Quick and Easy

SLAB WRAPS

CERAMICS I

clay, glaze and oxides

This assignment was inspired by the ceramics teacher at both Esperanza and thenYorba Linda High School, Mr. Hendry, when my son took his class back in the day.  

I use it as a performance quiz after my beginners get some skills under their belts.

I demo it one day and the next day the kids make one.

So basically they only have one day to complete it in, versus the usual 7 to 10 days for our other assignments. 

I take the students outside to thump and drag their textured clay slabs on the concrete.

This stretches out the surface designs and brings a lot of visual interest to the clay's surface.

It also distresses the edges for a very organic appearance, 

They walk the stretched and elongated clay slabs back to their seats over top a rolling pin to help support the weight and the curve of the wall.

Right to the blow driers they go to bring the clay from plastic to leatherhard.

Then they remove the clay from the rolling pin and continue to curve it round into a vase form.

I insist they overlap the edges and score and slip to secure them. 

These top 3 beauties were done by juniors Cindy Ryoo and Sameera Ahmad, and senior Minette Tsang.

Below we have the striking creativity of junior Nicholas Tudor.

Then they decorate the outside seam with applied and stamped decoration.

Of course they also add a bottom slab so the vase will hold water.

The kids have their choice about how to finish them, but I do insist on glazing the inside so they will hold water.

So you will see some with glaze on the in and outside, then others with stained oxides on the outside and glaze on the inside.

Drawing a blank on the piece above left, but pretty sure that the one above right is by senior Anne Allan.

Then below senior Priya Sheth gives us lots of surface goodness with a contrasting glaze/oxide finish.

A close up of Minette's.