Part 1
1) Tools are a major focus in this class. Though many things can be completed by hand tools are often necessary. In creating artwork what type of tools have you used? In using these tools how did they help your work along?
Throughout sculpture class different tools are necessary essentials to complete projects. Whether your constructing a sculpture of clay, wire, or plaster tools are needed to further the professionalism and depth of a piece. Personally this semester i used a wide range of tools, but majority was the sculpting tools. While creating my relief piece, mugs, pit fire, small animal, and empty bowls i used the clay tools. These tools help to enhance the shape of the piece as well as the details. Some of my favorite tools to use while sculpting with clay include the metal rib, this tool allows for a really smooth surface and clean cut edges. Second is the double wire end modeling tool, this tool is my favorite because it makes things much easier to trim. Third is the wheel, this tool is really fun to use because it helps to make a smooth symmetrical piece. All of these tools have helped my work along,in the overall detail and aspect of construction. These tools made making and finishing pottery even more exciting.
2) How has your knowledge and understanding of tools changed since the beginning of the semester?
My knowledge of tools and understanding has grown so much just in this one semester! I have learned the names and purposes of almost all the clay sculpting tools, as well as some power tools. Tools allow an artist to fully represent the idea of there art in person. At the beginning of the semester i had no idea how to use the wheel or a jig saw. I also had never previously been taught how to properly use the different wire clay tools. By learning these things my art has grown as a sculptor and a potter. Overall the understanding of tools can help any artist overcome difficult materials or projects thus making them and overall better artist.
1) Tools are a major focus in this class. Though many things can be completed by hand tools are often necessary. In creating artwork what type of tools have you used? In using these tools how did they help your work along?
Throughout sculpture class different tools are necessary essentials to complete projects. Whether your constructing a sculpture of clay, wire, or plaster tools are needed to further the professionalism and depth of a piece. Personally this semester i used a wide range of tools, but majority was the sculpting tools. While creating my relief piece, mugs, pit fire, small animal, and empty bowls i used the clay tools. These tools help to enhance the shape of the piece as well as the details. Some of my favorite tools to use while sculpting with clay include the metal rib, this tool allows for a really smooth surface and clean cut edges. Second is the double wire end modeling tool, this tool is my favorite because it makes things much easier to trim. Third is the wheel, this tool is really fun to use because it helps to make a smooth symmetrical piece. All of these tools have helped my work along,in the overall detail and aspect of construction. These tools made making and finishing pottery even more exciting.
2) How has your knowledge and understanding of tools changed since the beginning of the semester?
My knowledge of tools and understanding has grown so much just in this one semester! I have learned the names and purposes of almost all the clay sculpting tools, as well as some power tools. Tools allow an artist to fully represent the idea of there art in person. At the beginning of the semester i had no idea how to use the wheel or a jig saw. I also had never previously been taught how to properly use the different wire clay tools. By learning these things my art has grown as a sculptor and a potter. Overall the understanding of tools can help any artist overcome difficult materials or projects thus making them and overall better artist.
Three Questions
1)What was your favorite material that you used this year? Why do you like working with it?
My favorite material to use for sculpture is by far clay. This material comes in many different forms and is defined as a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth, typically yellow, red, or bluish-gray in color and often forming an impermeable layer in the soil. It can be molded when wet, and is dried and baked to make bricks, pottery, and ceramics. I used this material for my Relief piece, pit fire, turtle, and mugs. I really like working with clay because you can form anything that you can think of, it is also a very forgiving material so any mistakes can be easily fixed and reformed. I also like to work with clay because it is fun to experiment with new forms, especially with the pit fire piece when i used a shape that was completely made up.
1)What was your favorite material that you used this year? Why do you like working with it?
My favorite material to use for sculpture is by far clay. This material comes in many different forms and is defined as a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth, typically yellow, red, or bluish-gray in color and often forming an impermeable layer in the soil. It can be molded when wet, and is dried and baked to make bricks, pottery, and ceramics. I used this material for my Relief piece, pit fire, turtle, and mugs. I really like working with clay because you can form anything that you can think of, it is also a very forgiving material so any mistakes can be easily fixed and reformed. I also like to work with clay because it is fun to experiment with new forms, especially with the pit fire piece when i used a shape that was completely made up.
2)Which project was your most successful? Describe the theme and or topic and the process you went through to complete the project.
My most successful piece was the pit fire piece. While constructing this piece i used paper to plan a template, to create the unique shape. I cut out many parallelogram shapes and fit them together to emulate a lightning bolt shape. i used a 3/4ths inch slab and scored and slipped the pieces together. I then burnished the pot when it was dry enough with a metal spoon. Burnishing allows for a super smooth texture after the first round of firing. I then applied a terasig after the first firing that turned a dark red/orange. Next i gathered leaves and sticks and wrapped the pot in aluminum foil. It was then pit fired and now has many different aspects and colors to the surface. I feel this piece was the most successful because it looks the most professional, and has the best depth. The theme was pit fire pieces to fully embody the colors acquired from using different materials. A pit fire is really entertaining also because it is completely random. By packing objects found and acquired into the aluminum foil the potter has no idea what the final piece will look like until the final revile.
My most successful piece was the pit fire piece. While constructing this piece i used paper to plan a template, to create the unique shape. I cut out many parallelogram shapes and fit them together to emulate a lightning bolt shape. i used a 3/4ths inch slab and scored and slipped the pieces together. I then burnished the pot when it was dry enough with a metal spoon. Burnishing allows for a super smooth texture after the first round of firing. I then applied a terasig after the first firing that turned a dark red/orange. Next i gathered leaves and sticks and wrapped the pot in aluminum foil. It was then pit fired and now has many different aspects and colors to the surface. I feel this piece was the most successful because it looks the most professional, and has the best depth. The theme was pit fire pieces to fully embody the colors acquired from using different materials. A pit fire is really entertaining also because it is completely random. By packing objects found and acquired into the aluminum foil the potter has no idea what the final piece will look like until the final revile.
3)What is your least favorite material to work with and why? How did you deal with it, what didn’t you like about it. Please explain.
One major part of art is overcoming materials you didn't like. This was extremely hard for me, especially with my least favorite materials being wire and cardboard. I don't like these materials because they are not very easy to mold into a desired shape. They also take planning, which is often a step that i skip and go mostly on intuition. Starting with Wire, i experienced this substance with the wire tree. The wire tree seems easy but don't let it fool you, its a difficult project if you are not prepared with the correct wire or the patience to twist wires around each other. Wire is also difficult for me because you mostly have to use pliers these can sometimes be difficult to handle do to the size and age of the pliers. Overall i really want to conquer the wire tree and hopefully i will get to try and redeem that project sometime in the future. My second least favorite material was cardboard this material is painful to cut, it is hard to handle and it makes a mess. Even though you can make some really interesting pieces with cardboard it is extremely difficult to form with. Hopefully in the future i can redo the cardboard project because now i have a lot of respect for cardboard sculpture because of the difficulty of handling.
One major part of art is overcoming materials you didn't like. This was extremely hard for me, especially with my least favorite materials being wire and cardboard. I don't like these materials because they are not very easy to mold into a desired shape. They also take planning, which is often a step that i skip and go mostly on intuition. Starting with Wire, i experienced this substance with the wire tree. The wire tree seems easy but don't let it fool you, its a difficult project if you are not prepared with the correct wire or the patience to twist wires around each other. Wire is also difficult for me because you mostly have to use pliers these can sometimes be difficult to handle do to the size and age of the pliers. Overall i really want to conquer the wire tree and hopefully i will get to try and redeem that project sometime in the future. My second least favorite material was cardboard this material is painful to cut, it is hard to handle and it makes a mess. Even though you can make some really interesting pieces with cardboard it is extremely difficult to form with. Hopefully in the future i can redo the cardboard project because now i have a lot of respect for cardboard sculpture because of the difficulty of handling.
Cleaning: I cleaned the pottery wheel- Isn't it pretty!! :)