Lesson 1a
Ceramics
WHAT IS CERAMICS?
THE ART OF MAKING OBJECTS OUT OF CLAY
WHAT IS CLAY?
A FINE GRAIN MATERIAL FROM THE EARTH THAT IS
NATURALLY FOUND IN SOIL AND SEDIMENTARY ROCK.
Hand building Techniques

Pinch - Forming a clay object
by pinching with the fingers.

Slab - Forming a clay object
from a flat piece of clay.

Coil - Forming a clay object
with ropes of clay
Studio Rules
 Clay makes dust- all tables and equipment must be washed
or wiped down with a wet sponge
 All tools must be cleaned free of clay
 All work should be wrapped in a plastic bag to slow the
drying process.
 Do not handle any ones work other than your own.
 NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO LOAD OR UNLOAD THE KILN
https://encryptedtbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjaZspjFV1WLK1syVb0LLrVOztYo2b5lJJ7l24tCJKDh7xWr-
https://encryptedtbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAAwL4xXC2XRgKgzZVEKxgbhAt2_K3WVyeQYtehhwjM6DIlHhYg
Pinch Pots
HTTP://MEDIA-CACHEEC5.PINTEREST.COM/192X/6C/8D/29/6C8D2964032B472745E0CAFB7276D1D3.JPG
Artist Takashi Murakami talks tea and ceramics
Interview: Melanie Sevcenko
http://www.dw.de/artist-takashi-murakami-talks-tea-and-ceramics/a-16541247
MELANIE SEVCENKO - HOW IS CERAMIC ART A PART OF JAPANESE
HERITAGE?
MURAKAMI - ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL ART FORMS OF JAPAN IS THE TEA
CEREMONY. IN FEUDAL TIMES, THE TEA CEREMONY WAS DEVELOPED AS A
WAY OF INCORPORATING THE ARTS INSPIRED BY ZEN BUDDHISM AND ITS
PHILOSOPHY INTO A SOCIAL CUSTOM - WHICH MAKES IT A FAIRLY UNIQUE
PIECE OF CULTURE. THE PRICE OF A SINGLE TEACUP REACHED AN EXTREMELY
HIGH VALUE. WARLORDS WOULD HAVE THEIR CULTURAL REFINEMENT JUDGED
BY THE QUALITY AND LINEAGE OF THEIR COLLECTIONS. IT'S REALLY QUITE
SIMILAR TO TODAY'S CONTEMPORARY ART WORLD
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Chanoyu
• The tea ceremony evolved with a greater significance in 1191 when
a Zen priest traveled to China.
• It is emphases of preparing and serving a bowl of tea with a pure
heart
• Based on the principles of Wa Kei Sei Jaku -harmony, respect, purity
and tranquility
“In all things, whatever they are, the finish of every detail is not desirable:
Wabi-sabi
one that holds the attention is unfinished ” ( The Book of Tea – Kakuzo
Okakura )
Beauty of things:
• Imperfect, and simple
• Modest and humble
• Unconventional
Characteristics of wabi-sabi
• Suggestion of natural process,
irregular, earthy, simple
• Embracing imperfection.
Associated to the spiritual
solitude of Zen Buddhism
http://www.veniceclayartists.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/11/Margaret_Curtis1101-300x238.jpg
‘Visual characteristics match its physical characteristics
(if it looks heavy, it should feel heavy;
if it looks delicate, it should feel light)
Fits comfortably in the palm of your hand
with a sound, balanced foot
The rim should be rounded’
http://www.veniceclayartists.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/11/Charles-Bound-Ceramic-TeaB.jpg
http://www.veniceclayartists.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/11/chawan14a.jpg
http://www.veniceclayartists.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/11/Marion-Angelica-Celadon-Do.jpg
http://www.veniceclayartists.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/art-and-thespirit-of-tea-.jpg
Pinch Pot requirements

Three tea cups exploring different shape and form.

Start with 4-5, 1 pound ball of clay

The walls of your cup should be not be thicker than ¼ inch but no
thinner than an 1/8 inch.

The interior of the cup must be smooth.

Your pinch pot must have a body, lip, and a foot

Each cup should demonstrate a variety of surface technique

The design of your cups must include pattern, repetition, texture and
embrace nature
Parts of tea
bowl
LIP - THE TOP EDGE OF A POT OR CUP
BODY OF A POT -THE BELLY OF A POT OR CUP
FOOT - THE BOTTOM OF A POT
How to make a
pinch pot

Start with a ball of clay.

Hold the clay in one hand while creating a well in
the center of the ball with the thumb of the other
hand.

Careful! Not too deep or you might push through
the bottom of the pot.

Start at the bottom of the bowl and gently and
evenly pinch the clay upward in a tight
overlapping spiral.

Make a complete rotation for each row of finger
pinches. Each row should slightly overlap.

If the clay begins to crack,
moisten your fingers.

Let the clay stiffen slightly, pinch
the walls thinner and give the rim
it’s final shape.

Smooth the interior and exterior
surfaces with a rubber rib or
wooden tool.

Using paddles, loop tools, wire,
and other tools create patterns
and textures on the exterior.

Roll out an even coil for
the foot.

Score and add slip to the
two surface that will be
attached.

Apply the foot and
smooth out the joint.
Lesson 1b
Takashi
Murakami
Ceramics

http://www.dw.de/image/0,,16542035_401,00.jpg
http://www.dw.de/image/0,,16542054_403,00.jpg
Winter and Summer Tea
bowls
How are they different?

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H
.4845437015163503&pid=1.7&
w=146&h=141&c=7&rs=1
http://www.asianart.com/BachmannEckenstein/large/Det
ail1_1385-1-3_(Custom).jpg
Aesthetics
Aesthetics
• Value and beauty as they relate to visual art
Japanese Aesthetics
• Influenced by Chinese culture and Buddhism
• Influences by nature and environment
• Simplicity and harmony
Wabi-Sabi
• Wabi – inner nature
• Sabi- outer nature
http://www.banninghs.org/ourpages/auto/2011/9/20/52761917/pinchpo
ts%20and%20tea%20bowls.ppt
Japanese Tea Bowls
Lesson 1c
http://pgapworld.wikispaces.com/file/view/japanese-tea-bowl.jpg/45859707/japanese-tea-bowl.jpg

http://asia.si.edu/exhibitions/online/kenzan/images/F1911.jpg
Studio equipment

Slab roller- to create unifies slabs of clay

Wheel – a tool to create cylindrical forms

Kiln- an oven that reaches very high temperature
Studio Rules
1. Clay makes dust- all tables and equipment must be washed or wiped down with a wet
sponge
2. All tools must be cleaned free of clay
3. All work should be wrapped in a plastic bag to slow the drying process.
4. Do not handle any ones work other than your own.
5. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO LOAD OR UNLOAD THE KILN
Basic Ceramic terms
•
Ceramics - The art of making objects out of clay
•
Clay- A fine grain material from the earth that is naturally found in soil and sedimentary rock.
•
Pinch - Forming a clay object by pinching with the fingers.
•
Slab - Forming a clay object from a flat piece of clay.
•
Coil - Forming a clay object with ropes of clay
•
Bisque — unglazed pottery after first firing
•
Fire — a term used in ceramics; to heat the clay in a kiln at a very high temperature until it is dry and hard and becomes
pottery.
•
Score — to scratch or “rough up” surfaces of clay that are to be joined together.
•
Scoring — a method of joining two parts of clay together that have dried to a leather hard stage by scratching the two.
surfaces and spreading slip between them as a “glue.”
•
Slip — clay that has been watered down to a creamy consistency
•
Leather Hard – a drying stage of clay that allow the artist to create different forms different than wet clay.
•
Bone dry – a completely dry stage of clay
•
Green ware- ceramics that has not yet been fired.
•
Bisques ware – ceramics that has been fired once at a low temperature