My theme involves the discovery of new ideas and new techniques. By constantly pushing myself to try new things and grow as an artist, I have continued to find what works best for me and my art.
This semester, i have tried to make my projects bigger but they seem to end up small to medium sized anyhow. During my process of discovering new techniques, I use either calm colors with more complex forms or complex glazes with simple forms to show the juxtoposition of the two. For instance, my coffee pot I made taller and added a simple detail near the bottom to emphasize the shape and glazed it a simple color so that the shape is the center of attention. On the other hand, the Easter bowl i made is a very simple shape with a complex, bright glaze where the focus is on the glaze instead of the form itself.
Each project was made mainly on the wheel with bagged clay only. I seem to only be able to work with bagged clay because I get too many air bubbles with clay from the mixer. I try to not go on the wheel knowing what i will make but instead try and just see what comes up because my best projects have been done this way. After wedging the clay, I would then begin to center, pull up, and work with the clay around how thick it should be and change the shape constantly so that I was happy with the outcome for the most part. Then, I would sometimes pull handles for cups and attach them by hand. Handles were difficult for me at first but now I have mastered how I like them to look by discovery.
Each day in ceramics, I try to discover new ways of achieving my best. By using the techniques taught by ms H as well as others learned for other students, i am beginning to learn what works best and why it works well. For instance, i finally learned to use a stick tool! also, i learned about how you can pull up with a blue rib and the project comes up better at times. Another technique i learned is re-centering after opening. I now do this a lot because for me, the middle is too hard to center before opening.
This semester, just like last, I have had many ups and downs that have affected my work and for the most part, improved it. The day I could not make handles I went home and researched it and then came to school the next day and tried out new techniques and discovered I am not awful at making handles! I continually discover what works for me and what I can do to help my art become what I want it to be. They beauty of art is discovery of new and innovating ideas that can challenge the mind to a new self discovery.
This semester, i have tried to make my projects bigger but they seem to end up small to medium sized anyhow. During my process of discovering new techniques, I use either calm colors with more complex forms or complex glazes with simple forms to show the juxtoposition of the two. For instance, my coffee pot I made taller and added a simple detail near the bottom to emphasize the shape and glazed it a simple color so that the shape is the center of attention. On the other hand, the Easter bowl i made is a very simple shape with a complex, bright glaze where the focus is on the glaze instead of the form itself.
Each project was made mainly on the wheel with bagged clay only. I seem to only be able to work with bagged clay because I get too many air bubbles with clay from the mixer. I try to not go on the wheel knowing what i will make but instead try and just see what comes up because my best projects have been done this way. After wedging the clay, I would then begin to center, pull up, and work with the clay around how thick it should be and change the shape constantly so that I was happy with the outcome for the most part. Then, I would sometimes pull handles for cups and attach them by hand. Handles were difficult for me at first but now I have mastered how I like them to look by discovery.
Each day in ceramics, I try to discover new ways of achieving my best. By using the techniques taught by ms H as well as others learned for other students, i am beginning to learn what works best and why it works well. For instance, i finally learned to use a stick tool! also, i learned about how you can pull up with a blue rib and the project comes up better at times. Another technique i learned is re-centering after opening. I now do this a lot because for me, the middle is too hard to center before opening.
This semester, just like last, I have had many ups and downs that have affected my work and for the most part, improved it. The day I could not make handles I went home and researched it and then came to school the next day and tried out new techniques and discovered I am not awful at making handles! I continually discover what works for me and what I can do to help my art become what I want it to be. They beauty of art is discovery of new and innovating ideas that can challenge the mind to a new self discovery.