For this project, you will create a vase using pinch, coil, or slab methods (or the wheel for advanced students) and on this vase, you will create a face showing massive expression! HUGE FEELINGS! Here is a diagram and on each line there is an emotion that gradually gets bigger as you go to the right. The right column is what we will be aiming for in expression! Show me some big feelings! I want to see some intensity in these works of art!
Mitchell Grafton
Mitchell Grafton(<—CLICK ON HIS NAME!) is someone who creates pottery with big emotions and expressive faces. Here are some examples of his work below and on his website(<—CLICK ON THAT!).
Mitchell began his foray into pottery when he went to work for a potter when he was 19 and getting an Architecture degree. For 7 years, he learned from a professional potter and then worked for an interior design company designing lamps. After that, he found a business partner and opened a pottery studio, and now he owns his own pottery studio in Panama City, Florida, called Grafton Pottery.
Another artist, thebigduluth has a gallery that shows off some of his new work on deviantart below.
Another artist: Evgeny Kivokurtsev
Requirements:
- Vase needs to be at least 6 inches tall (8 inches for Pre-AP) and 3.5-4 inches wide.
- Face needs to show a big emotion & intensity!
- Pay attention to your craftsmanship and clean up those sharp edges!
- Name and class period on the bottom!
- Create 3 sketches and post them to your blog.
- Post Greenware to your blog.
- Post a glazed/painted finished piece to your blog and answer these questions:
(1) What did you learn during this project?
(2) Describe how your project evolved/changed from beginning to end. What changes did you make? Why did you make these changes?
(3) What did you do well during this project? Be specific in your answer.
(4) What could you have improved upon in this project? Be specific in your answer.
(5) What knowledge and/or experiences will you use from this experience to proceed with your next project?
(6) Rate your overall performance on the project from 1-10, 10 being the best, 1 being the worst. Why would you rate yourself at this level?
Helpful Links: How to Make a Tall Slab Vase Video: How to Make a Slab Vase My Ceramic Figures Pinterest Board <-- Lots of Face Ideas Video: How to Make Face Mugs <-- How to make a face!
Thanks for a great art lesson!
Thanks for the fun lesson! I am a student teacher and I am starting this lesson with my high school students. About how much time do your students typically need to complete this project?
Great question! It usually depends on their skill level, but what I’ve learned is that students will typically take as much time as you give them! Ha! I usually give around 2 weeks per project in my class, and some students get finished early and do amazing work, some finish early and need to keep going, and some take the entire time and have little to show for it. When starting out, I didn’t give due dates, and would just kinda see how long it took the majority of them to finish and then give a due date when most of them were finishing. That way, you can see what pace they work at and either encourage them to speed up or slow down accordingly.
That is true! I’ve noticed with previous projects my students will take as long as I give them. 🙂 That’s a good idea to start off without a due date, because until I see the pace they are working at, I can’t accurately guess how long it will take them. Pacing can be a tricky thing, so thanks for the feedback!