If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Well, then, here's the link to my young students' work -
http://snipurl.com/g0ms The projects from the spring session disappeared so fast that I didn't get a chance to take shots of those. The first project is always either a dug-out box or patchwork bowl. This allows them to become familiar with the clay. Some of the other projects we tackle a Soft-slab cylinders Hard-slab boxes Pinch pots, bowls and enclosed forms Wind chimes Simple sculptures Paddled pillow boxes We do a lot of texturing. The patchwork bowls are nothing more than highly textured slabs that are randomly torn apart (not cut, but torn) and laid into a form (I use wooden bowls) then the inside smoothed over and the "seams" sealed with a rubber rib, and feet added. Colored slips and stains for resist patterns are really fun - I encourage them to bring leaves or paper cut-outs to use. Roll the leaves/cut-outs lightly into the slabs and 'paint' over with colored slip then pull up whatever they used to resist it and slump it into a form and add feet when it's firm enough to do so. I give them the basics - we make specific projects but WHAT they choose to do with what I've given them is up to them. For instance, a dug-out box doesn't have to be square - this last session I had a volcano, a wedge of cheese, a rhino with a bird on it's back, a lady-bug, a pyramid, a set of kopechi dolls, a turtle - children are simply amazing! Elizabeth's box was a nice surprise - I hadn't shown them how to make lids for their boxes - she figured it out on her own then added the sprigs using a Sculpey push mold for all the faces. We all enjoy ourselves and learn from each other. There's no greater joy than when they come in early, go to the cupboard to get their tool buckets and dive right in. For the returning students, I ask them for a list of projects they want to accomplish and provide the assistance when they run into a problem. As for the glazing, they do all that themselves. That's when they finally understand the ninth commandment in the document we have posted all over the studio: The Ten Commandments for Potters 1. Thou shalt NOT make dust. 2. Thou shalt NOT pick up greenware by the lip, handle or other fragile area. 3. Thou shalt NOT touch projects that do not belong to thee. 4. Thou shalt put all supplies back WHERE THEY BELONG AND CLEAN THE AREA (Refer to #1) before departing. 5. Thou shalt let stain dry thoroughly before glazing. 6. Thou shalt practice on the wheel at least once a week for more than 10 minutes. 7. Thou shalt CARVE THY INITIALS OR MARK in the bottom of thy projects. 8. Thou shalt place glazed ware in kiln room on the proper shelf. 9. Thou shalt believe thy teacher that the silly pink glaze or stain on thy pot will fire blue. 10. Thou shalt trust thy teacher. Hope this helps! Take care, Lori |
Ads |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
|
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Do you charge for your workshops? May I be so brazen as to ask how much? I
am doing some as a volunteer for a group in town, but have requests from more well heeled groups to do some small workshops too. thanks -- Stephanie Coleman University of Phoenix Online alt email: 706.467.9579 "Lori" wrote in message oups.com... Well, then, here's the link to my young students' work - http://snipurl.com/g0ms The projects from the spring session disappeared so fast that I didn't get a chance to take shots of those. The first project is always either a dug-out box or patchwork bowl. This allows them to become familiar with the clay. Some of the other projects we tackle a Soft-slab cylinders Hard-slab boxes Pinch pots, bowls and enclosed forms Wind chimes Simple sculptures Paddled pillow boxes We do a lot of texturing. The patchwork bowls are nothing more than highly textured slabs that are randomly torn apart (not cut, but torn) and laid into a form (I use wooden bowls) then the inside smoothed over and the "seams" sealed with a rubber rib, and feet added. Colored slips and stains for resist patterns are really fun - I encourage them to bring leaves or paper cut-outs to use. Roll the leaves/cut-outs lightly into the slabs and 'paint' over with colored slip then pull up whatever they used to resist it and slump it into a form and add feet when it's firm enough to do so. I give them the basics - we make specific projects but WHAT they choose to do with what I've given them is up to them. For instance, a dug-out box doesn't have to be square - this last session I had a volcano, a wedge of cheese, a rhino with a bird on it's back, a lady-bug, a pyramid, a set of kopechi dolls, a turtle - children are simply amazing! Elizabeth's box was a nice surprise - I hadn't shown them how to make lids for their boxes - she figured it out on her own then added the sprigs using a Sculpey push mold for all the faces. We all enjoy ourselves and learn from each other. There's no greater joy than when they come in early, go to the cupboard to get their tool buckets and dive right in. For the returning students, I ask them for a list of projects they want to accomplish and provide the assistance when they run into a problem. As for the glazing, they do all that themselves. That's when they finally understand the ninth commandment in the document we have posted all over the studio: The Ten Commandments for Potters 1. Thou shalt NOT make dust. 2. Thou shalt NOT pick up greenware by the lip, handle or other fragile area. 3. Thou shalt NOT touch projects that do not belong to thee. 4. Thou shalt put all supplies back WHERE THEY BELONG AND CLEAN THE AREA (Refer to #1) before departing. 5. Thou shalt let stain dry thoroughly before glazing. 6. Thou shalt practice on the wheel at least once a week for more than 10 minutes. 7. Thou shalt CARVE THY INITIALS OR MARK in the bottom of thy projects. 8. Thou shalt place glazed ware in kiln room on the proper shelf. 9. Thou shalt believe thy teacher that the silly pink glaze or stain on thy pot will fire blue. 10. Thou shalt trust thy teacher. Hope this helps! Take care, Lori |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Try this one Stephanie - I don't know why it didn't work the first
time. Gremlins, I suppose....... http://snipurl.com/fm24 Yes, there is a charge for the class - it's part of our Community Education program at the community college. We try to keep the fees low to accommodate the area residents - it's not a well-healed area - $65 for an 8-week class, one night a week for 2 hours each night, ages 8-12, class limit is 8 (but, I've been known to overload the class by a few.....). They're guaranteed 5 completed projects, but most of them will take home a few more than that. ) The fee sounds a little low - I admit that. When we first started researching similar classes, the range was from $79-$159 at other area colleges for the same offering. Because we're still in the rebuilding stage of our Community Education program (we lost that director several years ago, and have finally convinced the "powers that be" that we need it back), we decided to keep the fee on the low side for now. I'll be offering a 2-week-end children's workshop for a group of 12 home-schooled students later this year. I haven't really come to grips with the cost structure on that one yet, though. It will focus on digging, preparing and pit-firing native clay. A local farmer friend has a field laying fallow that has a very large clay deposit, and has agreed to let us 'mine' it. The only real cost will be my time. I can certainly let you the particulars when we get things firmed up a bit. Loved your face jug pictures, by the way! Especially the huge smiles on the kids - that's what it's about, isn't it? Take care, Lori |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Marianne,
Sorry to take so long in responding; I've been at the Potters Festival in Wales(UK) In article , Bubbles writes "Steve Mills" wrote in message ... I dry out all my trimmings etc., then put them into a large bucket with lots of water and mix it up with a heavy duty paint mixer in a drill, I also add a bit of Cider Vinegar to help it sour quickly. I've never heard of using vinegar in clay before. How do you mean that it sours quickly? How much do you add? Tell me more, please! The Vinegar promotes the growth of organic matter in the clay, which in turn grows and dies and decomposes, this adds to the plasticity of the clay and makes it wonderful to work with. The Old traditional Potters used to pee on their clay heap to promote the same effect. I prefer the smell of Cider! I add a small cupful to a 15 Litre (plus) bucket. The next step is to pour the slop into a trouser leg, preferably one made of man-made fibres (they don't rot), with the bottom either sewn up or tied in a knot, and hang it up to sweat dry. When it's a bit too firm on the outside, it's a bit soft inside, so I peal of the leg, cut it into lumps and bag it. When I need some I wedge & knead enough for the day and use it. I did that before I got my board made, but now I am trying the board method. Problem with hanging socks, is that they drip! :-) This is true, but I stick a bowl or bucket under it to catch the drips Steve I know this sounds like a lot of work but it truly isn't; just a few minutes each day and no BIG effort. Also a hanging *sock* of clay takes up much less room than a full drying board. I love to work reclaiming clay and wedging - it is a kind of meditation for me - so it doesn't matter how long it takes. Marianne -- Steve Mills Bath UK |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
I will love to here more about your pit firing and mining experience. I
live in Georgia, so we are up to our ears in red clay...not too plastic but it could be an interesting experience! Thanks for the workshop info. -- Stephanie Coleman University of Phoenix Online alt email: 706.467.9579 "Lori" wrote in message oups.com... Try this one Stephanie - I don't know why it didn't work the first time. Gremlins, I suppose....... http://snipurl.com/fm24 Yes, there is a charge for the class - it's part of our Community Education program at the community college. We try to keep the fees low to accommodate the area residents - it's not a well-healed area - $65 for an 8-week class, one night a week for 2 hours each night, ages 8-12, class limit is 8 (but, I've been known to overload the class by a few.....). They're guaranteed 5 completed projects, but most of them will take home a few more than that. ) The fee sounds a little low - I admit that. When we first started researching similar classes, the range was from $79-$159 at other area colleges for the same offering. Because we're still in the rebuilding stage of our Community Education program (we lost that director several years ago, and have finally convinced the "powers that be" that we need it back), we decided to keep the fee on the low side for now. I'll be offering a 2-week-end children's workshop for a group of 12 home-schooled students later this year. I haven't really come to grips with the cost structure on that one yet, though. It will focus on digging, preparing and pit-firing native clay. A local farmer friend has a field laying fallow that has a very large clay deposit, and has agreed to let us 'mine' it. The only real cost will be my time. I can certainly let you the particulars when we get things firmed up a bit. Loved your face jug pictures, by the way! Especially the huge smiles on the kids - that's what it's about, isn't it? Take care, Lori |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Tell us about the Potters Festival in Wales(UK), please!
-- Stephanie Coleman |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
Yes, do tell - I presume you mean this
http://www.internationalceramicsfestival.org/ ? .... oh and I guess you know that there's a ceramics fair at Tredegar House, Newport, South Wales, UK, this weekend. http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.... ntid=n_074304 Stephanie Coleman wrote: Tell us about the Potters Festival in Wales(UK), please! |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
Yes I will - I just have to figure out how to do it in a reasonable way.
Seeing all the stamps themselves is way to much to take in at once and you can't see what they do really since they are the negative and are in general meant to be used in multiples... I guess I'll just take a picture of a sample and then do a demo slab with an assortment. It has been busy but I will get to it soon. Again, they are nothing special and it is the ones the appear the most boring that end up making the nicest overall look. Donna "Stephanie Coleman" wrote in message ... Are you still going to post pictures of your stamps? thanks! -- Stephanie Coleman University of Phoenix Online alt email: 706.467.9579 "Bubbles" wrote in message ... "dkat" wrote in message ... Any clay that I take off of the pot when throwing gets put on plaster to take out excess water so this just has to be wedged up. I just make a giant marble bit of clay, push something interesting in it, and as I'm doing so I'm pinching it so that it makes something of a handle. You can also carve a design into one or both ends a tube of clay. This is really hard to describe. It doesn't really matter what you push into it or how you form it. It is a hit and miss proposition to some degree. Stamps that I have put a lot of work into don't work in the end because they are too busy and just look messy. Some of my more boring looking stamps make the more interesting designs when used to make multiple patterns. It lets you give texture to pieces easily. As an example - take the marble bit of clay, roll it out to a short sausage shape, carve off little pie shapes in four to six corners to leave a raised pattern on the end. Let this dry, bisque fire and then make a field of flowers in a plate in one corner or section (you can make a center to the flower design by making a stamp that is just pointed to a round end of the size you want that has had a ball point pen or pensil making multiple little indents. If I think of it, I will take some photos and post them but it really is just open to your imagination. I see what you mean now, Donna. But I would really love to see a pic of those you have made to get some inspiration :-) Marianne |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Reclaiming clay - with or without lumps? | Bubbles | Pottery | 11 | June 24th 04 02:25 AM |
reclaiming clay | Kathryn & Stuart Fields | Pottery | 7 | May 27th 04 04:25 AM |
warning: GREAT LAKES CLAY COMPANY (WILL STEAL FROM YOU) | grizzzlyadam | Pottery | 17 | March 19th 04 02:22 AM |
Modeling clay as a substitute for "clay bars" for auto detailing? | Jon Noring | Polymer Clay | 4 | September 23rd 03 12:36 AM |
FAQ:Intro to rec.crafts.pottery | Mishy Lowe | Pottery | 0 | July 18th 03 06:05 AM |