ART 259 Pottery: Wheel Throwing

Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 4
Credits: 4

Introduces producing pottery using the potter’s wheel. Includes forming, trimming, decorating, glazing, and firing processes, as well as visual and functional form considerations. Emphasizes craftsmanship through slide lectures, demonstrations, and studio projects.

Prerequisite: Placement into WR 115 (or higher), or completion of WR 090 (or higher) with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Describe the origins of clay and its working processes from geological beginnings, through finished fire state.
Complete wheelthrowing projects including an 8” tall cylinder, a bowl and plate, bottle with carved relief texture, pitcher with pulled handle and formed spout, and lidded containers.
Use slips and glazes to decorate wheel thrown pottery artworks.
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of wheel thrown objects, using appropriate terminology to distinguish between successful and less successful design strategies, and to develop strong alternative solutions to those initially displayed in the original design concept as assigned.
Compare quality examples of historical and contemporary ceramic artworks with their own ceramic creations through a written gallery critique using online and off-campus resources.
Work individually and cooperatively in problem solving pottery projects.
Show attention to detail and craftsmanship in work.
Use online resources to identify examples of historically significant forms; adopt, adapt, and integrate their significant design components into a personal creation using classroom clay techniques.
Find solutions to visual problems in wheelthrowing projects by integrating unity, seeking relationships, finding associations, generalizing, and synthesizing.

Content Outline

Introduction
- Historical overview-the diversity of ancient and contemporary uses of clay
- Review of the origins of clay-stages and description of ceramic processes and integrating vocabulary
Use of the Studio
- Security concerns through access, use, and upkeep of studio
- Health and safety issues through proper handling of ceramic materials
- Proper operation, safe use, and care of equipment
- Clay preparation-mixing and wedging
Design Methodologies
- Introduction to design processes and ideation
  - Define-clarification of goals, restrictions
  - Brainstorm-discovery
  - Analyze-testing the brainstorm designs
  - Revise-modification to clarify or simplify the design
  - Refine-execution of finished work
- Form and function
  - Integrity of material
  - Contrasts of utility and aesthetics in composition
- 3-D design considerations
  - Form
  - Plane
  - Surface and texture
  - Introduction to other elements such as space, light, color, etc.
  - Introduction to principles of design such as unity, balance, repetition, etc.
- Introduction to content and personal expression
  - Using historical and contemporary examples
- Personal expression as style
Wheel Processes
- Introduction
  - Centering
  - Opening
  - Forming
  - Shaping
- Decorating moist clay
- Trimming
- Individual skill building assignments
  - 8” tall cylinder
  - Bowl and plate forms-trimming
  - Bottle form-collaring and trimming with a chuck
  - Pitcher-formed spout and pulled handle
  - Lidded containers-4 types of lid variations
Decoration and Firing Processes
- Stains-production and use
- Glaze types and proper application
- Loading, unloading, and firing kilns