Project 1: BOWLS

ART 2752
Chris Pickett
Project 1 – Bowls
Spring 2010

This project introduces throwing skills. You will choose a specific use and a particular attitude, or concept for your bowls. Your design decisions about proportion, edge, beginning, termination, scale, and surface will be expressive elements in making personalized bowls that are effective for your chosen function. For example, bowls for a hot comfort food, like chili, are intended to be comfortable and casual. They may look different than bowls that are meant to showcase expensive, highly visual finger foods like chocolate truffles.


Reading: Page 65 – 73: Open Forms

Research: You should browse the aisle just behind the stairs on the second floor where the NK3. Books are located (this aisle is mostly all ceramics). In addition, if you go to the library’s homepage on the Internet, click Art & Architecture homepage, then click the Camio database and do a ceramic bowls search. You will recover images of historical bowls. Keep in mind during your searches that our bowls will be low-fire, slip-decorated works with red clay. Photocopy or print out at least three examples of bowls that you would like to study further. Tape, staple, or glue the copies into your sketchbooks along with the information of where they came from.

Do at least eight sketches by January 19th in your sketchbook of potential bowl ideas. We will look at and discuss your sketches in class. You may do multiple sketches on one page, but give yourself enough room to work. Applying color to your sketches and considering surface treatment is strongly encouraged.

Consider the following and note your answers in your sketchbook.
1. What kind of attitude or feeling do you want your bowls to have? How will you use the foot, rim, and curve to establish your idea? For example, a bowl that expresses hearty, comforting sentiments would look different from one that conveys a pristine elegance.

2. What is the function of your bowl, and what considerations are necessary in the form for this? E.g. size, shape of curve (offering, enclosing/containing), etc.? Mixing bowls meant to contain liquid contents during stirring have a different shape than serving bowls that are meant to invite the hand to select something from the bowl.

Your assignment: Make 10 bowls. You may make all 10 about the same function and attitude, or choose two functions and attitudes. The bowls are not meant to be identical, but rather are research about the ideas you choose. Bowls must be at least fist-sized.

The bowls must be slip decorated. Use at least three different slip techniques for leather-hard application: brushing, stencil, mishima, sgraffito, marbling, or trailing. We will talk about these techniques in class January 14.

Technical goals:
--Throwing: Smooth continuous curves from the center to
the rim with even wall thickness.
--Trimming: Effective foot trimming that results in even
walls.
--Slip decoration: Develop techniques of slip decoration that
include brushing, mishima, trailing, sgraffito,

--Glazing: Even glaze application of appropriate thickness
and clean line from waxing of the foot.

Aesthetic goal: The goal is to make appropriate, expressive choices to promote your personal ideas. Your ideas can be expressed through scale, edge quality, form, foot treatment, proportion of bowl to foot, surface, and color.

Calendar:
Jan 12: Introduction of Project 1 Examples of Bowls, Throwing demo.

Jan 14: Trimming demo and Slip/ surface decorating demo. Practice day w/ one-on-one help

Jan 19: Sketchbooks and research due, Practice day w/ one on one help.

Jan 21: Workday (valuable time to practice, produce and ask questions).

Jan 26: Workday (valuable time to practice, produce and ask questions) Bowls on shelf in kiln room on Friday Jan 30.
Jan 28: Kathryn Finnerty Workshop and workday if time allows.

Saturday, Jan 30 – Mon Feb 1: Firing Kiln

Feb 2: Kiln Unloading Loading. Glaze Demo. Wax Resist and Masking Techniques. Work Day. Glaze Proj 1

Feb 4: Glazing workday and Kiln Loading Demo. Glazed bowls due on rack or in kiln by the end of class.

AFA Library Resources:
Books to look at:
In Functional Pottery, consider Robin Hopper's information on p. 20, Eating; on p.35, Feet; ch. 10, Pots for Eating From pp. 154-158. Also, read ch. 16 183-184 on Considerations, and pp 133-137 on Base Terminations.
Make It in Clay, John Toki, TT 920.S687 2001Functional Pottery, Robin Hopper, TT 920.H66 2000
The Technique of Throwing, John Colbeck, 738.142 C684p Pottery on the Wheel, Elsbeth Woody, TT 920.W661975 A Potter’s Workbook, Clary Illian, NK 4225.I45 1999
Middle Eastern bowlVideos: May be viewed in the library or checked out by students for 3-day loan:
Craft of the Potter, Throwing. Michael Casson. #2 of the series TT920 .C731 1983 #2
Making Pots on the Wheel: Video 2: Throwing and Tooling Bowls and Plates by Tom Rossi, in cooperation
with Jerry Horning and Tom Langdon. TT920 .R671 1993 video 2
Beginning to Throw on the Potters’ Wheel, Robin Hopper. TT920 .H661 1995
Web sites:
Try your own gallery search for contemporary pottery. Akar Design: www.akardesign.com

Evaluation: Your grade will be determined using the following categories:
Research 10 %
Required number of sketches
Clear statement of function and content in the bowls
Development of design decisions that support function and concept
Technical concerns 45%
Even wall thickness
Curve is smooth and continuous
Well-trimmed foot
Form supports the function technically
Good craftsmanship in glazing
Required slip techniques evident in bowls
Aesthetic concerns 45%
Design decisions in form support concept (bowl shape, choice of footing, edge, proportion, et al.)
Surface (slip and glaze) supports concept

If anyone is having problems posting coments

You can email me your response to the weekend assignment if you are having problems posting to the blog. See you in class.

Cylinder exercise

For the cylinder exercise due on Tuesday, you may use up to 2 1/2 lbs of clay to make your six inch cylinders. Don't forget to cover your work so it doesn't dry out.

For Tuesday Jan 12th

By Tuesday February 12th you should have three 6 inch cylinders completed (I will check these off at the beginning of class). In addition to practicing wedging, centering and throwing your cylinders, your assignment over the weekend is to consider your relationship to the food/drink containers you use and write no less than ten sentences about these containers. Consider the following: How well does the containers you use contain the foods or drinks you eat or drink? Does the container keep the food or drink at the appropriate temperature? What is the material of the container plastic, Styrofoam, ceramic, etc. H0w does the container enhance or detract from your eating or drinking experience? Is there a specific purpose for the container? Will you save it, recycle it or throw it away?

Please post your response in the comments section of this post.

For Thursday's Class...

you need to have:

• Joined the blog
• Purchased clay tickets ready to turn in
• Tools, bucket, towel/apron
• Appropriate studio attire

Syllabus

Syllabus

Art 2752 Throwing: Skills and Concepts
Instructor: Chris Pickett
Class Time: Tuesday & Thursday, Period 8 – 10, 3pm – 6pm, Office Hours (FAC B12) Thursday 2-3; or by appointment
Contact: cpickettt@hotmail.com

Course Description:
Throwing: Skills and Concepts is an introduction to wheel throwing, pottery form, functional design and aesthetics. Students are challenged to use personal content to make aesthetic judgments in developing functional pottery.

Course objectives:
After completing the course, students will be able to:
• Use the potters wheel to create shapes
• Design and make functional pottery using wheel-thrown forms, including considerations for form as well as surface. This includes the use of slips and glazes
• Load and fire electric kilns
• Evaluate pottery in the areas of form, surface, function, and artistic content
• Use functional pottery as a vehicle for aesthetic expression
• Be familiar with time periods and cultures in ceramic history that used the wheel to create functional ceramic art

Methods of instruction:
Five projects will increase your skill in using the potter’s wheel to make functional art. Each project will include readings, research, and sketches that help you to develop pottery forms. Students will work in groups to fire kilns. In group critiques, you will discuss and evaluate the concepts, methods, and craftsmanship of each project. Your goal is to learn to talk about art work, and consider the strengths and weakness of the works produced. Students will be tested on materials, vocabulary, and ceramic history.

Course Requirements:
Final Grades are based on a 100-percentile scale. Grades are based on:

75% Five studio projects -Each project includes readings, research, and sketches
15% Tests on materials, vocabulary, process, and ceramic art history
10% Participation in class discussions, presentation of discussion material, loading and firing kilns, communal attitude toward studio

Materials and supplies:
Students will need to purchase the following:
Sketchbook
Small bucket, Pin/needle tool, flexible metal and/or rubber rib, fettling knife, cut- wire, and sponge.
Trim tools: Pear-shaped, square-edged and round trim tools will be needed.
Bat Pins: 1/4” socket head cap screws with 3/8” head
Brushes for slip, glazing, and wax resist. They do not need to be expensive but several sizes and shapes of soft bristle brushes would be helpful.
Shop towel and apron
Plastic to cover work. Clear plastic painter’s drop cloth is a great source of plastic.
Bulb syringe or squirt bottles. Both infant enema and Miss Clairol bottles from the beauty supply will work well.
EXACTO knife
Clay: Students purchase red earthenware at the cost of $ 9.25 per 25-pound bag. Students will buy clay tickets for $9.25 each at the bookstore. The ticket is filled in and is submitted to your instructor to pick up the purchased clay in the Ceramics department. Please plan so you have clay and are prepared to work in class. Clay will be available during class and during posted hours.
Materials Lab fee: $35. Lab fee covers the cost of consumables, such as wax resist, cones for firing, kiln wash, glaze, and other items needed for student use. Pay $35.00 for ONE lab fee ticket at the bookstore, fill the ticket in, and present to your instructor.

Required Text: The Basics of Throwing, a Practical Approach to Form and Design by David Cohen
Firing: We will be oxidation-firing using electric kilns. You are required to help load, fire, and unload work as part of the participation grade.

Please read Welcome to UF Ceramics, online at:http://lindaarbuckle.com/uf_ceramics/welcome_to_uf_ceramics.pdf
This covers studio procedures and policies. A copy is also posted in the classroom.
Please read the class blog online at http://throwingskills.blogspot.com/.
All project assignments will be posted to the blog.

Attendance Policy:
The ceramic process requires time and dedication. On your third unexcused absence, your grade will be lowered by one letter. On your fourth, your grade will be lowered an additional letter grade. If you have five unexcused absences, you automatically fail the class. Three tardies will count as one absence. Being tardy occurs when a student arrives more than 15 minutes late or leaves more than 15 minutes early.
In general, acceptable reasons for absence include illness, serious family emergencies, military obligation, severe weather conditions, religious holidays, jury duty, extra curricular requirements (e.g. field trips or professional conferences), and participation in official university activities such as music performances, athletic competition, or debate. For your absence to be excused for the following reasons you must present me with documentation the day your return to class. See http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/regulationattendance.html for more detail.
Students who miss work deadlines with excused absence are responsible for submitting the work due to me before the beginning of the next class meeting to avoid being considered late. If an excused absence has affected the student’s ability to work, the student is responsible for discussing this with me before the due date. Unexcused absences will not suspend due dates.
Ceramic work is fragile. Studio accidents or kiln issues may cause work to break. While all due care will be exercised, I must have finished work to assign a grade for a project. Work that blows up or is broken before completion will require re-making for grading. If your work is destroyed in progress, please show this to me and we will discuss what must be done to achieve a finished project for grading. In the case of involved projects where the loss is not the student’s fault, abridged project parameters may be negotiated and due dates adjusted.

It is part of the assignment to do assigned readings and preparation for the projects. Students are expected to do the readings assigned on the project sheets by the next class meeting from the calendar date assigned, and be prepared to discuss the material. Fulfilling assignments includes research sketches, following the project criteria, presenting the work on the assigned dates, and participating in group critiques and discussions.

Sketchbooks are a necessary tool for artists. Regular use throughout the semester is part of developing ideas. Additionally, a sketchbook may function as an archive for your ideas and a record of thoughts and work produced. It takes regular exercise in using a sketchbook to help you grow as an artist.

Clay is a wonderful material and will do many things, but it cannot be rushed or neglected without consequences. It takes regular practice and attention to develop skills and firing techniques. This will take studio time outside of scheduled class hours. You must make MORE than the required number of works to achieve the appropriate number of successful finished pieces.

Clean up of workspace is required. Please have a proprietary attitude about the shop, and leave it clean, regardless of the condition you find it. This includes cleaning up wheels, table space, sink, and floor, as well as glaze room areas and kiln unloading cleanup. Working in built-up clay dust is a health hazard. We all work on this together, and the added effort and team spirit contributes greatly to the safe, effective, and enjoyable use of the area by a large number of people. Please read and observe shop procedures and rules. If in doubt, please ask me, Linda Arbuckle, Nan Smith, Ray Gonzalez (Ceramics Teaching and Technical Assistant), or any of the very able graduate students in Ceramics. We appreciate your co-operation. Please remove all work and personal equipment from classrooms at the end of the semester. Anything left in the classrooms is considered abandoned and will be discarded.

Academic Honesty policy:
If you are unfamiliar with UF’s Academic Honesty Policy, please refer to the University website http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/honestybrochure.htm. This defines an academic honesty offense as “the act of lying, cheating, or stealing academic information so that one gains academic advantage.” Projects made for this class may NOT be submitted to any other class for credit unless both faculty have given prior approval. Failure to follow this rule will be considered academic dishonesty.

Accommodations:
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to me when requesting accommodation.
Dean of Students Office Phone: 392-1261 http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drp

Counseling Services:
The Counseling Center provides counseling and consultation services to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students and their spouses/partners. The Center offers brief counseling and therapy to help students confront personal, academic, and career concerns. The primary goal of counseling is to help students develop the personal awareness and skills necessary to overcome problems and to grow and develop in ways that will allow them to take advantage of the educational opportunities at the university. Counseling Center web site: http://www.counsel.ufl.edu
The Counseling Center is located at P301 Peabody Hall (352) 392-1575

Other Notes:
Students are expected to be present, prepared and ready to start class promptly at 3:00pm. Please turn off cell phones and put laptops away during class time.