Pinch Pots
Task was to construct 3 pinch pots. These had to be as similar as possible in their design and proportions. The initial attempt lacked in similarity and subtility of form, so I took advise and allowed them to become leather hard offering the opportunity to improve the outcomes through carving the surface. This didn’t particularly help either. I certainly need some practice, if I intend to further explore making a range of similar forms.
Coil Pot One
This activity required that we constructed a simple cylinder. It was challenging for me personally as it isn’t my typical way of working, but it was a good as it illuminated some of my bad habits (disregarding internal space as it’s rarely seen in my work).
Coil Pot Two
This was interesting as I’ve never constructed a form in this way. The making of two coil pots that are then joined to create a contained structure offered some advantages (quicker build, hence be more spontaneous with production) as well as some disadvantages (ensuring the two parts fit together and that the final structure stands up). Within the two days I haven’t resolved this piece, it’s obviously very clumsy, but I have gained a lot from the experience technically and against all odds it stood up.
Potential Development.
I’m in no way satisfied with my production this week. To help resolve this I’ve turned to drawing to inspire some potential forms that can be explored incorporating coil and pinch pots.
Initial Research Ideas.
I really like the interacting organic forms and the grouping of objects.
Build based on one of the above drawings. I wanted to keep it relatively simple and something that would work with the coiling process. The drawing inspired the initial direction of the piece, but as always it took on a life of its own during construction.
I needed to further develop the piece, so I turned again to a drawing process. Drawing on top of the actual form helped me focus on the interacting elements and how these could be better balanced.
Final selection with the angled extension, I felt offered a visual balance and made the piece slightly more dynamic and less base heavy.
Potential surface treatments. I'm considering how the form can be utilised in directing mark making as a tool to articulate the tension in the piece.
This design was eventually selected as I wanted something bold and relatively simple that reverberated the circle. After applying the slip, a sgraffito technique was utilised to help define the elements. Due to the clay being a little on the dry side the scratched line became a little erratic. I don’t mind this as it offers spontaneous results that couldn’t be captured any other way. I don't like the small circles and in retrospect should have just used the simple strips.
After final firing. I opted to part glaze the piece as it was reminiscent of two forms fighting against each other. One appeared to be pulling the other apart and I wanted the glaze in separating to forms to help articulate this. During the firing a F1 message appeared and halted the kiln. So I’m not sure what temperature it actually got to, but the clay appears relatively dark.
Potential to develop the bold slip decoration on the two-piece coil build. It ended up looking like an elephant so played around a little with this in the decoration. The final colour pallet used to exaggerate the linial decoration. Unfortunately the final glaze is very milky and if I was to use this again I would certainly spray, not dip the piece.
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