Ceramics

Coil and Slab Methods

• There are 3 main hand building techniques for

making 3D ceramic forms (pots). These are the pinch, coil and slab techniques.

• Since ancient times these techniques have been used to create large, imaginative and exciting vessels or pots.

• Until quite recently they have usually been functional but now they are made as decorative works of art.

• Many of the potters and artists who make these pots have become well known and their work is collected and displayed in galleries, much the same as paintings and sculpture.

Assignment

• For this project you will research the work of a culture, eg the work of Chinese, African, Greek, Native American, Nigerian, Roman or other pottery.

• Notice what techniques are used, how large the pots are, where they were made, were they glazed, do they have patterns on them, what techniques were used to create the pattern?

• Have the pots been made for a particular reason, are they just decorative, or do they have a message - is the artist trying to say something?

• When you have gathered all this information, put it all together in an interesting way, along with some illustrations, in your sketchbook – remember presentation is important.

• Using the resources you have found, design a coil pot of your own that reflects the essential design qualities of the culture you have selected. Draw 3 proposed vessels in your sketchbook. Keep the drawing in front of you as you work on your vessel.

Coil Pots

Building a coil pot

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/artroom/Vivian/Vivian-coil.jpg

Nigerian stoneware coil pot decorated with a traditional Nigerian incised pattern

African incised vase

African - Niger Delta

African Storage Jar

Japanese Ritual Vessel

Egyptian Storage Jar

Unglazed earthenware jar decorated with darker slip Egyptian, about 3300 BC.

Chinese Hill Jar

Chinese Spirit Jars

Tang Dynasty - China

Unglazed earthenware jar decorated with a pattern of green and brown slip. Coil pot . North west China. About 2000 –

1500 BC

Roman Storage Vessel

Unglazed earthenware jar. Part thrown, part coil pot. Applied decoration. About 1450-1400 BC. Knossos, Crete.

Greek Amphoras

Andalusian Amphora

Acoma Vessel

Acoma vessel

Acoma vessel

Contemporary Acoma decorative techniques

Hopi

Hopi

Joy Navesie Hopi Potter

Santa Clara PuebloCarved Decoration

Santa Clara Pueblo

Contemporary sculpture using coil method - Derrick Wilshaw

Derrick Wilshaw. Large slab and coil stoneware pot 1967

Grayson Perry ‘Everything Else in the Room is Rubbish.’Coil built with black slip, applied and overglaze decoration.

Grayson Perry ‘Two Children Born on the Same Day.’Earthenware coil pot, sgraffito, applied decoration,

photographic transfers, copper oxide. 1996

Slab Construction

Fiona Hannon. Slab built lamp. 2007

Ken Eastman. ‘Still Life With Seven Forms.’ Slab built and painted.. 19 x 23 48 cm. 1997

Stoneware slab pots. 20th century

David Faithful. Lidded Pot. Slab buit. 1970’s

Shoji Hamada. ‘Vase’ Japan 1938

Toini Muona. ‘Chamotte Vase’ Finland 20th century

Steve Irvine. ‘Ceramic Pinhole Camera.’ 2007

Kazuo Yaqi. ‘Walking’ Japan

Building a slab pot

Slab pots.

Lisa Pritchard

Slab Houses

Chickadee birdhouse

New England architecture

Temples

• Greek • Roman

Cottages

• Irish cottage • Scottish cottage

Cottages

• Cotswold • Thatched roof

Cottages

• Key West • Victorian

Huts

• African • Thai

Chinese House

Chris Theiss. ‘On the Bridge.’ Slab and coil work with sgraffito. 1989