THE CERAMIC PROCESS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
What are the 9 required steps in order to make a ceramic artwork?
Why is it important to know these steps in order to be successful?
What are the 9 required steps in order to make a ceramic artwork?
Why is it important to know these steps in order to be successful?
Assignment
Requirements:
Notes - 5 points
Wedging Check off - 5 points
Quiz - 12 points
Total points: 22
Notes - 5 points
Wedging Check off - 5 points
Quiz - 12 points
Total points: 22
Prepare the clay
In the past artists used to dig the clay out of the earth in order to have good clay to work with. Today we buy clay from a local supplier in Sioux Falls. When we get clay out of the bag it is ready to use, but we will also be using recycled clay.
The Clay we will be using is in the black bin with the yellow lid. This is our recycled clay. It will need to be wedged before using again.
The Clay we will be using is in the black bin with the yellow lid. This is our recycled clay. It will need to be wedged before using again.
Wedge the clay
Clay that has been recycled needs to be wedged. Wedging mixes the soft and hard spots in the clay and makes it easier to use. To wedge you push and roll the clay toward you like this:
Form the Clay
To create pottery or sculpture out of clay we use many techniques, but the basic ways of building are pinching, coiling, slab construction, and using the wheel. We will be using all of these techniques over the course of the year. An artwork can be made by using one of these techniques or a combination of them.
When working on a artwork wrap your pieces with plastic to keep them soft and write your name with a sharpie on your plastic. Do not remove the plastic from another's artwork and do not touch it if it is not yours.
When working on a artwork wrap your pieces with plastic to keep them soft and write your name with a sharpie on your plastic. Do not remove the plastic from another's artwork and do not touch it if it is not yours.
LEATHER-HARD CLAY
As the pieces you make dry the clay will get stiffer and will allow you to carve it and use additional techniques. Leather hard clay will not bend as well as fresh clay but is easier to get smooth and apply your finishing touches. Make sure to put your name and date on the bottom of your piece at this stage of the process.
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BONE DRY CLAY
When your ceramic work has lost all of its moisture it is considered Bone Dry. Bone dry clay cannot be combined with wet clay because they will not stick together, so make sure that your piece is exactly how you want it before you let it dry out.
Once your work is finished… double check that your name is on the bottom and then place your piece on the shelf by the kiln. |
BISQUE FIRE
When your pieces are put into the kiln for the first time it is called a bisque firing. During a bisque firing your pieces will be heated up to about 1800 degrees. This process will harden your pieces so that they are less fragile and will not dissolve in water. Your pieces will also be porous which will allow the glazes to stick when applying them to the surface of your piece. As the ware goes thorough this process the clay will shrink.
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GLAZE YOUR WORK
After your pieces have been bisque fired they are ready to glaze. You can think of glaze as liquid powdered glass and it is very different from paint. Once glaze is fired it will change color and become a glasslike surface on your pieces. Look at the back wall in the glaze area to see the different glazes we have in the studio. There are many different techniques used to glaze your pieces and you will learn these throughout the year. Once you are done glazing make sure the bottom is cleaned off and put it on the shelf next to the kiln.
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GLAZE FIRE
Once your piece is placed on the glazeware shelf I will load it into the kiln for firing. I will fire your pieces up to about 2300 degrees which will turn the glaze into glass and will “vitrify” your pieces.Vitrify is the process of turning ceramics into a stone-like non porous state by using heat. Once out of the glaze firing there is little we can do to change the appearance of your piece.
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