CLAY AND CERAMICS
CLAY AND CERAMIC
Design & hands-on build
 |  |
|---|
ABOUT
How I started using ceramic & clay as a deign media
I took the elective course for Design Media, clay, and an advanced ceramic course during fall 2020. Although there was COVID-19, our course was taught in a hybrid fashion, we could get a lot of studio time on campus when a lot of students are not willing to work on campus.
I found that clay is an excellent media for expressing ideas of design, they not only can be turned into plates and bowls, but the automobile design and some other design are using clay as well. They are easy to shape and could hold the shape for a long period of time.
During fall 2020, I had the chance to start from making hand coil pots to throwing pots on the wheel. I gained a great understanding of the material and how it could be used in the design process.
Hand Coil Pot
I started from the most fundamental and easiest way to make a pot, which is hand building. Starting to understand the material was not easy.
SLAB POTS
 |  |
|---|
After practicing with hand coil pots, I moved on to practicing a more difficult way of making pots. Slab pots are made from clay that is rolled into slabs, and the ends of the slab are joined to make a round shape. The slab technique could produce a lot of uneven shapes.
THROWING POTS ON WHEEL
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |
Thrown pots from the wheel is the most common way of making pots, they could create symmetry and even shape. I moved on to this technique very early, and a lot of practice is done to have good control of the clay on the wheel.
UNDERGLAZE
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Underglaze is a material used on ceramics at any stage it's in, it's a color coat that could show the stroke clearly on the surface of the clay after it's fired. I tried to apply some Traditional Chinese painting on some testing tiles and my pots
GLAZING
After the pots are fired for the first time, they can be glazed, which is a layer of coat that sticks on the surface of fired pots. Glaze can serve to color, decorate, or waterproof an item. Glazing renders earthenware vessels suitable for holding liquids, sealing the inherent porosity of unglazed biscuit earthenware. It also gives a tougher surface. The glaze is also used on stoneware and porcelain. In addition to their functionality, glazes can form a variety of surface finishes, including degrees of glossy or matte finish and color. Glazes may also enhance the underlying design or texture either unmodified or inscribed, carved or painted.
Glaze can be applied for more than one times, and different kind of glaze combination could cause different finish after they are fired.
FIRST FIRING
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
After having a few pots that are finished, I had a few pots fired with glaze on. They came out pretty good, which also gives me experiences for the pots I did later
PROCESS
The body is thrown on the wheel at first, the shape was very difficult to make, I failed for 4 times before the final one was made. Some of them broke during the drying process, some of them have no space on the inside.
After the body is a little hard, the body is trimmed to a smoother surface. The parts are cut off and the hand and spout are attached.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |
THE SQUEEZED SET
SKETCHS
This is your Image Description paragraph. It’s a great place to add a description of the image displayed in this section, and a few more words about your business, your site or what you do. Use a friendly and conversational tone to engage as many users as possible!
_edited.jpg)
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |
TEAPOT SET
3 teapots for different purpose
Research before design
Before starting the design of these teapots, I did some research about how teapots vary for different kinds of tea making.
As tea varies, the taste and texture people are looking for on tea are different
DIfferent design of teapot could affect the tea a lot
DESIGN & SKETCHES
I choose to do 2 of the teapots first, one for green tea and one for red tea, as they are the most common teas people are drinking. Also, there is a clear distinction between taste and texture.
For red tea, drinkers are looking for a strong taste, which is produced by braising the tea in the teapot. Also, the spout is designed at the bottom because that is where the best flavor is.
For green tea, people want a thin taste of it, you could nearly taste it but it's there. Therefore, the tea can't be braised in the teapot. The spout is also designed to be more opened up on the top.
The third one is designed for easy to carry around. as all the attachments are close to the body, which could make them hard to break when they are packed in the luggage. It could produce a genuine taste of tea for travelers.
HOW THEY ARE MADE
The making process of the three pots, including throwing, adding attachments, first firing, glazing.
 |  |
|---|
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
BEFORE FIRING
The three teapots are let dry slowly before going into the kiln, making sure all the attachments are not falling off
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |
AFTER FIRST FIRED
The teapots are ready to be glazed after the first fire
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
GLAZED
The set of teapots is glazed after first fired, to make it water proof inside, and more colorful
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |
BLUE AND WHITE 'PORCELAIN'
Traditional teapots
SKETCH
Some simple sketches for myself to make the pot
THE PROCESS
The pot is thrown, then the attachments are added when it's dried for a little. The white slip are used and the drawings are applied with dark blue underglaze. This pot is made after the testing tiles have came out of the kiln and looked nice.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
FIRED AGAIN WITH CLEAR GLAZE
After the first firing, the pot is showing a white and blue color, the clear glaze is applied to give it the glossy finish
 |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|
SET DESIGN
The set contains plate, bowl, and cups
SKETCHES
Sketches are generated before making the set, in order to not fail during the making process. The set has this line on the bottom of the plates, bowls, and cups. it also helps to keep the dimensions correct.
UNDERGLAZA CALLIGRAPHY
I have over ten years of Chinese traditional Painting experience, and these are some calligraphy of my name and my friend's name. These are applied before the first firing, and they will be blue after they are fired.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |
AFTER FIRST FIRING
After the first firing, the underglaze is showing a dark blue color. Then, they are coated with a glaze which can protect them and make them more colorful.
GALLERY
Featured Showcase
