 | Challenge: Your goal is to create a funky pair of bookends. Your bookends must be able to support several books, have a theme that connects the two designs and be uniquely shaped.
Materials: Clay, ceramic tools, slip
Steps: Phase 1 - Planning - Research multiple designs for bookends, including shapes from other artists
- Brainstorm & Draw
- 5-6 well developed drawings exploring shape and proportion
- 3-4 samples of added texture, pattern, embellishments (incise or add or both)
- Demonstration: Creating a mock up
- Create a mock up of the structure using the intended construction plans
Dimensions & Requirements: - 4 x 6 inches for the base
- 4 x 6 inches tall for back that supports the books
- hand built techniques; coil, pinch, slab
- surface decoration: incised with deep texture
- Get clay
- Wedge clay
- Begin with the bottom of the bookends
- Using the slab technique create the bottom and walls of the bookends
Remember: • Clay must remains moist during construction • Walls must be even • Seams are smooth and invisible where necessary • Base is stable and flat • Structure stays together in “bone” dry state • All crumbs and bumps are removed
- Begin building up your designs once the base shape is created
- Incise your surface decoration into the bookends
- Plan out your design along the bookends
Lightly sketch in your design Using an incising tool or loop tool carve out deep groves along your planned sketch - You may also attach clay onto your bookends for decoration.
- Remember to slip, score and stick the clay on and weld it onto place so that it stays on during the drying stages and firing.
- Make sure your name and date are on the bottom and place the finished bookends in the kiln room for firing.
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