Art 221 and 222 are beginning survey courses in ceramics. The basic handbuilding skills of pinch, coil and slab are focused on in 221. Handbuilding skills are further developed in 222, where molds are introduced. Beginning wheelthrowing skills are also taught in this course.

 

221 Projects	222 Projects
-1’st pinchpot	-1 piece using at least 2 handbuilding methods
-- 3 small matching pinchpots	as constructive, not just decorative techniques
-1 large pinchpot	-1 mold made piece
-coil pot with coils showing (7”)	- 6 - 6” tall by 3-4” wide straight cylinders
-smooth coil pot 16”tall	- additional projects as ready
-slab piece

Museum/Gallery Visit(s)

In addition to construction projects, students will be required to make Museum/Gallery visit(s) to see historic and contemporary ceramics. The first visit will be to the Seattle Art Museum. Specifics of each assignment will be handed out during the quarter.

Sketchbook

Students will also keep a sketchbook of ceramics seen in daily life, a minimum of 30 sketches total, number all sketches. The sketchbook is due. Full credit will only be given on the day the sketches are due. Completeness, the development of ideas, and a clean, organized presentation of the work are the criteria for evaluation. The sketchbook is a way to learn about ceramics, it is not meant to demonstrate drawing ability. In a separate part of the book students should also keep sketches of potential projects, notes & sketches of projects in process; and expections and results of glazing, including a list of glazes used on each piece The sketchbook will be graded as a record/journal of ideas and work.

Attendance is mandatory.Art is idea and practice,especially in ceramics which is technically demanding. You cannot successfully complete the studio projects without direction and help.You must attend class on-time. I take attendance during the first 5 minutes, if you come in after attendance is taken, you are marked absent. Missing more than one class will automatically lower your grade by .1 grade points for each additional class missed. Missing class to leave early for holidays is not considered an excused absence and deductions will be made from your grade.

Students are expected to come into the studio outside of class hours to work on projects as needed. Most glazing needs to be done outside of class. The studio is available Monday ? Thursday, 8:30 ? 12:30, and Fridays 8:30 ? 10 pm. You can work after class until 5:30pm. During non-class hours a key to the room may be obtained from the Humanities Secretaries, in the Humanities department on the second floor of the bookstore building.

Be sure to lock the room when you leave and to return the key to humanities by 4:15pm so others may use it.

Grades are based on attendance, quality and on-time completion of projects, studio clean-up, disciplined work, participation, an openness to exploring the variety of forms, methods, and ideas presented in-class, and the sketchbook. During the final exam time each student’s work will be reviewed by the instructor and the class.. All work from the semester must be presented at this review. Not presenting work or not attending the review will result in failing the class. 

A = Excellent = 3.5 - 4.0B = Very Good = 2.5 - 3.4C = Average = 1.5 - 2.4

D = Poor = 0.7 - 1.4E = Fail = 0.0

If you are having problems, academic or personal, that are effecting your work, let me know during the quarter so we can see what you can do to successfully complete the class. The last week of class is too late to come to me about missing classes or not completing projects. 

I encourage you to ask questions during class. There is no dumb question. I am happy to meet with you outside of class to help with study skills or to discuss any problems you are having that are effecting your performance. In some cultures it is impolite or rude to ask questions. If this is true of your culture and you have a question or aren’t sure of what I’m saying or asking, be rude and ask your question.

We are fortunate to have students and faculty of diverse cultures and backgrounds at North and respect for diversity is a central value at NSCC. The best learning occurs in an environment of mutual cooperation, where we speak, listen, and work together with sensitivity and respect.

Safety Precautions ?read this carefully

never look in the peep-hole. Red-hot air is vented from the peep-hole which will badly burn your eye, and can set clothing on fire.

2. Be aware of wet floors, wipe up water spills immediately.

3. If you are smoothing a dry surface in a way that creates dust - work outside and wear a dust mask on.

4. CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN! A clean, well-organized studio minimizes working

hazards. You must clean-up your work areas at the end of each class. Put work, 

tools, clay, and glazes where they belong. Wipe down tables. Thoroughly clean

the wheel. When you use the slab roller, make sure the canvases are flat or draped

with the roller fully returned to its starting position. Clean the plaster tables by

scraping them with a plastic spatula and rubbing up any bits of clay with a paper

towel (don’t use water on them). Only water goes in the sinks! Be sure the clay traps are in position. Put all chairs in the ceramics room up on the tables so the janitor can

clean the floors. If you leave your clean-up for me we will both be unhappy, me with

extra work, you with the F for participation.

5. Do not operate power tools without permission and supervision.

Most of these supplies are available in the bookstore. 

11” x 14” Sketchbook

Tool Kit including; clayknife, small sponge, cutting wire, needle tool, rib, trimming loops

25 lb bag clay, Vashon Buff (2 or more per quarter) Be careful, DO NOT BUY VASHON WHITE

sumi brush # 9 - #12(asian bamboo brush)

optional: fettling knife, small modelling tools, carving tools

We also have tools available in the classroom. Ceramic tools can be expensive so please treat them with care and respect. FYI, do not use rolling pins to slam or flatten clay slabs, you destroy the bearings. Make sure the wheel has stopped turning before you shut it off. It also has bearings which are destroyed if it’s shut off prematurely.

I highly recommend that you visit Seattle Pottery Supply, particularly to look at their books on decorative techniques and styles. They have a terrific selection, many are paperback and are relatively inexpensive. It’s a great place to browse for ideas, whether or not you buy anything.

Go south on 1st Ave from Pioneer Square, past Safeco Field and Starbuck’s Offices. Take a right on S. Hanford (there’s a light). Cross the railroad tracks and Seattle Pottery Supply is the large building on your left.

Books in our library are also a great source of ideas and inspiration. Browse our selection, they are grouped together by call number. This is a good source of forms and ideas for your sketchbook. There are also books available for use during class in the room.

Storing Work

Ceramic wares go through several stages. Please place your work on the appropriate shelves.

Under construction and drying(greenware, unfired pottery)Place this work on the shelves under the clock. DO NOT PUT WET GREENWARE IN THE KILN ROOM. There isn’t enough room for it and it slows down loading the kiln. Also, if you dry your work too quickly in a warm room it will crack.

To be bisquedDRY greenware ready for the 1st firing can be placed on the top 2 shelves in the kiln room. Clay can have slip (apply slip to moist clay that is not yet dry) on it if desired. Always scratch your name in the bottom of your piece before putting it on the to be bisqued shelf in the kiln room

Bisque-wareWare that has been fired at a low temperature to make it less fragile and easier to glaze. On the shelves in front of the windows.

Glazed-wareBisque-ware that is glazed and ready for its second firing. Place this on the lower 2 shelves in the kiln room. If you have used a cone 5 glaze, make sure you put a note in the piece so it’s fired at the correct temperature.

Finished-wareWill be on the dark wooden shelves or on the table in front of these shelves. Store these pieces in your cabinet.

Some Basic Information

Clay has lots of water in it. It shrinks as the water evaporates at 3 stages 1) as green ware becomes bone dry2) as the remaining free water is driven off at the first low temperatures of firing 3) as water chemically bound in the clay is driven off at red heat. Up until this stage, clay can be re-plasticized with water so you can reuse it. Once the chemically bound water has evaporated, the clay is vitrified and can no longer be re-plasticized.

Because clay shrinks, it must be driedevenly. When in doubt, slower drying is better. For thin, fragile pieces, or pieces with a variety of thicknesses of clay, place one layer of plastic loosely over the piece (let some air in). This can be removed as the piece gets dryer.Drying too quickly can crack your piece, particularly anywhere that you have joined two or more pieces together as for example with coils, or handles, etc.

Joining individual clay parts is done by luting. Scratch both surfaces to be joined with your needle tool, moisten them with water or slip (clayey water), press them together, and weld the joint with a small wooden tool or your finger.

Keep clay you’re not using tightly wrapped in plastic so it doesn’t dry out. If you clay does start to get dry, add a little water to the bag and let it sit for a few days. It will soften.

Water in clay must escape. That’s why you can’t fire solid clay sculptures or walls that are exceedingly thick. Moisture trapped inside as steam would cause the piece to explode. Anything more than an inch thick must be hollowed out. So for example if you use largish clay balls on a coil piece, you must put a tunnel in them to let the steam out. Clay with grog in it also helps steam escape and makes clay stronger so it is good to use a clay with grog for very large pieces. Grog is fired clay that has been crushed into sand sized pieces. 

Build your pieces on a plaster bat or wooden board so they are easy to store and don’t get damaged as you move them. Put a piece of newspaper on the board to keep the piece from sticking to it.

Don’t leave clay to dry on molds overnight, they will crack. Remove them as soon as they stiffen up. Shaped newspaper can be used for additional support. 
 

email: mkelly@sccd.ctc.edu
phone: office 206-527-3766

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 NORTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - 9600 COLLEGE WAY N., SEATTLE, WA 98125
ART DEPARTMENT (206) 528-4535 email - echriste@sccd.ctc.edu