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1. Develop an understanding of the basic use of clays and glazes in the
creation of clay sculpture.
2. Develop an awareness of visual relationships such as proportion,
scale, positive and negative shape, line, plane, volume.
3. Develop handskills necessary for the basic mastery of creation of
creamic sculpture by handbuilding methods, by use of potter's wheel, by
glazing of forms.
4. Develop a working vocabulary of ceramic and sculptural terms and a
firsthand understanding of their meanings.
5. Cultivate an understanding of the creative process which includes
both the development of disciplined work habits and the practice of
handskills as well as risk taking and experimentation.
6. Exercise ability to make critical aesthetic and technical judgments
through class critiques.
7. Examine and analyze examples of clay and related sculpture, both
historical and contemporary.
8. Define health and safety issues that arise from the use of materials
and equipment associated with ceramics. Train students in the safe
handling of clay and glaze materials and of equipment used in ceramics
processes.
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The primary intent of Art 34A is visual awareness and performance using
clay and glazes in a studio setting. This includes:
1. The ability to produce basic forms in clay--organic and inorganic
shapes, figurative and non-representational shapes, bas relief.
2. The ability to complete clay sculpture with slips and glazes.
3. The ability to make aesthetic and technical decisions and judgments
about these basic forms.
4. The ability to perform specific techniques to demonstrate the
understanding of the creation of ceramic sculpture: pinching, coiling,
slab-building, assembly of soft and firm shapes, throwing on the potter's
wheel, decorating and forming with colored clays, glazing and firing.
5. The ability to intelligently and safely use and care for materials,
tools and equipment associated with ceramics: clays, glazes, slips, hand
tools, potter's wheels, slabrollers, kilns.
The scope and sequence of the course will be presented as follows:
1. Through lectures concerning the visual, technical and historical
aspects of ceramic sculpture.
2. Through lecture/demonstrations of the proper use of materials,
equipment, and techniques.
3. Through student practice and demonstration of ceramic techniques
and processes.
4. Through one-on-one assistance, discussion and evaluation with
individual students.
5. Through group critique discussions and presentations of in-process
and completed ceramic sculpture.
Specific areas of study in within ARt 34A include:
1. Clay used in the creation of ceramic sculpture: color, texture,
temperature, suitability.
2. Slips and glazes used on the surfaces of ceramic sculpture: color,
texture, temperature, application.
3. Forming methods: handbuilding, pinch, coil, slab, potter's wheel.
4. Glaze application and methods: dip, pour, brush.
5. Firing: electric, gas and raku kilns. Low, mid and high temperatures.
6. Concepts and concerns of form inherent to the creation of ceramic
sculpture: line, plane, volume, mass movement, gesture, rhythm.
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1. Using soft slabs, create a bas relief.
2. Using firm slabs, create an architectural form.
3. Using coil methods, create a larger-than-life head.
4. Using pinch methods, create a series of figure studies.
5. Utilize various armatures: newspaper, wire, wood.
6. Use clay as a decorative surface: scraping, incising, sprigging,
colored slip.
7. Use glazes as a decorative surface: dipping, pouring, brushing.
8. Use oxides as dry surfaces and onglaze decoration.
9. Examine books, magazines and videos devoted to ceramic art and
artists.
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Ceramics, Glen Nelson, 5th ed., Holt, Rinehart Winston, New York,
Chicago, San Francisco, 1984.
