Ceramics Pathway

Ceramics

Prerequisite: None

Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: Students must demonstrate the maturity to take responsibility for a shared studio community.  It is essential that students have good attendance, as most projects must be completed in the studio. 

Course Description: The beginning section of ceramics focuses on introducing students to the foundations of creating artwork in clay.  In the fall, students will learn many vessel-making techniques emphasizing the pottery wheel, and including pinching, slab and coil construction techniques.  We also include small research projects to learn about ceramics artwork from other cultures, using the computer to effectively gather and present information.  In the spring we continue exploring ways to create clay vessels, and also tackle sculpted forms including a figure sculpture, mask making, musical instrument construction and relief carving.  Throughout the course students will learn how to apply design decisions to their artwork, roughing out ideas through sketching, and about low fire, high fire, over-glaze and under-glaze surface decoration.

Major Projects/Assignments: Fall:  Pinch pot or coil pot introduction, Wheel thrown pots, decorated slab box, 3 advanced wheel thrown pots.  Spring: Goblet or Greek inspired vase, animal maquette, animal sculpture, mask, musical instrument, art history research project.

Approximate homework assigned daily:  30 to 60 minutes a week.  Rarely more than 15 minutes in one night.

Ceramics Advanced

Prerequisite: Ceramics 1 and 2

May be repeated for credit.

Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: Students should have the capacity to work independently with guidance.  Students should also have the maturity to take responsibility for a shared studio community.  It is essential that students have good attendance, as most projects must be completed in the studio. 

Course Description:  Advanced Ceramics takes the skills from Ceramics and continues to hone and layer on more advanced techniques.  Students will work with large more complex design problems, and be expected to create their own design projects from a list of prompts.  In each semester students will each do one teacher directed project and two student designed projects.  Students may concentrate on pottery, hand building, or sculpture, and may include multimedia or other mediums in their work.  

Major Projects/Assignments: Portfolio development, projects comparing/contrasting styles and themes from art history, design concentration portfolio.

Approximate homework assigned daily: 30 to 60 minutes a week.  Rarely more than 15 minutes in one night.

Ceramics Advanced

Prerequisite: Ceramics 1 and 2

May be repeated for credit.

Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: Students should have the capacity to work independently with guidance.  Students should also have the maturity to take responsibility for a shared studio community.  It is essential that students have good attendance, as most projects must be completed in the studio. 

Course Description:  Advanced Ceramics takes the skills from Ceramics and continues to hone and layer on more advanced techniques.  Students will work with large more complex design problems, and be expected to create their own design projects from a list of prompts.  In each semester students will each do one teacher directed project and two student designed projects.  Students may concentrate on pottery, hand building, or sculpture, and may include multimedia or other mediums in their work.  

Major Projects/Assignments: Portfolio development, projects comparing/contrasting styles and themes from art history, design concentration portfolio.

Approximate homework assigned daily: 30 to 60 minutes a week.  Rarely more than 15 minutes in one night.