Nude Coil Torso - Alum Work

For some reason this fabulous piece by alum Chareena Eleazar, didn't get posted last school year when she finished it.  And it's that time of year again for my 2nd year ceramic kids to make their nude torsos.  For Chareena, this was her third time to work in coil, and it was her most difficult challenge to date.  

The students can pick a male or female figure and are allowed to work as realistic as they want to go , or they can abstract the piece thru exaggeration and distortion.  They must all build in the ciol technique, the piece must be smoothed out on the inside but they can leave their coil work showing on the outside or they can smooth the outside as well or try some type of combo technique.  

I encourage them to try to bring in some expressive quality so the piece doesn't look so static like the Greek nude figures from antiquity, they try to not end piece straight across the top, and they don't make it perfectly symmetrical.

Chareena choose to finish hers off with a glazed inside and an oxide finish on the outside.  A congrats out to you Chareena, I heard a rumor that you are getting married to your armed forces sweetheart.  I wish the both of you all the best.