For my theme project I decided to make another set of plates, however one of my plates ended up cracking:( so I had to throw it away... BUT Ms, Heideman said she would excuse the one that broke... However the other plate survived and I was able to finish it, It is about 4 inches wide and 1 inch tall with a dark forest green glaze. Just like the previous plates I focused on compressing the plate to make it as even and smooth as possible. I also worked on making the edge a little more defined on this plate. I tried to emphasize form, in the depth of the plate and the balance of the side 'walls' being even along with texture in the paint splatter glaze I did when I glazed it. However for some reason the base color ended up washing the splatter out... so you can see it. I also focused on proportion which is important when making a plate because you want it to be a certain thickness and the wall to be a certain height so it resembles the shape of a plate. And lastly I made sure to show balance with the overall feel of the glaze as it was uniform and solid. When it came time to glaze my plate I did a dark forest green and splattered shadow green on top but the shadow green ended up getting washed out. This plate reminds me of the PNW and all the green around us. For some reason it also makes me think of rain, so perhaps this will be my 'rainy day' plate for when i want some cookies or a piece of peanut butter toast.
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For my set of two plates I made two plates that are relatively close in size and shape with a nice greenish blue glaze and a stipe of blue on one side of each plate so they match. For this project I actually used a pretty simple technique of centering wide and short so it was easy to pull out into a plate. I also compressed the plates starting from the inside and working my way out to the edge of the plate. I focused on texture and value when making my two plates because I wanted to make sure the plates were as smooth as possible hence why I compressed so much and I also wanted to glaze them in a way that would add a nice sense of value and contrast between two complimentary colors which ended up working out really well. I love how the glaze adds contrast but at the same time a sense of harmony of the overall feel of the projects, in addition to creating a sense of unity as they are matching and look like a real set that belong together. When I had to glaze them I chose to do shadow green as the base with sydney blue on about 1/4 of each plate. The glaze job turned out really good and I love how well the two colors work together. While the set of two plates that I made isn't necessarily the most practical for eating a meal on, they are perfect for things like toast or muffins. In fact I have already used them quite a bit since bringing them home. I, for some reason, have always had an odd obsession with little plates, especially because at home we have a set of about six that are from a local ceramicist from Issaquah and I LOVE them dearly. So to be able to make my own little set of plates brings me great joy and delight every time I get to use them:) For my hand and wheel project I decided to make a casserole dish. It is oval shaped with little handles on each side with a nice dark green glaze. For this project I actually threw a round base on the wheel all the way to the base of the bat and then after it dried a little I whomped it into an oval shape and added an attached slab bottom. I really emphasized shape and form when making my project because I wanted the overall appearance of the casserole to be something that would look somewhat professional... or at least that was my hope. I also made sure the scale of the finished dish was proportionate all around, so I had to make sure the handles were the right size. In addition I focused on balance with adding handles so the project seemed complete. When it came time to glaze my casserole dish I went with a dark green with shadow green on top. I love how you can see the spots where the shadow green dripped past the green underneath it as it gives a unique contrast between the two colors. All in all this project turned out to be a disappointment because I had a certain vision for how I wanted it to turn out but I wasn't able to create that because I was pressed on time... I'm pretty upset with how it looks but it was a fun experience to do something different and play around with ways you can make different projects. As a choice project I decided to make a vase for my mom for Mother's Day. When I got done throwing it on the wheel I was so excited to give it to her because it was the best thing I have ever thrown on the wheel. However when it was being bisqued the fire happened. I for sure thought I had lost it and it had broken. Mother's Day passed and I was unable to give my mom the vase I worked so hard on... When we were let back in the Ceramics room, after all the construction was done, I was ecstatic to find my vase there, still in one piece. This vase is round near the top and narrower at the base with a choked top and a flared lip. It is about 6 inches by 3 inches with a smooth blue glaze. When throwing this vase I made sure to make it with love because that's what my mom always says to do when cooking haha. I used a rib tool to create the wide part near the top and a number 7 tool to trim near the base and create a slow curve as the vase rose up. I also choked the very top to create a nice finishing touch to the overall shape. I really focused on the shape and space of my vase as I wanted it to be balanced and uniform with a unique structure. I love how the overall project has a feel of movement and harmony with the shape of the vase along with how the two glazes melt into one another. When glazing it I decided to do dark green with sydney blue on top to see how the two colors would mix. It ended up turning out very beautiful as there are hints of each color all the way around the vase. The color and calmness I get from this piece remind me of an ocean, and my Mom loves the ocean. It's funny how when you let go and let your feelings take charge, you can create a work of art that truly express your emotions or message.... This is probably the most meaningful thing I have made this year. This is my paper clay box sculpture. I made it roughly 4 inches by 4 inches. It uses negative space by cutting out shapes on each side of the box. I had to pinch the edges together to form the box. It holds together nicely because I used coils to reinforce the walls. I am going to use this as a candle holder. The cut out shapes on the side will allow for light to shine through which will look really good. Yesterday our Franken pot came out of the glaze kiln. We glazed it black with white drops which ended up turning blue after being fired. This project is the largest bowl I have made so far. It is about 6 inches wide and 5 inches tall with a deep bowl shape and a simple white glaze with black and green drips all along the sides. For this bowl I used quite a bit a clay but I found it easier to work with especially when it came to keeping it centered. I am still trying to improve my bowl shapes so I really made an asserted effort to make the form as uniform and practical as possible when shaping the bowl. I wanted it to be a gradual curve outward as it created the bowl space so that it wasn't awkward to eat out of. I tried to use a different technique with the rib tool to create this shape by holding it a different way as I shaped the clay. However it didn't turn out as I wanted it to. Although the form of the bowl did not turn out as I had hoped I made sure to make up for that when it came time to glaze. I wanted to also focus on the movement of colors amongst the rounded shape of the bowl so I decided to add drops of black and green along the outside as to give contrast to the simple white base. Originally I was very proud of how big I was able to throw when I made this bowl but I then realized that the base was too thin to foot so I ended up having to leave it without a foot ring. Also somehow as my bowl was drying before it went into the bisque it became very lopsided which just threw the whole project off. While it is true that this is probably the biggest project I have thrown it is also ironically my least favorite... in the end though this bowl taught me that everything in life is a learning experience and just because things do not always turn out as you expect them to doesn't mean you should let that get you down or stop you from trying to do better next time. There is always room for improvement. This is my set in lidded vase. It is about 3.5 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall with a narrow neck and a wide base and a rustic blue/green glaze. For the vase of my lidded I had to throw a tall cylinder which I then shaped into a vase using my rib tool and my hands along with choking to create a narrow neck. I really wanted to improve my ability to make a better shaped vase so I really tried to make the vase one that had character but was still pleasing to the eye. To do that I made sure to leave two-thirds of the vase wider and gradually make it skinnier as it went up. Putting a lot of emphasis into making sure my project was pleasing to the eye gave the finished vase a sense of unity as the whole piece fit together so well. For the lid I actually made a first one but the knob was much too big so I decided to make a second one which turned out much better as it was actually proportionate with the rest of the lid and the vase itself. When it came time to glaze my project I decided to do shadow green for the vase and lid however I then went back and sponged on Sydney blue around the top half of the vase to add movement of a different color around the project. I'm very proud with how well my lidded turned out as it was my first time making two different 'projects' on the wheel and then combining them to create something so harmonious. I'm also very happy that the lid actually works with the vase as I think it adds a new sense of detail to the vase. For this project I made a planter. It is about 5 inches wide by 4.5 inches tall with a nice circular plate and a dark blue glaze. When making this planter I made sure to pull my first wall while still leaving enough room and clay for the plate. Because this project requires a second wall I had to make sure I was thinking ahead so the finished product didn't end up cracking from being too thin. For this planter I made sure to focus on creating a more proportioned plate to cylinder to that the overall feel of the project was more balanced. I also wanted to make the form more uniform and functional so that the tray would have a nice shape to hold water. With the glaze I decided to do cooler tones of blue so I glazed my project Sydney Blue and then I took Cobalt Blue and dipped just the rim of the cylinder in. However after firing the dark blue ended up fading into the lighter blue making the contrast between the two become more of a blended look. Nonetheless I love the subtle hints of deep blue along the top and side of the cylinder part of the planter. All in all this project was the first one that really made me realize that I have progressed in ceramics, especially since last semester when I was a beginner. When looking at this new and improved planter I am able to see how much my skills on the wheel have advanced. Overall when I see this planter I feel more confident and a sense of peace that with time all things will get better. You just have to be willing to see it. |
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June 2017
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