My theme this semester is using natural colors to make my pieces more practical for their intended use. To do this, I start with a need, and I make my projects accordingly, so that they will be used day to day. When glazing, I think practical. No loud yellows or pinks, but more subtle blues, greens and whites that can and will look good in the home.
This year, I have made a variety of different projects. I have started experimenting with larger plates, such as pie plates, I have made a couple pitchers, many bowls of all sizes, a nice set of three of vases, a small cake plate, a teapot, a mug, a lidded project and a nice larger vase etc.
In making all of my projects, I used bagged clay for the most part and threw them on the wheel, footing them the next day and attaching whatever necessary then too. For my pie plates, I simply grabbed a much larger block of clay and pulled out very wide for the base leaving a thicker base so I could string them and foot them. For my pitchers I just made, I pulled up a tall cylinder and used by blue tool to widen the base and then choked the top and flared out one spot on the lip. For my handle, I attached them both very similarly. On pitcher is taller and skinnier and the other is shorter and wider. For my bowls, depending on the size, I pull up a wide cylinder and using my blue tool just press outward from the inside of the cylinder to make the bowl!. For my vases, I made them in a span of two consecutive days and they're all fairly small, glazed a beautiful shadow green. My cake plate is actually an upside down pie plate attached to a clyinder that I made that has no bottom. I make sure that after attaching two things I bag them up for a couple days to allow the clay to dry out at the same rate so they will not detach.
While glazing is usually regarded as one of the quickest steps of the process, it should be taken seriously, because it is one of the most important steps. Simply throwing a glaze on there is not sufficient. This year, I have been a lot more careful on how I glaze my pieces. I purposefully choose the more natural colors such as greens, dark blues and purples, and whites and avoid the brighter blues, pinks and yellows. I do this because I want all my projects to decorate and brighten up the home with their beauty. I want them to be relatable and able to easily fit into the home.
As this is my third semester of ceramics, I am really starting to emphasize on the smaller details of my projects now that I have mastered the beginning steps. I have started making things a lot thinner and with equal thickness all the way through the project. Also I have become more aware of the width to lip flare ratio so I made more balanced looking project. And thirdly, I have begun making my projects with a sturdier foot ring so they do not wobble when you set them down! All these details, along with my careful glazing habits and perfectionism in every aspect of ceramics aid in the creation of many exciting new pieces all made with love and for a purpose, and to add beauty to the home.
This year, I have made a variety of different projects. I have started experimenting with larger plates, such as pie plates, I have made a couple pitchers, many bowls of all sizes, a nice set of three of vases, a small cake plate, a teapot, a mug, a lidded project and a nice larger vase etc.
In making all of my projects, I used bagged clay for the most part and threw them on the wheel, footing them the next day and attaching whatever necessary then too. For my pie plates, I simply grabbed a much larger block of clay and pulled out very wide for the base leaving a thicker base so I could string them and foot them. For my pitchers I just made, I pulled up a tall cylinder and used by blue tool to widen the base and then choked the top and flared out one spot on the lip. For my handle, I attached them both very similarly. On pitcher is taller and skinnier and the other is shorter and wider. For my bowls, depending on the size, I pull up a wide cylinder and using my blue tool just press outward from the inside of the cylinder to make the bowl!. For my vases, I made them in a span of two consecutive days and they're all fairly small, glazed a beautiful shadow green. My cake plate is actually an upside down pie plate attached to a clyinder that I made that has no bottom. I make sure that after attaching two things I bag them up for a couple days to allow the clay to dry out at the same rate so they will not detach.
While glazing is usually regarded as one of the quickest steps of the process, it should be taken seriously, because it is one of the most important steps. Simply throwing a glaze on there is not sufficient. This year, I have been a lot more careful on how I glaze my pieces. I purposefully choose the more natural colors such as greens, dark blues and purples, and whites and avoid the brighter blues, pinks and yellows. I do this because I want all my projects to decorate and brighten up the home with their beauty. I want them to be relatable and able to easily fit into the home.
As this is my third semester of ceramics, I am really starting to emphasize on the smaller details of my projects now that I have mastered the beginning steps. I have started making things a lot thinner and with equal thickness all the way through the project. Also I have become more aware of the width to lip flare ratio so I made more balanced looking project. And thirdly, I have begun making my projects with a sturdier foot ring so they do not wobble when you set them down! All these details, along with my careful glazing habits and perfectionism in every aspect of ceramics aid in the creation of many exciting new pieces all made with love and for a purpose, and to add beauty to the home.
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