Week 8

This week we worked on templates to make mugs with the design of our initials. We had to create our design on a piece of paper in which we used to cut out the clay. As well as a circle for the bottom. Next we learned how to pull a handle. I had to get rid of my first as it was to thin. The handle starts as a ball of clay which you dip in water and pull with your hands. You can make groves and different shapes to fit your hand. When you have the right shape. You can cut the handle from the rest of the clay and lay the top of the handle flat then shape the handle and place the bottom flat. Next week I will will put all of the pieces together to form the mug and start carving the phoenix and my initials.

The Mug

Sometimes to make a piece in ceramics you need a template to help complete your idea, so to do the mug we drew our design on a 5inx11in piece of paper. Mine is of a phoenix with my initials in the wings.

Week 7-(slightly crazy)

    During the course of the week we finished ah salt and peppah shakahs. Mine was in the shape of two lighthouses. They ah the same build, so identical twin pieces and will be painted differently fah contrast. Black a white rocks depending on if its salt a peppah. The twin pieces use technique and craftsmanship to get the right shape, and some innovating idears in ordah  to make them look the same. I also stahted glazing my pinch pots. Fah my draped bowl, I am using blue bell, dahk blue, leaf green, coral, light green, and puahple.
                                                                                     ---,
                                                                                          Katie Allen

How to combined high fire glazes

High fire glaze combos
 just one of the many

Plaster vs Clay

So I'm working on a mask with the gauze strips, in some ways its easier to use then clay. It makes forms, dries fast, isn't that expensive, but the texture could be better.

 As you can see, I added rays to make it look like the sun and then an extra half-a-face to make the moon. Again you can add on the this stuff when its dry or wet, where clay is only wet. Although plaster gauze is very flaky and is easier to break.

 Is the gold too gold?

with flash its a whole new color.

Week 6

This week we worked on the four pinch pots that would and will become two salt and pepper shakers.

I'm trying to add cylinders to my light houses to have the top where lighthouses have there light and rocks on the bottom. The pepper will have black rocks and salt white rocks. When I first started the second light house, it was far to wide. Instead of starting over I improvised and sliced vertically and merged the seams back together in  order to have two lighthouses the same size.

Next week I plan to cut the tops as well to have the railings with out puncturing the lighthouse  shakers. Then put holes for the salt at the top and a stopper at the bottom

All fired, time for glazin'

The blue fish plate, curvy bowl, other fish plate (under pinch pots), and 3 pinch pots are all mine :)