Submitted
by Kara LiCausi, Northport Middle School, Northport, NY
UNIT: Ceramics - Slab Construction
Lesson: Personal Clay Box - Personal Symbolism -Shaped Slab Boxes
Grade Level: Middle School (7th grade)
Shown - just four of the many ideas this lesson generated. An
alternative lesson could be do make a visual pun. "Candy Dish"
- box in shape of piece of candy would be an examples for this. One
student made a "Fish Bowl" box. A "Hat box" could be
a box shaped like a hat. Ice Cream cone could be an example for Pop Art
lesson. These boxes were about 8" to 10" in size. Kara
recommends doing them smaller for middle school as they went through a
lot of clay. Maybe set a maximum size of 6" by 9" - and a
minimum size or 4" by 4". Of course - design will warrant the
size.
Lesson Objectives
- Students
learn to search for and sort ideas for content in their artwork.
- Students
learn to use personal symbols in creating a work of art
- Students
learn appreciation for contemporary
ceramic art
- Students
learn to assemble and finish a lidded box-like form from slabs of
clay between soft and leatherhard.
Materials:
Clay,
clay tools, canvas cloth, rolling pins, guide sticks, X-acto knives (for
cutting lids), slip dishes, acrylics (or tempera and clear acrylic
spray), brushes (or glazes/underglazes), Optional: Paint markers, puff
paints, glitter paints.
Construction
- Make thumbnail sketches of ideas for box. Select one to use for
construction. Make template for base actual size. Decide how deep
box is to be. Make some templates to fit sides of box. Make template
for lid.
- Cut slab for base of box using template. Roll out slab of clay for
sides of box. Cut sides. Gently curve sides to fit base (try to
avoid leaving finger marks and indentations). Use template to cut
lid. (Show student some different options for making lid fit). Wrap
slabs overnight in plastic.
- Assemble slabs. Score and slip where slabs join. Smooth in a thin
coil of clay in seams. Decide how lid is to be done. One method is
to put slabs on bottom of lid to fit inside box. Measure inside of
box to insure fit and correct placement of slabs. Another method
would be to fuse lid onto box - then cut an irregular line with X-acto
knife. Box lid will only fit on in one direct. The irregular cut
will keep it from sliding (have a sample that shows both methods).
Fill box with wads of newspaper to keep lid from sagging.
- Decorate outside of box. Add sprigging (added coil and slab
decorations). Carve/incise designs. Allow to dry slowly - then
bisque fire
- Paint with acrylics (Kara use temperas with clear acrylic spray.
Insides were painted, too)- or glaze/underglaze.
Other ideas included - television, American Flag, clown face, crayon
box, fish bowl, strawberry.
Resources:
Motivation:
1.
Show student examples of contemporary ceramic slab construction (stiff
slab and draped slab). You could present lesson as a theme - nature
inspired - or Pop Art
2.
Review forming techniques. Demonstrate lid possibilities (have some
examples for student to refer to).
Creating Idea Lists
(Suggestions
adapted from Marvin Bartel) Start with a list of questions and
they have to write the answers about themselves. They get into favorite music, instruments, sports,
equipment, recreation, hobbies, leisure time activity, family history,
family vocations, magazines they like, and so on. If the box is to be a
gift, they make the list about the user. Think about personal symbolism
After the list of words is fairly
long, they make small sketches or symbols next to each word. Think of
sketches as visual lists. Artists make visual lists to develop and
elaborate good ideas and to eliminate weak ideas. One of these symbols
will be developed for the box. Students select a personal symbol that
says something about themselves.
It is also helpful to have students
make a list of items that could be stored in a clay box. Student
may want to make some of their own treasures to store in the boxes.
