Clay 1 Pinch Pot Critters Art Reception

At the conclusion of each of our workshops, we hold an Art Exhibition and Reception for the students, their families, and friends.

This event is self curated by the class participants. They carefully arrange their completed work along with name plates, sketchbooks, and certificates of completion. Students look forward to this event as it provides them an opportunity to share their work in a "gallery" type setting. Families can focus on each child's work and discover what each young artist learned in the class.

Clay 1 Pinch Pot Critters Glazing

 

Intro to Clay : Art of the Pinch Pot : Glazing

This was the final production week of our pinch pot workshop for students in grades K-2. Having completed creating mouse families, fish, and nesting birds, we spent our last session focusing on color and design.

Materials Needed

Fired clay projects (mice, fish, and birds in nests)
Low fire non-toxic glazes in a variety of colors
Brushes, various sizes
Shallow cardboard boxes, one for each student

1. Each week in this course, we looked at various artists' interpretations of mice, fish, and birds. Creatures were made in a variety of media and we explored the ways color was used to add interest to the work, whether to make the animal in a more realistic looking way or something more based on fantasy and imagination.

2. I gave a brief demo on using glazes and to avoid wasting any, we set up glazing stations around the room. Each of the five tables had 2 colors of glaze, 4-6 brushes of different sizes for each color, and a little clay biscuit that showed how the fired version of that particular glaze looked. This helped students get a better idea of how their color choices might look after their projects went through one last firing.

  

3. Each student had a shallow cardboard box holding all three of their projects, which they carried from station to station, adding their favorite colors. Emphasis was on layering glazes to create richer color and also using tiny brushes to add patterns such as dots or stripes onto base layers of glaze.

Work will be fired again and next week, the students will curate their own work for a group show. Tune in next week to see the final results.

Clay 1 Pinch Pot Critters Fish

This was the second class of a 4 week after school clay workshop for K-2nd grades. We continued with the Pinch Pot technique and made fish this week.

Materials Needed
White low fire clay
Sketchbooks
Pencils
Modeling tools
Water in small containers 
Canvas mats to work on
4" square mat boards to place finished work on

1. I set out about a dozen images of fish sculptures made by various artists. We discussed the use of different media (metal, wood, clay, paper, mixed media, etc), the types of fish made, sizes, expressions, and use of color and detail to add interest.
2. Students then spent a few minutes making drawings in their sketchbooks to generate ideas for fish they wanted to make in clay.

3. We briefly reviewed the Pinch Pot technique used last week to make mice families. Students got a ball of clay which they split in half. They rolled one piece into a ball and pinching it, made a bowl shape. 

  

4. The bowl shape became the body of the fish. These could be elongated with gentle tugging and shaping or left in a circular shape. The other ball was then divided into smaller bits to make fins, tails, eyes, and lips for the fish.  Quick reminder to moisten the two pieces of clay being joined and to use modeling tools to smooth where the pieces were connected, to ensure a strong bond.

5. Next, modeling tools were used to add textural details to the body, fins, and tail. I reminded them to turn the sculpture and view it from all sides to ensure they were satisfied with its appearance from each angle.

6. Finally, all clay pieces were put on  the 4" square mat boards with scraps of paper with each child's name. Names are later scratched on the bottom after allowing the pieces to dry a bit. All fish were set aside to dry and will later be fired and glazed.