General Clay Knowledge What are the special qualities of clay that allow it to be both sculptural and functional? What is the knowledge you need to make a successful piece in clay? What are some basic actions that are integral to creating with clay? How is the kiln involved in pottery production, and how does the clay change after firing? How can unfired clay be recycled and used again? 1.0 Students know and. Preparation and use of clay and related tools and materials. Recognizing the moisture/drying stages of the clay, and what is possible during these stages. Practicing basic hand building skills. Clay Wedging Plastic Plasticity Leatherhard Greenware Bone Dry Bisque Earthenware Stoneware Porcelain Porosity Vitreous Vitrification Kiln Firing Pyrometer Pyrometric Cones Slab Scoring Slip Recycling Processes Pug Mill Tile Series Nameplate Wedging Cutting clay Smoothing surface Creating relief and texture Keeping clay in the proper moisture stage while working Preparing the clay for firing Recycling clay Skills vocab. and student/teach er feedback Observing students during work time Ceramics A Potter s Handbook Glenn C. Nelson Richard Burkett Page 1
General Glaze Knowledge How is glaze used as a decorative and utilitarian medium? How do the elements of art and principles design relate to planning an effective color scheme and creating surface decoration? How do artists use different glaze types, or even non ceramic paints, to effectively finish clay pieces? What is the application process for various glazes? 1.0 Students know and. Glaze Gloss Majolica Underglaze Glaze Firing Sgraffito Opacity Transparency Color Palette Color Scheme Brushes Wipe off technique Tile Series Nameplate Majolica Project Relating projects and techniques to art history Glazing and/or painting functional and sculptural projects throughout the course vocab. and concepts and student/teache r feedback Classroom observations The New Majolica Matthias Ostermann Surface Decoration Lynn Peters Page 2
Slab Technique How can slabs be used to create 2 D or 3 D pieces? How can slabs be used in the production of both functional and sculptural forms? arts. Use slabs with even and appropriate thickness for 2 and 3 dimensional construction. Gain experience with draping and press molding with slabs. Experiment with texture and relief. Recognize when slabs might be useful for creating a pottery piece; recognize the use of slabs in the work of other artists. Slab 2 Dimensional 3 Dimensional Texture Relief Additive Reductive Drape/ Hump mold Press mold Sculptural Utilitarian Functional Decorative Subject Matter Symbol Theme Tile Projects Containers Birdhouse Pop Art Piece Portraiture and student/teach er feedback Skills vocab. Classroom observations See General Clay Knowledge Page 3
Pinch Technique How is the pinch construction technique important to a ceramic artist in the creation of both sculptural and functional forms? What is the historical background of the pinch technique? How can process texture be part of a successful pot or sculpture, and how can it be altered? arts. Using the pinch technique to create a form with good symmetry, basic shape, and even thickness throughout. Using the pinch technique to create hollow forms and sculptural pieces, possibly in combination with other hand building techniques. Deliberately altering the basic pinch form to achieve interesting/dynamic forms. Demonstrate knowledge of pinching as a basic forming method and as a precursor to wheel throwing. Understand the meaning and possibilities of process texture. Pinch Symmetry Asymmetry Form Process texture Pinch Pot Set Whistle Rattle Building more complex sculptural forms and student/ teacher feedback Skills vocab. Classroom observations Page 4
Coil Techniques How is the coil construction technique useful in creating functional and sculptural forms? Historically, why was the coiling process an important innovation? What process texture results from coiling, and how can artists use this texture effectively or alter it? arts. Rolling a coil with consistent thickness and a usable length. Understanding and using various techniques for joining coils: fusing or scoring and slipping. Stacking the coils to yield various forms and for decorative purposes. Use of coils in sculptural pieces, sometimes in combination with other building techniques. Exploring the possibilities for various surface textures in a coil pot. Understanding how coiling is used to yield larger vessels in a shorter time. Coil Fusing Scoring Slip Coil pots Using coils in 3 D sculpting. Using coils as surface decoration or in combination with other techniques. and student/ teacher feedback Skills vocab. Page 5
Wheel Throwing Why do artists use wheel throwing as opposed to hand building techniques? What skills, techniques, and processes yield successful wheel thrown pieces? arts Understanding the use of the basic throwing process: centering, opening form, putting the bottom in, lifting wall, shaping, trimming the lip, cutting from wheel. Process of throwing various shapes/proportion: cylinder and bowl. Practice with trimming/footing the base of the pot. Basic knowledge of electric and/or kick wheels: parts, speeds, set up/clean up, specific tools. Brief history of wheel and wheel throwing, and its relationship to the pinch technique. Wheel Centering Trimming Footing Cylinder Proportion Electric Wheel Kick Wheel Body Foot Lip Symmetry bilateral; radial Cylinder/Mug Making and attaching handles Bowl Trimming a pot Combination with hand building techniques vocab. Classroom observations Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed Page 6
Cultural and Style Perspectives What historical and cultural factors influence visual characteristics? In which works of art do we see a relationship to a variety of historical and cultural contexts? How does meaning in art vary within different cultures, times, and places? What visual characteristics are typical of different time periods, cultures, and artists? arts Connect styles and use of techniques to cultural influences, time periods, and artists. Culture Visual Characteristics Aesthetic Arts and Crafts Movement Majolica style and history Pop Art Masks Portrait artists Pueblo Pottery Miniatures Figurines and student/ teacher feedback vocab. Student research and analysis exercises Ten Thousand Years of Pottery Emmanual Cooper American Art Tiles Norman Karlson Handmade Tiles Frank Giogini 500 Animals in Clay Suzanne J.F. Tourtillot Ceramic Timeline Davis Publications Page 7
Sculpting Techniques How do artists use handbuilding and wheel throwing techniques, sometimes in combination, to create sculptural pieces? What sculpting technique, process, or style is most appropriate to reach an artistic goal? arts Learn basic sculpting techniques and processes Recognize the use of ceramics and related techniques in art history Analyze different stylistic approaches: realism, stylized/stylistic, naturalism Choose a technique, process, or style that will yield the desired results for various assignments. In the Round Roughing Out Hollowing Out Solid Construction Realism Naturalism Stylized/ stylistic Portrait Pop Art Animal/ Personified Animal Figure and student/ teacher feedback vocab. 500 Animals in Clay Suzanne J.F. Tourtillot Ten Thousand Years of Pottery Emmanual Cooper Pop Art video Page 8