Ceramic Slab Sculptures with Texture

Is it a vase, or a pencil holder? Could it be a box, or possibly a treasure chest? Whatever it might be, the ceramic slab sculpture is unique and original to the student that created it. In fourth grade, students built upon ceramic skills learned in years prior by creating three-dimensional slab sculptures. Students were responsible for making decisions regarding the size, shape, texture, and functionality of their sculpture. After creating paper templates to help measure the base and sides of their piece, students wedged clay, rolled slabs, cut slabs from templates, and constructed their piece with care. Finally, students glazed their sculptures using consistent coats of glaze. Voila! 

Ceramic Pioneer Day Mugs

The ceramic project for third grade ties in with their pioneer studies. Building upon their ceramic skills, students learned how to construct a mug using slab-building techniques. Students attempted wedging to remove air bubbles and then rolled slabs. I pre-cut circular and rectangular templates for the students to use and cut pieces out of. To personalize mugs, third graders applied texture through many different ways including: stamping, drawing into clay, and rolling textured plastic into clay. Some students even chose to use their given pioneer name to distinguish their mugs. Using the score, slip, and welding technique, students shaped their slabs into a mug. No mug would be complete without a handle. Students chose to use one or two handles, and attached them by scoring, slipping, and welding. And the best part of these mugs? You can drink out of them!* Cheers!

*Disclaimer: Not dishwasher safe.

Pinch Pots with "Feet"

Building upon ceramic skills from first grade, second grade students made pinch pots with an attached foot in art class. Students learned how to attach two pieces of clay together to become one piece. The trick is to score, slip, and weld both pieces together. Student chose between rolling a coil, and making 3-4 separate balls for a foot. Final touches included decoration and adding consistent coats of glaze.

Glazed Coil Vessels

After bisque firing, fifth grade students applied colored glaze and gloss glaze to create a finished look.

Coil Vessels

After spending a good portion of time on creating curvilinear two-dimensional lines, the fifth grade students created coil vessels using three-dimensional lines. Building upon ceramic techniques and skills from previous years, students created a coil vessel that incorporated variety in shape, line, and texture to add interest. Students experimented with expanding and contracting the walls of their coil pots for added pizazz.

 

Look for the final glazed product in January...