final projects

"Code monkey get up get coffee. 

Code monkey go to job. 

Code monkey have boring meeting, 

with boring manager Rob"

I'm a computer scientist, and those where the lyrics of a nerdy song that kept going through my head while making this. I thought it'd be a fun piece to give to my sister, since she is becoming a computer scientist as well. There are several slang terms for people who develope software, the two most common are code monkey, and script kitty. both can be used derogitorily, and positivly, script kitty usually defines someone who uses scripts, but doesn't necessarily creates them. This is why I thought a monkey would be more apt for my sister, since she's started to learn several new languages.

I made it out of the very last pieces of my clay. I had less than a tablespoon left by the end, I was rather proud of this. I used the roller machine to create the table surface, as well as the floor. I scraffitoed, and slipped the the periferals to the table. After the piece was leather hard, I realised I had not pocked holes in the two air pockets I'd used to make it. I came in the day before the last firing, and pocked a hole in the top of the monkey's head, and in his bum. while doing so, he became disattached from his stump. I tried using a small amount of slip to stick him back on, but didn't want to use very much, since it may cause a vapour expansion in the kiln. Since I was overly causious, the monkey and his computer table came out seperate.

having the code monkey able to leave his desk is oddly symbolic.

It will be even more so when I glue him to his seat.

Animal

This experiment was to practice merging two pinch pots. The project was to create an animal. I made a boar.

The natural aspect of the clay and animals made so I was able to show a bit of curviture/flow to the animal, although the stains & glazes didn't turn out as well as I'd have liked.

The white smudges are the crackle lichen glaze, which are over smudged browns and black near the eyes.

The tuft of hair along the spine I intended to use the needle tool on, to make it look more hair like, but by the point I came in to work on it, it was too dry.

Container

With a lull in homework, I thought I'd get a head start on this project. It was supposed to be a container. I thought I'd attempt to make a simple hinge, which sort of worked. If I was experimenting with a hinge, I thought I should keep the form simple, hence the clam shell. I draped clay over a small bowl. Doing this twice, and then forming the shape slightly made both sides of the shell.

Finding out that the container was supposed to be made from multiple slabs joined together, I made another piece. The process involved creating a large air bubble, the internal air pressure giving the form stability when it is being manipulated. Once the form is made the way you like it, you then cut the lid from it.

I had some fun using the needle tool to create the stumps rings.

I used black, brown and green stains with a clear glaze.

The legs in the lid where to help the lid hold it's position properly.

Drap Molds

For this project the  goals where to play with rolled out flat clay draped over plaster molds. I remembered the turtle I made when I was little. It was a very guided project by the teacher, but it meant it was a cool result. The Turtle shell segments where made of spirals.
I decided to try and recreate the spirals to create a bowl. To do this I first rolled out a thin slab of both colour clays. After I rolled this new layered slab like a jam rolly polly(a British dessert). With this new sausage, I tried different ways of slicing thin discs off of it. I found the best way was with the metal sheet tool. The result was a pile of spiral discs.

I took a piece of cheese cloth, and lay it on the inside of a bowl mold. This cloth was to keep the clay from sticking to the plaster. I slowly build the discs from the center of the mold outwards.

With the final clay piece fired, I used a clear glaze, since the clay had the detail.

Pinch Pots

Creating a Basic Pinch Pot

3) expand the hole

1) create a sphere

2) make a hole

before bisc firing
These are the results after I created two pinch pots, I scratched and slipped the eyes on, and the tong for the blobby face. I pinched between thumb and forefinger the edge of the pinch pot for the second.

end result

I used stains, and the bright blue didn't stick that well. 

facad

This project was to build an entrance way of a structure.

I built an entrance way to a small alley way that I remember from when I was a kid in Leighton Buzzard, UK.
   I also was looking to build some brick walls. This was because I worked for a summer replacing the groit in a stone wall. It would make ex

During the construction I only attached the archway bricks by scratching, without slip. The roof I built a support to hold it up, because I wasn't thinking I attached. 

after the bisc firing

after the "glaze firing incident"

grand parents stuff

Grand father's "old man"

Grand mother's "man & dog" 

Slab Pieces

These projects where assigned to have us experiment with all forms of attachment, merging, scraffito, and glazes. 

  Here are a few pictures of a braided square being etched and joined together. As a note, the slip (watery clay) has slathered on to the surfaces after the third picture.

 

Introduction

This is a log book of all the thoughts and processes that have gone into each project in AE309, an art education course at UVic. I've done a bit of pottery in the past, during early high school. Here are some examples of pieces I created in 1995.

as a note, this is also an excuse to play with blogger, so I'm able to have a bit more insight when helping my parents on their blog: http://candmwanderings.blogspot.com/