This class is hands-on experience working with clay. It is a beginning course and will be taught with the expectation that this is a first-time experience with ceramics. We will explore creative solutions and aesthetic ways of working using clay as an artistic medium in a series of studio projects designed to acquaint the student with basic hand-building, throwing, trimming, and glazing techniques. Particular attention is paid to the essential skills of creative problem-solving and expression, creative thinking, and spatial reasoning. Each project will have a conceptual component, and some individual research will be required. We will explore both functional and sculptural form.

Required Tools and Materials

Textbook: Functional Pottery, by Robin Hopper

• Sketch book and drawing implement. Always bring these to class.
• Clay. Clay is available in the ceramic studio, but you must acquire a receipt from the cashier’s office in the student center and bring it back to the instructor to receive clay. If you need clay but do not have the funds temporarily, the instructor can issue an I.O.U. for clay, but the I.O.U must be paid for before the end of the semester or your grade will be dropped by 10%. The prices are listed on the board in the studio. You may expect to use at minimum two bags of clay.
• Basic ceramic tool kit found at the SUU Bookstore or online.

Items not available in the basic kit that you will need include:

• One or two watercolor or Chinese calligraphy paint brushes
• A serrated Rib only available online and the SUU Bookstore. (This is mandatory for the hand-building projects. If you do not buy one, it will affect your grade).
• A small plastic container with a lid, such as a recycled yogurt or ice cream container.
• A large container for throwing (such as a one-gallon bucket).
• A small towel.
• An apron (if you do not want to get clay on your clothes)

Recommended supplementary tools: Surform tool, small carving tools. Online sources to order tools are: Mudtools, Tacoma Clay Art Center, Georgie’s Ceramic Supply. There are many.

Bring a notebook or sketchbook for note taking during lectures and demonstrations, it should contain idea development, drawings, and images of inspirations.

Students will build their skills in effective Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking.

Objectives

This class introduces clay as a creative art material. Students are responsible for learning:

1. 1. Technical skills in hand-building and throwing and use critical and creative thinking skills in the development of meaning and metaphor.
2. 2. Glazing and surface decoration
3. 3. Basic Ceramic Terminology

Projects

Students will complete 3 projects throwing on the potter’s wheel, 3 Hand-building projects and take a terminology quiz. These projects will be introduced through demonstrations and lectures. The terms for the quiz will be introduced throughout the semester.

Homework

You are expected to keep pace with demos and lectures during class and use class time to your best advantage. Most of the class time is designated for individual work on projects. However, there will be demonstrations, lectures, and critiques that will also take up class time. Demos and lectures may not be repeated, but I do try and record them for you to watch on your own time if you miss a one. You should anticipate spending time outside of class to complete assignments. Students typically spend 1 to 3 hours a week outside of class. Working with clay requires time for drying, stiffening and incremental developments within the process; it is not the kind of process you can ‘cram’ in or pull an all-nighter before a deadline.

Assessment/Grading

This class is not and ‘Easy A’. Grades are based on specific assignment criteria regarding technique, craftsmanship, design, and conceptual development, explained in written and verbal form at the introduction of each assignment. Supplementary slide shows and technical demonstrations will help further your idea development and working skills.

Grading will be based on the quality of your work. This includes effort, technical skill, creativity, improvement, and completion of all assigned projects. Other factors that affect your grade are participation in class critiques, having projects completed on time, cleaning your area after each day. The grade breakdown is:

Grading Breakdown of each Project toward your final grade:

• Project 1: 5%
• Project 2: 15%
• Project 3: 20%
• Project 4: 10%
• Project 5: 20%
• Project 6: 20%
• Terminology Quiz– 10%

Grading Criteria

Each Project will be assessed using the following metric:

1. 1. Craftsmanship: this constitutes an understanding of the technique and intention. Pieces are made of a consistent thickness and desired shape. Rough and sharp edges are attended to.
   Points: 1 to 25
2. 2.Effort and Performance: The work shows effort. Perhaps the first attempt was unsuccessful, but the final piece was achieved through multiple variations or attempts. Class time was used wisely and out of class time was effective. The work was not produced last minute.
   Points: 1 to 25
3. 3. Surface Treatment: Evidence of consideration given to the glazing and overall look of the work. Attempted several approaches to decorating with slips, underglazes and glazes.
   Points: 1 to 25
4. 4. Followed all Requirements Outlined in the Project: Addressed all aspects requested in the assignment. Due dates were met, and critiques were attended and participated in.
   Points: 1 to 25

(25 is most successful, 1 is least successful)

Grades are to be assessed under the following criteria: A-Superior work, initiative and originality (A+ =100) (A =94-99) (A- =90-93) B-Highly Satisfactory performance of assigned work (B+ =87-89) (B =83-86) (B- =80-82) C-Adequate/average performance of assigned work (C+ =77-79) (C = 73-76) (C- =70-72) D-Barely passing work (D+ = 67-69) (D = 63-66) (D- =60-62) F-Failing work (Below 60)

It is expected that all pieces will be finished and glazed at the end for your final critique. Unglazed pieces constitute unfinished work and can receive no better than a “D”. Meeting deadlines is crucial to a successful outcome, failure to do so will affect your grade negatively. It is ultimately your responsibility to keep track of your work through all stages of the process. If a piece gets lost or broken or dries out too much to work on it is your responsibility and you may have to re-make the piece.

I will also give you an ‘In Process” grade on every assignment. The ‘In Process’ grades will be given on the due dates of each Project according to the calendar. If your pieces are not completed in the leather-hard stage by the due dates on the calendar, it will affect your grade. As the grades will be given to projects before they are fired and glazed, this will be a temporary grade to help you track and understand your progress throughout the term. I am unable to give a final grade on your work until it is completed through the glaze firing process. This means “In Process” grades can go up or they can go down. The outcome is up to you.

List Of Projects

Project 1: Beginning Throwing (5% of overall grade)

For the first throwing project you are to throw six cylinders using one pound of clay. The cylinder must be taller than they are wide and even from top to bottom. This Project is only 5% of your overall grade and designed as such to give you time to explore the technique and not have to worry about it affecting your grade very much. You will have to throw more than just six cylinders, especially if this is your first time on a Potter's Wheel. We will not fire these pieces, so keep your cylinders wet so you can re-use the clay.

Project 2: Throwing Mugs (20% of overall grade)

Project 2 is to make 5 mugs with handles. Mugs are a great extension of Project 1- cylinders. I recommend using one pound of clay for your mug. This project will be assessed on how even your mugs are thrown, how you addressed the lip of the mug, how well it was trimmed and the negative space of your handle.

Project 3: Throwing Bowls (20% of overall grade)

Project 3 is to complete 6 bowls with a trimmed foot using one and a half pounds of clay but no more than 2 pounds of clay. This means you will need to throw more than 6 bowls to achieve the best six for your grade. Your bowls will be assessed on the inside curve of your bowl, how even it is trimmed and how you addressed the foot and the rim.

Project 4: Pinching Cups (10% of the overall grade)

Pinching is one of the most basic methods of working with clay. This is a project to help get you acquainted with hand building. You are to pinch out 4 cup forms using one pound of clay (or more if you desire). Each cup must represent one of the four seasons. You will also have to use Terra Sigillata and underglaze on one or more of your pieces. These pieces will also be used as experiments for glaze testing.

For this project we are going to add meaning and metaphor to the process. An art object should inform the viewer a little something about who made the piece. Thus, you must try to avoid cliché and overused symbols. For example, no suns for summer, no snowflakes for winter, no leaves for fall and no flowers for spring. You may also not use anything that someone else has created, such as, Snoopy comics, anything Disney or Swifty, no commercial logos and no television shows or movies. It must demonstrate your own ideas.

Project 2: Emotional Box (15% of overall grade)

For this project you will make a box with a lid using the slab forming technique. We will primarily work with leather-hard slabs. Your finished box must incorporate some form of decoration – such as sgraffito or underglaze painting. Your box must be made to contain a human emotion. This means the shape of the box might reflect that emotion and the decoration as well. Be creative!! Avoid cliché symbols (see the list presented in Project 4). Your box must have a lid flange or be cut so that the lid stays in place.

Project 6: Historical Coil Building (20% of overall grade)

Project 3 is an exploration of Ceramic History focused on learning the coil method. For this Project you must research a historic ceramic vessel and print it out on an 8.5 x 11-inch piece of printing paper. You will next make a template of your vessel to help you with re-creating it at a minimum height of 12 inches. It is recommended you choose 3 different pieces, and I will help you decide which one to re-create. Your piece must also include some form of decoration - either carving or underglaze or both. Your decoration must somehow reference contemporary times. You may choose to re-work the decoration on your researched piece as a guide. I will work with each of you individually to conceptualize specific resolutions to this problem. Your grade will be assessed on how well your piece follows the form of your researched vessel and the originality of the design you paint and/or carve on the outside.

The historic piece you choose for this project will be the basis for your historic research project that you can complete for extra credit.

The list below will give you some good starting points but is not a comprehensive list of all ceramic history.

• Central and South American Pre-Columbian Ceramics
• Jomon or Haniwa ceramics from Japan
• Ancient Iranian Ceramics
• Historical ceramics from Korea
• Chinese ceramics from the Neolithic, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties
• Yixing ceramics from China
• Historical Kabyle ceramics from Algeria
• Greek Minoan and Mycenaean Pottery
• French Sevres Porcelain

Project 7: Terminology Quiz (10% of overall grade)

(see the list of terms on the Canvas Home page).

Calendar

Week 1:

• January 7 – Introduction to class. Get Started on Project 1: Throwing Cylinders. DEMO

Week 2:

• January 12 – Workday. Continue Project 1.
• January 14 – Workday. Continue Project 1.

Week 3:

• January 19 – MLK Day. No Class
• January 21– Project 1 due. Start project 2: Mugs. DEMO

Week 4:

• January 26 – Mug DEMO continued.
• January 28 – Workday. Continue Project 2.

Week 5:

• February 2 – Workday. Continue Project 2.
• February 4 – Start project 3: Bowls. DEMO.

Week 6:

• February 9 – Workday. Continue Project 3.
• February 11 – Workday. Continue Project 3.

Week 7:

• February 16 – President’s Day. No Class. Campus Closed
• February 18 – Workday. Continue Project 3.

Week 8:

• February 23 – Start project 4: Pinch pots. DEMO. Glaze DEMO. Glaze all thrown work.
• February 25 – Workday. Glaze All Thrown Work!!

Week 9:

• March 2 – Start Project 5: Historical Re-Creation. Coil Building DEMO.
• March 4 – Workday. Continue Project 4 and 5.

Week 10:

• March 9 – Spring Break
• March 11 – Spring Break

Week 11:

• March 16 – Workday. Continue Project 4 and 5.
• March 18 – Workday. Continue Project 4 and 5.

Week 12:

• March 23 – Project 4and 5 due. Start Project 6: Emotional Box. Slab Building DEMO.
• March 25 – NCECA

Week 13:

• March 30 – Workday. Continue Project 6.
• April 1 – Workday. Continue Project 6.

Last Wet Clay Day April 3rd!!!

ALL WORK MUST BE ON THE GREENWARE SHELVES BY MIDNIGHT!!

Week 14:

• April 6 – Glaze all work!!!
• April 8 – Glaze all work!!!

Week 15:

• April 13 – Glaze all work!!!

Last Day to glaze is April 14th!!!

• April 15 – Quiz Day and Clean-up.

Week 16:

• April 20th to the 23rd Finals Week

Your final exam time is:

Wednesday April 22nd from 11:00 am to 12:50 pm

Attendance at the final exam time is mandatory. Schedule any departures after this date!!!

Due dates for all projects are listed in the calendar provided with the syllabus. It is recommended students adhere to all due dates. The dues dates provided are for pieces in their leather hard state ready to be dried and bisque fired. If a student misses a due date for a project, there is still time to complete the project with minimal affect on their grade. In fact, students may make up assignments or re-make assignments at any time during the semester with minimal or no effect on their grade up to the ‘Last Wet Clay Day’ where no student will be able to use wet clay in any form after that date. For this semester the deadline is April 3rd. This is a hard and fast deadline, because the instructor is responsible for firing all of student work for this class and all other classes during the semester. The instructor needs the time after the ‘Last Wet Clay Day’ to ensure all the student projects are fired and complete. If a student misses this deadline without completing all the required projects, the only option is to give the student an incomplete for the course. The student will have to provide proof of a legitimate reason for not completing the course work on time, such as a medical emergency, death in the family or other situational cause.

Because this is a Face-to-Face studio course it mandates you be in the studio to accomplish your projects for the class. Attendance is crucial to do well in this course. There is an Art and Design attendance policy - if you miss class more than one quarter (25%) of the class sessions you cannot receive better than a C. For this class that would amount to 7 absences. If you have an emergency, please contact me via email and we can make accommodations. You must be present in the studio for more than half of the class for it to count as being present. However, if your grade can be affected by too many absences, then it should be rewarded if you have zero absences. Thus, I will raise your grade by 5% if you make it all the way through the semester without missing one class session.

Clay is available in the ceramic studio, but you must acquire a receipt from the cashier’s office in the student center and bring it back to the instructor to receive clay. If you need clay but do not have the funds temporarily, the instructor can issue an I.O.U. for clay, but the I.O.U must be paid for before the end of the semester or your grade will be dropped by 10%. The prices are listed on the board in the studio. You may expect to use at minimum two bags of clay. Your course fees cover the cost of glaze, slips, firing, some studio tools and upkeep.

ALL WORK MUST BE CLAIMED BY LAST DAY OF EACH TERM, AFTER THIS DAY IT WILL BE THROWN AWAY. WE SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ROOM TO STORE WORK. LOCKERS MUST BE EMPTIED AND CLEANED OUT BY THE LAST DAY OF THE TERM.