3/30/2025 6:41:59 PM	ART 31A Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  ART 31A	Title:  BEGINNING CERAMICS
Full Title:  Beginning Ceramics
Last Reviewed:3/10/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	4.00		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	70.00
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	6.00			Contact Total	105.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 175.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

In this introductory course, students will develop wheel, hand-building, glaze application, and decoration techniques.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

In this introductory course, students will develop wheel, hand-building, glaze application, and decoration techniques.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: ARTS 230	Introduction to Ceramics	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): ART31A

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Create a variety of fundamental forms using a pottery wheel and hand-building construction

techniques.

2. Employ basic decoration techniques for ceramic forms and hand-built objects.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify visual elements of ceramics such as scale, positive/negative shape, volume, texture and color.

2. Develop basic pottery wheel training and hand building techniques.

3. Develop basic glaze application and decoration techniques for ceramics.

4. Describe ceramic forms and glazes using specialized vocabulary.

5. Demonstrate a creative process that includes disciplined work habits, risk-taking and experimentation.

6. Exercise ability to make aesthetic and technical judgments through class critique.

7. Examine and analyze examples of historical and contemporary ceramics.

8. Define health and safety issues that arise from the use of ceramic materials and equipment.

Topics and Scope

I. Basic Throwing Forms on the Potter's Wheel

    A. Cylinders

    B. Bowls

    C. Cups

    D. Simple lidded containers.

II. Hand-Building Ceramics Techniques

    A. Pinching

    B. Coiling

    C. Soft/Hard Slab

III. Application and Decoration of Ceramic Forms with Pre-Mixed Glazes

IV. The Use, Care and Safety for Materials, Tools and Equipment

    A. Clay

    B. Glaze

    C. Color slip/under glaze/engobe

    D. Hand tools

    E. Potter's wheel

    F. Slab Roller

    G. Kiln

V. Aesthetic and Technical Judgment in Ceramics

    A.  Application of specialized vocabulary

    B.  Functional and non-functional forms in ceramics such as sculptural objects

VI. The Concepts and Elements of Historical and Contemporary Ceramics

 

All topics and scope are addressed in both lecture and lab components of this course.

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Complete ceramics terminology quiz

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Use the potter's wheel to create 10-20 total pieces in a combination of  the following:

    a. Cylinders

    b. Bowls

    c. Cups

    d. Simple lidded jars

2. Utilize slab, coils and pinched clay to make sculptural objects, the total number of objects will be determined by complexity and size

3. Decorate ceramics wheel throwing forms with inlay, sgraffitto, and glazes

4. Decorate ceramics objects by using engobe/under glaze/color slip

5. Final exhibition and class critique of completed glazed work

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 65 - 75%
Lab assignments
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 15%
Ceramics terminology quiz
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 15 - 20%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The Craft and Art of Clay: A Complete Potter's Hand Book. 5th ed. Peterson, Jan and Peterson, Susan. Laurence King Publishing. 2012. (classic).

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