Class #2

Project Description:

Students had the opportunity to explore clay in a new way. Their project was to create a box out of slabs and add texture to their slabs using objects that they found outside as well as objects in the Studio. Students rolled out their own slabs using a rolling pin. Students were given a demonstration, which allowed for them to understand the basic idea of what they were going to be doing. We taught them how to roll a slab as well as how to add texture to the slabs they rolled. Similarly we taught them how to use their slabs which they cut to the same size to connect and make a box. We introduced concepts such as how to slip and score a box, how to let the slabs dry a little bit so they wouldn’t cave in. These were all concepts that the students explored during the making of their boxes. Students were able to thoughtfully build boxes using the processes we demonstrated. Slabs are something that is often used in the creation of ceramics works, so it was important to introduce that to students as a new way of working with the medium they have already started exploring. In today’s art exploration students were able to effectively understand texture as well as slab making and boxes in terms of creating with ceramics.

Essential Understanding:

Students were working toward understanding how artists familiarize themselves with their materials to be able to use them effectively as well as artists needing to understand and use texture as texture is found on all things.

Intended Outcomes:

Students were able to define texture as it applies to ceramics / why texture is important to ceramics by demonstrating their knowledge through the placing of textures.
Students were able to create four 4x4 slabs of clay with confidence, shown by a successful few tiles.
After exploring outside for objects that could make an interesting texture, students were able to understand techniques for using those objects to create texture and then effectively put the textures on their tiles.
Students were able to create a ceramic box that combines the techniques learned during the demonstration.
Students were able to reflect on how their textures were created; by presenting their piece to the class and guessing other classmates objects for texture.

The skills the students are working towards are:

Participating and staying on task during class activities
Focusing on instruction and applying the understanding
Discovering new materials and how to use them
Problem solving when frustrations occur

This student is exploring ways in which texture can be applied to her slab. She is using a pine cone as a way of creating texture. Students had to work to make sure they were pressing enough to get the texture they were wanting, but not so much that it was going to leave a hole in their slab.

One of the students was having difficulty with pressure, so a teacher helped push down while they moved the rolling pin forward and back. Students took a short amount of time to get their clay spread out to a consistent thickness, but once they did, they had their tiles cut in no time.

All students had very unique and creative boxes. They all explored texture in new and interesting ways. Students also had unique ways of working with the clay, some are very careful and precise when it comes to handling the clay, others are much more experimental. This allows for the final product to really display what each student was learning, and their unique way of working.

Students were very experimental with their textures, and tried using the same object different ways. This student, for example, was using a pinecone - but instead of just using it as a stamp, they dragged it around and used different sides of the object to see what the other capabilities were.

This student used a pinecone and wire mesh around the edges to make a selectively textured surface. For instance, instead of covering the entire side with wire mesh, they used it lightly to make a perimeter but not approach the pinecone edges.This student also used clay coils to merge the outside edges together in a smoother transition.

This student worked with a cheesecloth in order to add texture to her box. This was an interesting way of thinking about texture. She was interested in how to layer in order to add texture. She used a circular object from in the studio in order to add texture first and then she used the cheesecloth on top of that. This created an interesting layering effect on her finished piece.

It was interesting to see how every students works at a different pace. Some students were still rolling out slabs and cutting their tiles while others were already exploring with textures.

Because the assignment was to create a box, the final products were very similar but they all found a different and unique way to create textures. This photo is a great example of how the students approached texture in a different way.

This video captures all the creative ways and objects the students experimented with. One of the students used a stick to create recognizable shapes and letters, another students is using a pinecone to create a harsh and obvious texture, while another student uses a rock to create a more subtle texture.