Origami Bowl

ORIGAMI BOWL

Construction photo:

Describe your process of creating the cuts and shape of your bowl: Because of AP Exams, I missed the class where we designed the template for our bowl, so I did not make my own template. But, I was able to use one of Mr. P's. In order to construct the bowl, I traced out the outline of Mr. P's template on a slab of clay. Then, I slipped-and-scored the edges of each petal in order attach the folds in my piece. I used the following guidelines: scoring the right back of each petal and laying it over the left top of the next petal.

Insert Pre-fired Glaze Photo:

Insert Post-fired Glaze Photo:

Describe the reaction between the glaze and glass effect or your glaze combination: I applied three coats of the Mayco Plum Jelly glaze. I used this glaze to cover all parts of the bowl except for the center and bottom. In the center, I assembled four layers of pieces of glass, because my piece is quite deep. I also tried to angle some pieces of glass outwards onto the sides of my bowl, so that I could experiment with the reaction between my glaze and glass in the kiln. Also, I really like how the Mayco glaze I used has a high refractive quality that makes it glossy.  The effect of this combination between glaze and glass was very interesting. I liked how you can see the plum jelly glaze dripping into the outter rim of the glass, with designs of purple and blue details. It's interesting to the viscosity of the glaze and how its flux plays a role in the combination of these two materials.

What would you have done different? I would have experimented more with my usage of glass pieces. I only used clear glass pieces, so it would have been interesting to see how the glaze and other glass parts would react with a different color shard, like an amber one for example. I might have also applied more intricate designs when glazing. For this bowl, I just painted the entire piece using one glaze, but I think it would have been interesting to use two or three glazes and working to create a design in which the glazes and glass center worked off one another.

Final Blog

Planning and Construction

Insert your sketch or plans: Essentially, I wanted to build a trapezoid slab base for a circular slab piece to rest on. Then, I wanted to use coils to build a neck that topped my overall piece.

Insert your Construction photo:

Describe your thoughts or idea and the construction techniques you planned to use. I planned to use the slab technique on the majority of my piece because it was a skill that I was not able to master in ceramics 1. More specifically, I wanted to use a trapezoidal slab for the base of my piece and a circular slab for its center. Then I wanted to top off my piece with a small coil neck that elongated the design and offered a different, smaller width as compared to the circular and trapezoidal slabs below it. Additionally, although slightly rudimentary, I wanted to use a patterned roller to imprint designs on my slabs. I have never used this technique before and I thought that it this new technique would add an intricate and interesting detail to my piece. Although there are various segments of my piece, I wanted each section to flow well, so that it looked like one unified and connected project.

One of the criteria is for you to be able to create what you have planned out.  How accurate were you in trying to create your idea from sketch to clay? I think that my sketch came to life pretty well. The only section in which there was a disparity between sketch and clay was the coil section. Initially, I wanted to carve out pieces of the top coil segment so that it would look like strips were holding the lip of the piece up (sort of like it was raised or floating). But then, as I started to build all the parts of my piece and imprinted details into its various sections. I came to the conclusion that carving the coil section would be too much, and I wanted to keep my piece simple and elegant :). Other than the slight change my design, I think that I was able to construct a piece quite similar to the initial sketch. I used the sketch as a foundation for the templates I built for each slab section. I used it to draw out the size and shape of the circle and trapezoid parts that I created.

How would you plan differently next time? I would spend more time focusing on the aesthetic of my design. When I was creating my design, I was fixating on the skills necessary to integrate and how I could challenge myself -- which is why I leaned towards more slab pieces than pieces that relied on coil techniques, because I had not created slabs in ceramcis 1. But, looking at the final construction of my piece, I admit that it is slightly bulky and that the aesthetic could be developed further. I also wish that I took more chances in the shapes that I chose to use. So, if I could plan again, I would spend more time looking at images online of different slab shapes and seeking inspiration. For example, perhaps I would make the center of my piece a flower-shaped slab that is more complex than a regular circle. Or, maybe I would use a bowl template and weave the center. I would also plan by using an estimate of how long each section is going to take me. This way, I wouldn’t have to come in for extra work time or be stressed out about completing my piece, as I was during this process. Rather, I would estimate how long each section would take me and use that information to guide my design and what time and piece combinations would work best together.

Glazing
Insert prefired glaze photo	Insert post fired glaze photo
Glaze Record and application Coil neck and textured side part: Base coat - White high fire glaze given by Mr. P (applied once) Top coat - Temmoku PC-30 (applied once) Center slab: Base coat - Oatmeal PC-31 (applied twice) Top coat - Temmoku PC-30 (applied twice) Bottom slab: Base coat - Oatmeal PC-31 (applied twice) Dripped glaze - Temmoku PC-30 (dripped onto the top half of this part of the piece)

Final Reflection

As a final product to reflect all that you have learned in ceramics 1 and 2, is this representative of your learning? Why? Yes, I think this is a pretty good representation of what I have learned in ceramics 1 and 2. The bottom and center of my piece display my ability to work slabs and textured rollers to add a layer of design to my piece. Additionally, the neck of my piece displays what I've learnt in using coils this semester. Most importantly, however, I'm most proud of my ability to build a piece that is symmetrical, stable, and unified in design. In ceramics 1, I often faced difficulties with building stable and symmetrical pieces, because I did not have the skills to create my pieces in an organized and structured manner. But, now I realize the planning and thought that needs to go into a piece prior to physically building it. Without this level of preparation and thought, my piece would not have become one unified structure that flows from part to part. It would have, instead, been a disjointed array of slab and coil techniques plopped on top of one another.

In terms of time management, how would you describe your use of time? I think that I did a pretty good job at managing my time. Although it did take me longer than I wanted to plan this piece. Once I came up with a feasible design, I was able to plan my class periods and finish my piece by the class it was due. I did have to come in a few days after school to get a few additional hours of work on my piece, but I think that this was due to the lack of experience I had with slab work from ceramics 1 and the slight catching up I had to do in this area. I believe that the reason I was able to manage my time effectively was because I made sure to outline a feasible piece during my planning phase.

What would you do differently for this project? I would re-consider my glazing choices and perhaps challenge myself more in terms of design. Initially, I wanted to use a combination of glazes Textured Amber Brown with Oatmeal coated over (to create a red, blue, and purple glossy mixture), however, the Textured Amber Brown glaze was not available. So, I decided to use a glaze that Mr. P noted was similar -- Temmoku. Although, I really like the tints of blue and purple that come out of this combination of glazes. I would have liked the piece to be a little lighter and less brown. So, if I could re-do this project, I would work to find a more balanced usage of my glazes -- perhaps glazing more than just the textured slab of my piece oatmeal, but rather glazing half of the center and then dripping into the combined color. Also, if I could re-do this project, I would challenge myself to be more adventurous in design. I hadn't used slabs in a long time since ceramics 1 in freshmen year, so I was slightly unsure of what I could accomplish with my piece. But, if I could change my piece, I would be more daring in my usage of slab shapes and sizes and be more experimental.

What grade do you feel like you deserve for this work? I believe that I deserve an A for this project, since I was able to expand upon my skills from the beginning of the semester, incorporate new techniques, and create a coherent piece that flows from one technique to the next.

Coil Project Reflection

Coil Vessel
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Describe what you liked about the coil process of building: In Ceramics 1 with Ms. Levenhagen, we did not use a template to help structure our coil projects and we spent quite a short amount of time on this form of construction. So, this time around, I liked that there was a level of accountability in our construction process as I could rely on my template to help structure my building. Also, compared to the weaving process, I liked that the coils were so transformable. Using the right tools, layers of coils can be curved and manipulated to create concavity and shape.
Describe your frustrations: With that said about the concavity possible in the coil construction process, I had trouble constructing transitioning from the center of my pot to the thin neck of my piece. I tried to make the transition as smooth as possible, but it was hard to keep the concavity identical throughout. I also had trouble with keeping my pot even and symmetric.
Did your original idea change? If yes, what changes occurred? Originally, I wanted to create a pot that embodied a flower: a rim that was "floppy" and looked like the petals of a flower and leaves that created a layer of detail around the top of the pot. I was able to create the floppy rim I wanted, but when it came to making the leaf details, I messed up. I used cardboard rolls to help create a natural curved form for the leaves, but when I came back to class the next time, I realized that I had dried the clay wrong. I dried it so that the leaf details would end up being attached to the pot, and thus unable to be seen. Due to the lack of time that remained for the construction period, I decided to scrap the leaves idea and instead carve details. I ended up using a tool to create a triangle pattern along the base of the pot and to border the little carvings I did along the middle of the pot. How could you have constructed better? I could have constructed my pot to be more symmetrical. The neck of my pot is slightly lopsided in shape, so I would try to apply my template with a consistent amount of pressure in order to fix this.
Screenshot of your glaze of choice and glaze description. First, I applied two coats of the Blue Rutile glaze. Then, I applied two coats of the Vert Lustre glaze on top.
Insert Pre Fired Glaze Photo	Insert Post Fired Glaze Photo
Glaze Record: Inside: PC-30 Temmoku Base layer: PC-20 Blue Rutile Top layer: PC-41 Vert Lustre	Glaze application: On the inside of my pot, I dripped Blue Rutile glaze over the Temmoku base to get the below reaction. On the outside of my pot, I glazed from top to bottom with two coats of Blue Rutile and then two coats of Vert Lustre. Then, I went over the center of my pot (the part where my detail is) with an extra coat of Vert Lustre glaze.
Describe your final result.  Was it what you expected? (better or worse) Based on the glaze description I found, I expected the glazes of my pot to come out slightly different. I expected more of a creamish/gold color mixed with bright blue details. My pot came out more blue and green, with gold details. Although it was not what I expected, I still like the end result and the contrast of my blue base with gold details. I also really like the inside of my pot and the effect that dripping Blue Rutile over Temmoku had. I was not expecting the reaction to be so detailed and intricate.
How could you you have glazed better? I could have considered the reactions between my two glazes more carefully before I started applying my layers. I tried to have a dripping effect on the top of my pot on the outside, however the color of the drips was quite similar to the main color of my pot, so its effect is not too prominent. I could have also worked with the glazes better to highlight the details in my pot. The small carving details came out nicely, but the triangles I engraved were not highlighted as much.
How could the teacher have taught the unit better? Maybe place more emphasis on the glazing process and how to consider what reactions would best highlight our piece. For example, some of my details were covered with my glazing, so perhaps instruction on glazes that would best help carving details would have been helpful. But, also I realize that my knowledge of glazing is not as broad as other ceramics 2 students because there was not a large emphasis on glaze choice in my ceramics 1 class with Ms. Levenhagen.

Woven Bowl Reflection

Woven Bowl Blog Post
Construction
Photo 1: Entire piece
Photo 2: Rim/finish	Photo 3: Detail
Reflection: Describe what you enjoyed about the weaving technique. I enjoyed the freedom we had in coming up with a design and the state of mind the weaving technique put me in. During this class, I could concentrate on the clay strips and coils, forgetting all other aspects of school that stress me out. Although complicated and intricate, the weaving technique was very satisfying and calming. What did you find difficult in the construction process and why? For my basket, I wove strips in the center and then extended my pattern into one made by pairs of coils. I found it difficult to weave the paired coils during the construction process because they dried easily and would rip as I worked. Because of this, I either had to replace the broken coils, which required me to restart a lot of my work, or fix the mistake by squishing the two ends together without totally destroying the coil's structure. Also, as a perfectionist, I found it difficult to center my first strip without a ruler and it took me a while to trust my own judgement.
Glaze Record
Weave: Albany Slip Brown (PC-32) Finish: Blue Rutile (PC-20) Detail: True Celadon (PC-40) and Deep Firebrick (PC-59)
Post fire glaze photo	Post fire glaze photo
Final Reflection
Describe your thoughts regarding the final results of your piece: Even though I wanted to scrap my bowl when I first finished the weave because of some slight imperfections, I am surprisingly happy with my final result. I like that my rose and leaves have features such as folds in the flower and lines in the leaves that make them look realistic. Also, I am happy with how my rim came out. At first, I was very nervous that my rim would be choppy and not look as one smooth design because I had to mesh together two twisted square coils while not compromising their structure. But, in the end the details and folds in the clay came out well. Which areas do you think you need more practice? I think I need more practice in choosing the right combination of glazes. When I took ceramics 1 during my freshman year, I remember not paying attention to the glazes I chose and not placing enough importances on parts of the process after construction. In fact, I did not even know the difference between high fire and low fire glazes. Now, I realize there is a lot of value in choosing the right glazes and that the colors I choose can really transform the total outcome of my piece. What would you change about your design? I would reconsider the combination of glazes I used for my piece, or more specifically my details, because I think that there could be a better contrast. I had trouble finding bright red for my rose detail, so I would look harder for another glaze (maybe one that fires white) or rethink my use of high fire glazes. I would also choose a deeper color for the leaf detail, because it lacks contrast with the rim of my bowl. Perhaps I would use the Dark Green (PC-45) glaze. What areas of the project do you think you needed more clarification or instruction and why? I think that I could have used more instruction on glazes. Coming from ceramics 1 in my freshman year, I did not know or remember much about glazes: I forgot the difference between high fire and low fire glazes,  an I wasn't too sure about the difference in finishes or which combinations would go together. In fact, the class after constructing my bowl, I took around half the class to decide which glazes to use. So, maybe a short review lesson on glazes and some examples of how different types of glazes fire would be useful in giving students like me a refresher and a starting point for them to consider what glazes they should use for their bowls.