Final: Question 6

Looking at the body of your work, how has the quality/sophistication/refinement or your work changed?

I think that the technical quality of my work has changed the most.  If you look at my first project in Clay II, the aesthetic project, and my final one, the pitcher, there is a huge difference.  My aesthetic project has many technical flaws, although most of them are minor, but my last project has only one small crack.  I have gotten better at checking for problems and fixing them before my clay is fired.  My final project also has to unintentional glaze pools or drips, like some of my earlier work.

« Final: Question 5

Final: Question 5

The following piece shows influence of another culture or artist on my clay:

This bowl I made was inspired by Northern Italian Majolica.  The colors and patterns aren’t ones that I usually use, showing how the colors that I looked at inspired me.  I also was inspired by how many of the designs had a very detailed inside or outside, but the other side was simple, or had a small decoration that tied the two sides together.  I used both of these inspirations in my bowl, with a heavily decorated outside and a simple inside.

Final: Question 6 »« Final: Question 4

Final: Question 4

My experiences on the wheel…

….were fun!  I love throwing on the wheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I think that I grew in ability as well because before this class I could make lots of bowls in different shapes, but I couldn’t make cups or vases, or plates.  I have now done all of those things, and am fairly proud of myself.

Final: Question 5 »« Final: Question 3

Final: Question 3

This is the piece that was the most challenging for me:

The hardest thing I did in Clay II was making the plates for my lunch set.  They were the first plates I had ever made on the wheel.  I found them challenging because they required more physical effort than throwing other things.  It was also counter-intuitive for me because you flatten out the clay onto the wheel instead of keeping it up.  I handled this challenge by reading up on making plates and looking though pictures of them.  I also made sure that they dried slowly.  If I was to make more plates, I would make many and then turn only a few in for grade because I think that I could have done better than these with more practice.

Final: Question 4 »« Final: Question 2

Final: Question 2

This is the piece I am most proud of:

I am most proud of my teapot for construction because of all of the detail that I put into it.  I think that it conveys the feeling of plants growing and the flames moving on the other side.  I also think that the rounded shapes of the flames and leaves echo the shape of the teapot.

I am most proud of the small handleless cup (last project) for glazing.  I took a risk on the outside by combining ten different glazes, as well as clear glaze, in swirls to create a feeling similar to an impressionist painting.  I am also proud of the fact that I knew that the glazes would look good together. 

Final: Question 3 »« Final: Question 1

Final: Question 1

This is the piece I think I learned the most from:  Describe what you learned.

I think that I learned the most from my old/new.  I tried something very tricky and it didn’t work, but I tired another thing, that was also tricky, and it did.  The one that didn’t work was the handle.  I tired to put one on three times, but it wouldn’t stick, or it would for a short amount of time, then it would fall off.  This taught me about how dry a handle has to be to work.  It has to be somewhat dry, so it hold the shape, but it can’t be too dry because it doesn’t stick otherwise.  I was so glad that I found myself able to glaze this in an intricate way.  I was worried that I would not have control over the brush, or that I would run out of time, but I put in class time and lunch time, and I finished it in 1.5 weeks.

Final: Question 2 »« Pinch Pot Trio

Pinch Pot Trio

Pinch Pot Rubric and Assessment
In this project you learned the ins and outs of creating both flared and closed pinch pots.

Goal: Create two glazed pinch pots.
Your pots must:
• Demonstrate your ability to create both an “open” mouth and a “closed” mouth
• Have evenly pinched walls that are no more than 3/8 inch thick
• Demonstrate a carefully planned and pressed or inscribed all-over texture.
• Demonstrate careful attention to craftsmanship, with no evident cracks or crumbs
• Have your name or stamp on the bottom
• Be thoughtfully and carefully glazed
• Be drawn in your sketchbook

Pinching Techniques (Technical Assessment)
Execution / Production
Exceeds the Standard
• Pinch pot walls and floor are an even thickness.
• Pinch pot walls and floor are no thicker than 3/8 inch.
• There is a very carefully applied overall texture on the outside of your pot.
• Your name, initials, or stamp imprint is on the bottom, identifying your piece.
• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship is obvious and superior.
• Your two pots have been very carefully drawn in your sketchbook, which is accompanying this sheet.

Meets the Standard • Pinch pot walls and floor are close to an even thickness.
• Pinch pot walls and floor are no thicker than ½ inch.
• There is a carefully applied texture on the outside of your pot.
• Your name, initials, or stamp is on the bottom, identifying your piece.
• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship has clearly been attempted.
• Your two pots have been drawn in your sketchbook, which is accompanying this sheet.

Partially Meets the Standard • Pinch pot walls and floor are not an even thickness.
• Pinch pot walls and floor are thicker than ½ inch.
• There is texture on the outside of your pot.
• Your name, initials, or stamp is missing.
• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship is not clearly demonstrated.
• Your two pots have not been drawn in your sketchbook.
Does Not Meet the Standard • Pinching the pots is done haphazardly and/or is incomplete.
• Work shows little or no attention to detail.

Glazing Goals:
• Demonstrate the care and control needed while glazing.
• Demonstrate planning of glazing.
• Demonstrate record-keeping of glazes and glazing notes(for future reference).

Glazing Techniques (Technical Assessment)
Execution / Production
Exceeds the Standard
• Both pinch pots are extremely well glazed; care, control, and quality craftsmanship is obvious and superior.
• Glaze has been applied deliberately and according to plan.
• The number and name of each glaze used is accurately and neatly written in your sketchbook (on the “melon” sheet, which should be glued into your book, or directly into your book, next to your drawn pots).

Meets the Standard
• Both pinch pots are well glazed; care, control, and quality craftsmanship is clear.
• Glaze has been applied somewhat according to plan.
• The number and name of most glazes used is accurately and neatly written in your sketchbook (on the “melon” sheet, which should be glued into your book, or directly into your book, next to your drawn pots).

Partially Meets the Standard

• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship is not clear.
• Glaze has been inconsistently applied.
• Glazing notes in sketchbook are unclear or incomplete.

Does Not Meet the Standard

• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship is clearly lacking.
• Glazing of the pinch pots is done haphazardly and/or is incomplete.
• Glazing notes in sketchbook are missing.

Reasoning / Thinking
In the space below, please justify your placement on the above rubric for your technical skills standards on BOTH the making and glazing of the pinch pots. Each response should be at least 3 to 4 complete sentences. Use the back of the sheet as necessary to complete your answers.

1. Technical Skills Justification for creating the pinch pots:
I believe that my work is worthy of a 3.9 because I feel that I went above an beyond in keeping my pots contestant and high quality.  (Not to sound like Conner or anything)  Although not all of my edges are nice and neat, they are deliberately so.  My textures are meant to look slightly confusing and organic, and I would consider them to be that.  I also think that my pinch pots are very different in style from the rest of the class because I created a rectangular pinch pot ,  whereas most people went for the round style.  My closed pinch pot echos the rectangular design with a rounded body and a rectangular mouth.

2. Technical Skills Justification for glazing the pinch pots:
I believe that my work merits a 3.8 because I paid great attention to detail when I glazed my pinch pots.  I used unusual but cohesive color combinations to further my disengaged and organic theme.  Each pot is glazed by pouring in the middle and brushed on the outside.  For added detail, I used another glaze on the rim of each pot.  Because of my attention to detail, I believe that I have earned a 3.8.

3. Please describe the glazing job on your two pinch pots. How many layers of which glazes did you use? (this should also be in your sketchbook) Were you surprised by anything that happened? Why or why not?
Open w/ square design: I used 1 coat of bluebell and 2 of Mulberry Red on the inside and was surprised at how dark it is.  On the outside, I used 2 coats of Freckled Brown and 2 of Sapphire, and I was surprised at how the sapphire came out more green than blue.  Around the rim I used a thick coat of Tawny.
Closed w/ dots: On the inside I used poured Mulberry Red and 1 coat of sapphire.  I used 1 coat of aquamarine and 2 of Autumn Leaf on the outside.  I was surprised how the sapphire came though on the dots.  I also used a thick coat of Tawny on the rim.

4. Describe any contrast you achieved with your textures and/or your glaze choices. How might that affect your creative choices in forming and glazing in the future?
I found contrast with the use of light and dark.  On the outside of my pots, I used one color, in the green-brown family, and on the inside I used a blue or grey to achieve contrast in color.  I used the difference in light and dark with the color.  In two of my pots, I used a darker color, and on the other I used a lighter on the outside.

Final: Question 1 »« Push Pull Sculpture

Push Pull Sculpture

Pushing & Pulling Assessment
Houston f08

Please copy and paste this whole rubric into a word processing document and save it to a Clay I folder on your desktop. Highlight in a color where you think you rest in both technical skills and creative problem solving. You will be photographing your work and posting both it and this assessment on your blog.

Technical Skills
Exceeds the Standard
• Sculpture is extremely well constructed; techniques are used very effectively.
• Sculpture is extremely well burnished / finished.
• No areas overlooked in an attempt to burnish every area.
• No cracks or breaks are apparent.

Meets the Standard
• Sculpture is well constructed, techniques used effectively.
• Sculpture is well burnished/ finished.
• Few areas overlooked in an attempt to burnish every area.
• Few or no cracks or breaks are apparent.

Partially Meets the Standard
• Weaknesses in the construction of the sculpture are apparent.
• Many areas overlooked in an attempt to burnish.
• Weaknesses in the burnishing of the sculpture are apparent.
• Evidence of cracks or breaks is minor.

Does Not Meet the Standard
• Construction of the product is done haphazardly.
• Many areas overlooked in the burnishing process.
• Evidence of cracks or breaks is obvious.
• Care, control, and quality craftsmanship are clearly lacking.

Creative Problem Solving
Exceeds the Standard
• In addition to meeting all of the criteria (see below), sculpture is outstanding; unique and original approach to the assignment.

Meets the Standard
• Approach to the assignment is unique. A definite connection to the assignment is obvious. Meets most of the assignment criteria:
• 3 trapped negative spaces; there is at least 1 piercing the form
• 3 well-formed protuberances
• rests comfortably and successfully in at least 3 different positions on a flat surface
• clay is interesting from all resting points.

Partially Meets the Standard
• Approach to the assignment is generic, common, and/or unoriginal.
• Little connection to the assignment is evident.
• Meets some of the assignment criteria.

Does Not Meet the Standard
• Approach to the assignment is generic, common, and/or unoriginal or product is incomplete. Little or no connection to the assignment is evident.
• Meets very few of the assignment criteria.

Reasoning / Thinking
Please answer each question in 3-4 thorough and complete sentences.

1. In this clay project you were asked to look at the work of five artists: Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Ishamu Naguchi, Joan Miro and Jean Arp. How did looking at their work affect how you constructed your own?
I was intrigued by the way that the eye flowed around the work of Jean Arp.  I attempted to to the same with my work by adding holes and tunnels inside each other.  I wanted it to not only be interesting sitting on a table, but also if someone picked it up and turned it around, I also wanted it to be interesting and a little playful.  I felt that Jean Arp’s work did that and I wished to convey the same feelings.

2. What did you discover were some of the characteristics of the clay while you were making this project?
I found that for my project, the wetter the clay the better.  I did many places where I had to push or pull a lot of clay, and if I didn’t keep my clay wet, it cracked and I had to start that part all over.  I also found that I had to burnish in stages because my clay was not all dry at the same time.

If your sculpture was to be recreated 20 feet tall, what would you like it made of and where would you put it? Why?
I would have my sculpture made out of soft-cut linoleum and put in Deering Oaks Park in Portland.  I think that it would be a lot of fun to climb around on (and in!), and if it was made of soft-cut linoleum, it wouldn’t be as painful if someone fell.  I would put it in Deering Oaks because the city is currently trying to fix it up a little, and a lot of kids play there so I know it would get used.

Pinch Pot Trio »« Hello world!

Hello world!

Welcome to your brand new blog at Edublogs.

To get started, simply log in, edit or delete this post and check out all the other options available to you.

There’s stacks of great supporting material too! Take time to view our some helpful introductory videos, read through our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or stop by The Edublogs Forums to chat with other edubloggers.

You can also subscribe to our brilliant free publication, The Edublogger, which is jammed with helpful tips, ideas and more.

And finally, if you like Edublogs but want to be able to simply create, administer, control and manage hundreds of student and teacher blogs at your school or college, check out Edublogs Campus… it’s like Edublogs in a box, all for you.

Thanks again for signing up with Edublogs!

Push Pull Sculpture »