Learn With Me + Self Introduction: Ceramics

Hi Steemit! I haven't been around for eight months, so let me reintroduce myself. I am Hana, a young artist aspiring to work in the field of computer science.

Things have been looking up for me. Sophomore year is manageable, contrary to initial belief. Though there is a greater workload, I realize that everyone has grown to be able to handle it.

I'm very invested in my study of the arts. I plan to take AP Art in two years and create a unique senior showcase for the annual school-wide art show. Competitive as I am, I aim to win an award as I have from day one.

I've been working on a ceramic vase that will be shown at a local event. Only eight other people in my grade have pieces in the mentioned show. As this is my first time having artwork selected for anything I am very excited; though it is a small exhibit of student craft it is a step into the right direction.

This is also my first piece with attention to fine detailing; I carved out different textures and shaped additive parts for a theme I've never explored before. The shape of the vase itself was thoughtfully planned out to be elegant and delicate, a rare prospect for me as a sporadic and often improvising artist.

The floral design is inspired by the roses that used to thrive in my front yard. With all of these personal elements combined, I have made my first move towards my own artistic style in pottery.

I was rushing to get the vase in the kiln so unfortunately I have no pictures of the vase before firing (this is the best I have on hand). In this photo, some parts are taped off and not visible for precision purposes.

As soon as I have the images I will post my glaze-fired vase. I have my fingers crossed because glazes can be unpredictable and what you initially paint is never what you get afterwards. Heat turns the chalky substance into glass, and chemical reactions may occur between different glazes and metal oxides.

I have a faint idea of what it'll look like: a matte body of mottled brown, petals with cream edges that melt into robin's egg blue and ochre colored bottom 1/10 of the vase.

Before I go I will walk you through vague steps necessary to make a piece of my pottery.

Throw a vessel on the wheel.

Let it sit so that it becomes leather-hard and is no longer malleable.

Trim off excess clay and make a flat foot on the bottom if needed (visible in next picture; the naked, raised ring).

Let it dry until it retains no moisture.

Fire it for the first time in the kiln.

Glaze the pottery. There are two methods you can do this by: dip it in glaze/pour the glaze over once, or brush on three coats of glaze.

Layering different glazes will give unpredictable results, unlike mixing paint. These combinations can turn out disastrously ugly. It is not recommended to take this gamble on pieces you like; try it on a tile at first when testing for a good result.

Never glaze the bottom of the piece. When the glass melts it might end up sticking to the kiln, an expensive piece of equipment.

The glazed piece goes in the kiln again for a second firing.

If the piece stuck to the kiln, put on some safety goggles; it will have to be cut off and you don't want glass in your eye. The extra glaze will pool into excess beads on the bottom; they should be grinded off. However, this is no fun and should be avoided in the first place.

This can be your finished product, but I recently discovered a beautiful material to pair my pots with:

Copper leaf!

Cheaper enough than gold that the real metal fits my student budget, it is unnecessary to buy an imitation product.

I use a Japan gold size on areas I wish to accentuate, let it dry until tacky, and then brush on sheets of copper.

This has a stunning effect that should be preserved using a sealant to keep it colorful and shiny.


Thank you for reading this far! I hope you enjoyed this mishmash of ideas. As much as I love ceramics I have to go study for other classes. Please upvote if you liked seeing into the life of a high school art student!