to achieve full credit in project 1A.
Requirements:
Produce a minimum of 5 sprig molds
Molds should be of objects or surfaces that have strong surface relief as well as personal significance
Sprig Molds should have the students initials on them as an ID
Project Goals:
Understand the potential for clay to be used as a mold material.
Explore the potential of incorporating surfaces and texture that originates from sources other than oneself.
Explore the potential for communication and transfer of personal history through objects.
Test the possibilities of adding elements and texture on ones ceramic works surface to increase visual impact.
Experience additive/constructive process of joining clay objects together.
Cup Library Review
Class,
For this short weekend project I would like you to do a little research and begin to explore the possibilities of you first assignment. Im asking that you do a little exploring of the class resource site www.centralcalclay.com and review the cup library. Take a look at whats possible just wishing the provided examples. There are endless possibilities when it comes to your current project. This endless and infinite realm of forms and functions can be a difficult think to come to terms with as young artists. The best way to do this is to find examples that interest you and catch your attention. Everyone has different attractions to form, its important to start to identify your taste and interests and build work that addresses those personal interests. Equally important to finding the forms that interest you is being able to explain why your interested. Why do you like it? hats attractive about it to you? How could you describe the formal shape of the cup? All of these questions are important to address as they begin to address you ability to verbalize your thoughts on sculptural objects and formal items that are not usually talked about in most situations. Color is only one thing to address, but go beyond the color, look at the form, the handle, the texture or anything else you find of interest and talk about it.
The assignment:
Find one cup you like and tell me why you like it. Describe why your interested in it, whats attractive about it to you. Copy and paste a picture of the cup and include a paragraph explaining you interest and attraction to the cup. The project is due in class on Monday. Please bring a printed copy of you response that includes an image of the cup from the library on the centralcalclay site as well as an online submission via canvas.
Point value: 20
Cup Library
For this short weekend project I would like you to do a little research and begin to explore the possibilities of you first assignment. Im asking that you do a little exploring of the class resource site www.centralcalclay.com and review the cup library. Take a look at whats possible just wishing the provided examples. There are endless possibilities when it comes to your current project. This endless and infinite realm of forms and functions can be a difficult think to come to terms with as young artists. The best way to do this is to find examples that interest you and catch your attention. Everyone has different attractions to form, its important to start to identify your taste and interests and build work that addresses those personal interests. Equally important to finding the forms that interest you is being able to explain why your interested. Why do you like it? hats attractive about it to you? How could you describe the formal shape of the cup? All of these questions are important to address as they begin to address you ability to verbalize your thoughts on sculptural objects and formal items that are not usually talked about in most situations. Color is only one thing to address, but go beyond the color, look at the form, the handle, the texture or anything else you find of interest and talk about it.
The assignment:
Find one cup you like and tell me why you like it. Describe why your interested in it, whats attractive about it to you. Copy and paste a picture of the cup and include a paragraph explaining you interest and attraction to the cup. The project is due in class on Monday. Please bring a printed copy of you response that includes an image of the cup from the library on the centralcalclay site as well as an online submission via canvas.
Point value: 20
Cup Library
Cups!!!
In this project we will be focusing on the production of drinking vessels (cups). These very intimate objects will be an opportunity to explore form, text, functionality and much much more.Students will be asked to produce 10 finished cups for the assignment. These cups will have several specialized areas of focus, including scale, intended purpose (hot or cold beverage designs), lips, detailed trimming and handles. Do you think you can handle it? (yes that was intended to be a cup joke). This project will include multiple demos on creating from that are crisp, organic, altered, trimming with detail, handle making and a little taste of tool production. Please make sure your attendance is good, because we will seen and doing a lot in the course of this assignment.
Requirements:
10 finished cups total.
All must have handles
All must be trimmed
All must have your chop mark
Cups must hold at leaste 12 OZ. of liquid to count towards your total 10 cups. NO SHOT GLASSES!!
Point Value: 100 Points (major assignment)
Areas of focus:
Trimming: trimming finer detail and taking advantage of the opportunity to add details and personal designs.
Form: play with you forms to create unique shapes and designs. Remember to give you work a breathe (expand its volume capabilities)
Scale: use you personal experience with drinking and you own kitchen cupboard to produce your works (scale should be usable and functionality should be in the foreground)
Lips: these objects will touch you months and delicate parts of the body. Care should be used to creat forms that are not aggressive or uncomfortable in use.
Handles: handles have many purposes such as grip, heat protection for the user and aesthetics. Use these concepts in your design and production of handled cups.
Advice:
Produce 20 cups that you can choose and select from in your final presentation. You will always produce the best ones last. The more cups you have to select from the more likely your grade will be higher. Doing the bare minimum is not an advisable way to work. Play; you should have fun in designing and building these small object. Make work you want to use and want to share. If you do this you truly love what happens on you wheel.
References:
Look at and study the cup library on the website. Its full of great images and ideas to work from or towards.
Requirements:
10 finished cups total.
All must have handles
All must be trimmed
All must have your chop mark
Cups must hold at leaste 12 OZ. of liquid to count towards your total 10 cups. NO SHOT GLASSES!!
Point Value: 100 Points (major assignment)
Areas of focus:
Trimming: trimming finer detail and taking advantage of the opportunity to add details and personal designs.
Form: play with you forms to create unique shapes and designs. Remember to give you work a breathe (expand its volume capabilities)
Scale: use you personal experience with drinking and you own kitchen cupboard to produce your works (scale should be usable and functionality should be in the foreground)
Lips: these objects will touch you months and delicate parts of the body. Care should be used to creat forms that are not aggressive or uncomfortable in use.
Handles: handles have many purposes such as grip, heat protection for the user and aesthetics. Use these concepts in your design and production of handled cups.
Advice:
Produce 20 cups that you can choose and select from in your final presentation. You will always produce the best ones last. The more cups you have to select from the more likely your grade will be higher. Doing the bare minimum is not an advisable way to work. Play; you should have fun in designing and building these small object. Make work you want to use and want to share. If you do this you truly love what happens on you wheel.
References:
Look at and study the cup library on the website. Its full of great images and ideas to work from or towards.
Bowls
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Overview:
For this project we will be exploring bowl forms and how to produce them on the potters wheel. We will engage the bowl in a number of ways, all of which will explore the basic functions and potentials of the form we know and call a "bowl". One of the concepts I would like you to keep in mind for the structure of this beginning level project is "utilitarian". Be mindful and understand that a well made utilitarian bowl can be just a beautiful as it is functional. I would however like to keep things focused on how your bowl form works in this introduction to bowls. Outside of the framework of this project you can and are encouraged to explore decorative objects and sculptural vessels that place the utilitarian aspect farther down the the list of important elements, but for the graded part of the project, be UTILITARIAN minded.
u·til·i·tar·i·an
yo͞oˌtiləˈterēən/
adjective
adjective: utilitarian
1.
designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.
synonyms:practical, functional, pragmatic, serviceable, useful, sensible, efficient, utility, workaday, no-frills;
Thoughts on the project:
Open forms: Form should be open in nature and without curves that make serving difficult (inward sloping lips or body lines)
Transitory form: Form are meant for things to enter and exit the space of the bowl, not designed for long term storage. (closed forms)
Specialized forms: A design that is specific for a purpose. (serving tureen, salad bowl, ice cream serving bowls, soup bowl, rice bowl) These purposes will dictate and inspire a specific shape and scale. Be mindful of the intended purpose and design work specifically for that bowls intended purpose.
Decorative Form: While this project is meant to explore utilitarian bowls, pay mind to the decoration and visual presence of the piece. How can you make the visual aspect of the bowl attractive and curious while maintaining a utilitarian direction? (sprigs, formal alterations of the bowl when wet or leather hard, trimming for texture and visual effect as well as for the foot)
General guide to proportions for this project: ( your bowl form must be wider than it is tall)
Point Value; 100 Pts.
The project:
Each Student will be asked to produce....
SIX (6) Bowl Forms. (1 at FIVE pounds) (3 at THREE pounds) (2 at ONE pound)
All Bowls must have a TRIMMED FOOT
2 of the bowls must be ALTERED
1 of the bowls must be designed as a serving bowl and include a serving utensil(s) made of clay
Bowl Library on this site
www.artaxis.org
www.accessceramics.org
www.strictlyfunctionalpottery.net/
For this project we will be exploring bowl forms and how to produce them on the potters wheel. We will engage the bowl in a number of ways, all of which will explore the basic functions and potentials of the form we know and call a "bowl". One of the concepts I would like you to keep in mind for the structure of this beginning level project is "utilitarian". Be mindful and understand that a well made utilitarian bowl can be just a beautiful as it is functional. I would however like to keep things focused on how your bowl form works in this introduction to bowls. Outside of the framework of this project you can and are encouraged to explore decorative objects and sculptural vessels that place the utilitarian aspect farther down the the list of important elements, but for the graded part of the project, be UTILITARIAN minded.
u·til·i·tar·i·an
yo͞oˌtiləˈterēən/
adjective
adjective: utilitarian
1.
designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.
synonyms:practical, functional, pragmatic, serviceable, useful, sensible, efficient, utility, workaday, no-frills;
Thoughts on the project:
Open forms: Form should be open in nature and without curves that make serving difficult (inward sloping lips or body lines)
Transitory form: Form are meant for things to enter and exit the space of the bowl, not designed for long term storage. (closed forms)
Specialized forms: A design that is specific for a purpose. (serving tureen, salad bowl, ice cream serving bowls, soup bowl, rice bowl) These purposes will dictate and inspire a specific shape and scale. Be mindful of the intended purpose and design work specifically for that bowls intended purpose.
Decorative Form: While this project is meant to explore utilitarian bowls, pay mind to the decoration and visual presence of the piece. How can you make the visual aspect of the bowl attractive and curious while maintaining a utilitarian direction? (sprigs, formal alterations of the bowl when wet or leather hard, trimming for texture and visual effect as well as for the foot)
General guide to proportions for this project: ( your bowl form must be wider than it is tall)
Point Value; 100 Pts.
The project:
Each Student will be asked to produce....
SIX (6) Bowl Forms. (1 at FIVE pounds) (3 at THREE pounds) (2 at ONE pound)
All Bowls must have a TRIMMED FOOT
2 of the bowls must be ALTERED
1 of the bowls must be designed as a serving bowl and include a serving utensil(s) made of clay
Bowl Library on this site
www.artaxis.org
www.accessceramics.org
www.strictlyfunctionalpottery.net/
