Thrifty Scissors

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Sculpture & Pottery Index

Sculpture the art of imitating living forms in solid substances. The word means, strictly, a cutting, or carving, in some hard material, as stone, marble, ivory or wood; but it is also used to express the molding of soft substances, as clay or wax, and the casting of metals or plaster. Three forms of sculpture are usually recognized. When the object stands free, it is said to be in the round; when it projects slightly from a sold surface it is said to be in relief; when it is cut into or sunk down into the surface is said to be in intaglio.
The following methods of manipulating clay are typical of art assignments given to students (k-5th grade) in the United States: roll out a slab, stamp into clay, drape over a bowl, roll out a coil, carve out a design, pinch a pot, and join surfaces together. All of my clay crafts/lesson plans use some sort of combination of these methods in order to finish the project.

Artifacts About Sculpting Figures and Basic Pottery Shapes:

Shape a Draped Ghost for All Hallows Eve! (clay pinch pot)
Shape a pinch pot acorn (clay pinch pot)
The Chiva Bus Parade (clay slab)
Shape a coiled snake to hold your crayons! (clay coil pot)
Wad, Wrap and Tape A Fall Pumpkin Craft

Lesson Plans & Crafts from Art Education Daily Related to Sculpture:

Four Different Varieties of Pottery

Three of the most common varieties of pottery are Earthenware, Stoneware, and Chinaware or Porcelain and one far less common is Micaceous clay pottery made famous by Pueblo Native American potters.

Earthenware, which includes all of the coarser grades, from the ordinary stoneware, of which jugs and crocks are made, to the heavier grades used for culinary and table purposes. Earthenware is undoubtedly the earliest, form of pottery, and rude articles are found among' all uncivilized people.

Stoneware, a high grade of earthenware. The term is often applied to numerous varieties in most common use. It is hard, well enameled and often beautifully decorated.

Chinaware or Porcelain, the finest grade of pottery. It is made by mixing' the best quality of kaolin with a Chinese clay containing' a little silica. When fused at a high temperature these ingredients produce a beautiful translucent ware. Porcelain originated with the Chinese, hence the name china, or chinaware. It is known to have been manufactured as early as 950 b. c. Prom China and Japan come the most delicate and beautiful specimens of this Chinaware.

The manufacture of china was introduced into Europe early in the sixteenth century, and numerous establishments now exist both on the Continent and in England. The oldest and best known of these is near Dresden. Saxony, and from this city the ware has taken its name. Dresden china has attained wide popularity and is prized for its excellent quality and beautiful finish.

My favorite pottery is made by Native American potters.

Above is a video describing Micaceous clay Pueblo pottery.

Firing, Glazing and Decorating

Molds made of plaster of Paris for ceramics class.

Vessels that are not round are usually cast in molds, made of plaster of Paris, each half of the vessel being made separately and the parts joined together when taken from the molds.

Pottery is burned, baked or fired in kilns, which vary in size and shape according to the sort of ware for which they are designed. The higher grades of ware are placed in cylindrical earthen boxes, called saggers. The saggers are stacked in the kiln by packing in tiers, one above the other. The ware is usually raised to a white heat, which is maintained for thirty-six hours or more, after which the kiln is allowed to cool slowly. When cold, the ware is taken from the saggers, and in this state it is called biscuit. The rough places on the surface are now smoothed, and other finishing touches are given, after which the ware is glazed.

The process of glazing is accomplished by dipping the ware in a mixture called the slip. This is a solution of the glazing substance in water and is but little thicker than milk. The ware is dipped in, and on being removed, it is so handled that no drops are left standing on the surface. The porous walls absorb the water and leave a thin coating on the surface, which, on a second firing, passes into the clay and forms the glaze. By the addition of necessary pigments, coloring can also be produced with the glaze. When this is poured on and allowed to ran down until stopped by the heat, beautifully shaded effects are often produced.

Decorations are usually put on with a brush, either before or after glazing. If decorated after glazing, the ware must be fired a third time. Decorating requires great care and skill, as the colors, when put on, are entirely different from those which will appear after firing. For instance, gold is put

on in the form of a chloride which has a brown color.

Applying a slip to a pot by Bill Gilder.

How a potter works his or her clay...

The first step in making pottery is to grind the clay to a very fine powder, which is mixed with water into a dough-like mass. In the manufacture of ordinary stoneware, a quantity of this dough sufficient for the vessel is attached to a horizontal wheel called the potter's wheel, which is worked by foot power. The workman forms the clay into a cone with a blunt apex. Then by inserting his thumbs into the apex of the cone and revolving the wheel, he roughly shapes the vessel with his hand. After this, the walls are pared and smoothed inside and out by tools of wood or leather. During the working, the clay, tools, and hands of the workmen are kept moist. When shaped, the vessel is placed in the drying room, where it is allowed to harden, after which it is ready for burning.

Fine potter, Emily Reason, demonstrates "working the clay"

Varieties of Clay and Glazes

Pottery is made of various grades of clay, to which sometimes small proportions of fine sand, powdered feldspar or flint are added, the kind and proportion of these ingredients determining the sort of ware.

Ceramic Wares & Bodies

Clays that contain any appreciable quantity of iron turn red when burned, as in the making of brick, and much of the coarsest grade of earthenware is made of this kind of clay. Other varieties turn to a cream color, and others become a reddish-brown. The finest quality of clay used for pottery is known as kaolin and is pure white. Some varieties of clay contain enough sand to make the glaze or enamel, but for most wares this must be added. The glaze is made by different substances for different wares. That of stoneware, such as common jugs and crocks, is made by throwing common salt into the furnace, where it is decomposed and fuses with the clay. Other varieties of stoneware are glazed by a mixture of white lead, flint and glass ground together; while porcelain is glazed by still another composition.

Glazing your ceramics.

Pages