CLAY
CLAY BIRD NESTS
KINDERGARTEN
Purpose:
Students will work with a three-dimensional art form as they
practice molding clay into the form of a bird nest. This technique is
done by learning and using the PINCH POT method of building.
Vocabulary: Clay, pinch pot
Materials:
One to one and a half pounds clay (low-fire) per student, paint
(acrylic or tempera), brushes, lacquer (see below). This project can
also easily be done using air-dry clay.
Methods:
*Demonstrate how to make a pinch pot and explain the purpose of
the assignment.
*Together, repeat the steps in order:
1. Roll the clay into a ball.
2. Stick thumb into the center of the ball, making sure that it
goes through ¾ of the ball, not breaking through the
bottom.
3. Using a “pinching” motion with your fingers, work your
way around the ball, squeezing the sides together to form
a bowl shape.
*Once the bird nest has been completed, encourage the students to
fill up the nest with a variety of other items such as birds, eggs, and
worms that they make out of clay. Keep all pieces together with the
clay nest.
*Fire
*Have the students paint the nests. If you use something other than
acrylic paint, make sure that the nests are sprayed with an acrylic
lacquer before sending home.
SLAB TILES/INSECT
3RD GRADE
This project is generally done after a research project on insects. However, feel
free to create any kind of design on the student tiles. The students can focus on
geometric design, experiment with using balance in design, or try landscapes,
working with the ideas of high and low relief. The possibilities are endless when
you’re working with slabs!
Purpose:
Students will learn how to build a relief tile using the slab method,
attaching relief using the slip-and-score method. Students will also
learn about under and over glazes.
Vocabulary:Clay slabs and relief. Clay vocabulary: Kiln, earthenware,
greenware, slip-and-score, clay tools, glazes (over glazes, under
glazes, gloss glazes, matt glazes)
Materials:
Low-fire clay (about two pounds per student), clay tools (forks,
butter knives, rollers, toothpicks, and spoons), prepared slip
(watered-down clay), glazes (a variety of gloss and matt), pre-cut
six-inch paper squares (one for each student). Leather straps and
adhesive.
Air dry clays and paints can be used instead of low-fire clays
Methods:
*Students will begin by rolling out a slab and cutting an equal sixinch square (pre-cut from paper, then laid on the slab and traced).
*Using a toothpick, have the students sketch their insect (or other
design) on the tile. Make sure that it is large enough to cover most
of the tile.
*Begin building up the insect’s body three-dimensionally using the
slip-and-score method. Keep in mind how the insect’s body looks;
the wings are thinner than the body, so they shouldn’t be built up as
thick (high relief).
*Once the insect is complete, dig into the background to create an
environment for the bug. This creates multiple plane relief. (low
relief)
*Fire and/or dry
*Glaze, while introducing the difference between overglazes and
underglazes or use paints to color
*Attach leather straps to the back, using a strong adhesive, and
hang the finished tiles!
COIL POTS
4TH GRADE
Purpose: Students will learn the coil method of clay building, along with the
slip-and-score method. Using coils, they will build a seven to eight
inch pot. After the pot is built, they will then learn about glazes (over
and under) as they color their pots.
Vocabulary:Coil building. Clay vocabulary: kiln, earthenware, greenware, slip
and score, clay tools, glazes (over glazes, under glazes, gloss
glazes, matt glazes).
Materials:
Low-fire clay (about three pounds per student), clay tools (forks,
butter knives, rollers, toothpicks, and spoons), prepared slip
(watered-down clay), glazes (a variety of gloss and matt)
**If using air-dry clay, have the students paint the pots using acrylic paints or use
tempera paints with a final coat of acrylic lacquer
Methods:
*Students will begin building their clay pots by rolling out a slab
base. This base may be any shape that they choose. Remind them
that organic shapes are easier to build than geometric shapes.
*Teach the slip and score method of building. Remind students that
both areas that are to be connected must be scored and covered
with slip before attaching them together.
*Have the students practice building coils and set aside the usable
ones, i.e. those that are uniform in thickness.
*Once coils (at least seven or eight) are rolled, begin building the
pot using the slip-and-score method. Show students how the coils
can be smoothed out, or kept intact to create a design.
*Once a pot reaches optimum height, have the students decorate it
(by adding 3-D pieces to the exterior: using the slip-and-score
method).
*Fire
*Go over glazes, explaining the difference between underglaze and
overglaze. Have students glaze pots. Alternatively, have pots air-dry
and then paint using tempera or acrylic paints
*Fire & display!
CLAY PINCH POT CONTAINERS
6TH GRADE AND UP
Purpose:
Students will learn to use the pinch method of forming clay while
utilizing the slip-and-score method. Students will use the clay in a
variety of forms (plastic, leatherhard, and greenware stages). They
will also use glazes.
Vocabulary: Clay: plastic, greenware, stoneware; slip-and-score; glaze: matte,
glossy, underglaze, overglaze; pinch method; leatherhard clay; and
wedging
Materials:
One to two pounds of clay per student; “tools” (knives, forks,
spoons); prepared slip; glazes (preferably glossy); paintbrushes (to
apply glaze); kiln
Methods:
Since there are so many steps to this project, I like to have the
students work along with me as I am demonstrating.
*Begin by handing out a one-pound clay ball to every student.
Work on a clean or prepared surface for clay. Wedge clay to
remove excess air bubbles.
*Form a ball and cut in half, creating two equal parts.
*Using the pinch method, create two like “birds nests,” one from
each half. Make sure that the sides are even in thickness, and that
the tops do not become flat. Continue to rotate in hand!
*Slip and score two halves together, creating an “egg-like” hollow
form. Use a small coil to make the egg seamless.
*Let dry to the leather hard stage.
*Using a sharp knife, cut a lid into the egg. Make sure that the cut is
made at an angle, cutting down into the hollow ball (to make sure
that the lid doesn’t slide off once completely dry).
*Smooth out interior and create decorative designs by slipping and
scoring to the outside. Try to create a design that moves from top to
bottom, creating a place where the two pieces fit together.
*Dry and fire.
*Glaze.