Required Questions:
1.Tools are a major focus in this class. Though many things can be completed by hand tools are often necessary. In creating artwork what type of tools have you used? In using these tools how did they help your work along? Explain their function and purpose. (Ex. Pottery Wheel, aviation snips, Clay rib)
2. How has your knowledge and understanding of tools changed since the beginning of the semester? Talk about your growth of understanding.
Picked Questions:
3. What was your favorite material that you used this year? Why do you like working with it?
4. Which project was your most successful? Describe the theme and or topic and the process you went through to complete the project.
5. Regardless of whether you liked or disliked a project, which one did you learn, grow, or developed the most from? Please explain.
1.Tools are a major focus in this class. Though many things can be completed by hand tools are often necessary. In creating artwork what type of tools have you used? In using these tools how did they help your work along? Explain their function and purpose. (Ex. Pottery Wheel, aviation snips, Clay rib)
- Something I have always wanted to try was the pottery wheel. My first time ever using it was in this class. I have heard from Jesse and Ally how it can sometimes be frustrating and hard. I tried it for the first time and I was trying to make a tea-pot/ pitcher. The first try was not too bad. It actually came out better than I thought it would. The pottery wheel allowed me to smooth the edges of my pitcher and to form the shape a lot easier. It also helped me with creating detail on my piece. I really liked using the wheel and used it for a couple more of my projects. Another tool that helped me a lot was the aviation snips. I made several wire trees and these helped me out a ton! Having to snap the pieces of wire and having to bend the wire around the tree would be very hard if I was just using my hands. The aviation snips helped me cut the wire, and form it around the tree without cutting my hands. Another bigger tool that helped was the slab roller. I have always just known of using a regular rolling pin, but when you have a really big piece of clay, using the slab roller helped me so that everything was even and it made it simpler to roll out. Without it sometimes it would make my clay uneven and my piece wouldn’t turn out correct.
2. How has your knowledge and understanding of tools changed since the beginning of the semester? Talk about your growth of understanding.
- Like I said in the first question, it was my first time ever using a pottery wheel. I had no idea how it worked or even how it was used. When using it for my first piece, I went in completely clueless not knowing that there was even a pedal you would use to control the speed. Once I was taught, it made a lot more sense. It helped me create my ideal projects that I wanted to and made it easier as well. Comparing my beginning knowledge with my current knowledge about the pottery wheel, I know I am able to expand my topics of my pieces because I have tools that make it possible. Also from the beginning, I never really knew of all the clay tools that we keep in the bucket. I had no idea that certain tools can create so much detail and make creating my piece simpler and so I can go into more detail. From the beginning to the end, I can tell my knowledge has expanded when learning more about the tools and it has made my projects more unique and possible throughout the semester.
Picked Questions:
3. What was your favorite material that you used this year? Why do you like working with it?
- My favorite material I used this year was definitely clay. Even when I was in elementary school I would make little people, food, keychains, and so much more out of clay. I think it is something fun to do. One of the best things about it is if you mess up, you can easily restart or fix it using more clay or taking things off. Since there are a lot of tools for clay, it also makes using clay easier. Something else I love about clay is how you can basically use it for any project. I know I love all of my pieces of clay and I like how you can make use of your pieces you created. I also love painting and painting the clay and seeing how shiny and nice it turns out is my favorite part! More than likely, I am going to be using clay for most of my projects.
4. Which project was your most successful? Describe the theme and or topic and the process you went through to complete the project.
- Personally I think my most successful project was my newspaper birdhouse. It turned out exactly how I pictured it in my head. I have worked with newspaper previously (I made a mini mannequin and dress out of newspaper) and I loved the way it turned out so I thought why not make a birdhouse out of newspaper? The topic was dwelling, and I wanted to use newspaper for some project so I thought this would be a good chance to make a different looking birdhouse. The process wasn’t that long, it was just the fact that I had to be really precise. I cut out pieces of cardboard and had to make sure they would all fit together. Then I just wrapped the newspaper around the pieces of cardboard and glued all the pieces together. I maybe could have challenged myself a little more by using no cardboard and having to make the newspaper thick and only use that, but I didn’t have enough newspaper. I really like the way it turned out and the size, and since my mom loves birdhouses she really liked it when I brought it home!
5. Regardless of whether you liked or disliked a project, which one did you learn, grow, or developed the most from? Please explain.
- The project I learned the most from is my turtle, “Squirt” from Finding Nemo. I used paper mache and newspaper to create him. I have never used paper mache before and I really learned a lot! I learned how to actually make the “mixture” and how to deal with it. I also learned that you are able to put it over pretty much anything! So if I made something with wire, or newspaper, I am able to wrap it around it so that it can dry hard. It is a good alternative to clay, especially because if I were to make Squirt that big he would be very heavy. There are things I would change on my project with the paper mache. I would try to make smoother edges so there aren’t as many sharp edges. I would also make the strips of newspaper not as big next time on the face and more detailed areas. I grew from the beginning because I didn’t know how to even use it, I would have used clay, but I wanted to try something different. Through this project I realized that I’m not a big fan of paper mache, but would maybe use it for a smaller project!
These are the aviation snips talked about in the first question, the ones I used to make my wired trees.
This is the pitcher I made on the pottery wheel for the first time! This was talked about in questions 1 and 2.
These are some of the clay pieces I made talked about in question 3. I made a set with a bowl, a mug, and a tray.
This is my newspaper birdhouse I made in question 4.
This is Squirt that I made out of paper mache in question 5.