4-24-09

I went to my mentor house to do a special firing to my Raku coil pot. What I had to do is put Raju piece in the kile, and let the kile get up to about 1,822 degrees, then as soon as he opens the door I had to grab the pieces and put them in a tin can which has shavings, shredded up paper, and a paper plate. When I put the pieces in the kile I had to let the paper get fire up then put the top on the tin. I left the pieces in the tins for about 10 minutes and then took all of them out. After I took them out I hosed them down with water and then they are finished.

4-21-09

This day I glazed my coil pot in raku glaze. What I did is put my whole entire piece in the Raku glaze, then I wiped the bottom of with a wet sponge. After that I let it dry.

2-10-09

I had to let my coil pot dry for a couple of days. Now that my coil pot is dried and been in the kile, I can now glaze it. I decide to glaze it into two different colors, purple and blue. What I did is put the whole piece in purple and let it dry for a couple of minutes and then diped only half of the piece in blue. After the glaze has dried, it goes back into the kile for the final time.

4-6-09

When I started making my raku coil pot, I had to make my coils with the coil machine. Then I made my base, after making my base I took one coil piece and wrapped it around on top of the base and I just kept wrapping the coil around. When I got done with that I mad swirls to go all around on top. I let my coil pot dry for a day or two, then Mr. Saunders put it in the kile for 12 hours and cool for 24 hours.

4-2-09

I started working on a Raku piece, which has more sand and is softer than other clay. Working with Raku things are little bit different because the clay is so soft but not soft enough to not work with. The main thing that is different about working with Raku is when you fire the Raku piece, the piece comes out with all kinds of different colors. The Raku piece is fired at a higher temperature (1800 degrees) and the put into a trash can with paper. The different colors comes from the oxidation in the paper.

3-12-09

I glazed my bird house in royal blue. When I put my bird house in the glaze, I have to tilt it to let all the extra glaze pour out. Now that I have done that I take a wet sponge and wipe the glaze off the bottom. The reason I have to wipe the bottom of is because the glaze will melt and cause the bird house to stick in the kile. To prevent that you wipe the bottom off. After I finish glazing I set it aside to dry.

2-12-09

After I made my bird house, I started on a plater. I started my plater with a round piece of clay, by rolling it out with the turn table and putting a design on the clay. After I roll it out and put a design on the clay, I dry the clay so it can hold its shape. When I dry the clay, I make sure that its not sticky because if its sticky then the clay won't be hard enough to hold shape. Now that the clay is hard enough to make a shape. I use four fingers on my right hand and push up and the clay and use my index and my middle finger to push down. After I go around the whole piece, it looks like waves all around it. Now that I am finish, I just put it on the shelf to let dry so the clay can go into the kettle.

3-5-09

Today I glazed the pieces of pottery that was fired and ready to be glazed. When I say fired, I mean put into a kettle for 12 hours and then cooled for 24 hours. I glazed my bird house royal blue and my first coil pot blue and purple.

2-5-09

Today I went to my mentor at 10:45 and I made a bird house. I started out with putting my clay on the turn table. The turn table makes the clay flat in any kind of shape, to make the clay round, the clay has to be rolled then turn so the shape stays even. I had to roll my clay out rectangular. After I made it rectangular, I put a design on it and how I did that was I put a table cloth that had a pretty design on top of it and then rolled it through the turn table one time. After I do all that, I had to blow dry the clay so it can be alittle stiff to hold the shape. Next I put it around a tin can. Now I have to make the roof, there sort of like rafters. After I put those on I have to bow dry them so they will hold. While I let the rafters dry I start to make the roof. I make the roof by rolling it out round and putting a design on it. Next I dry the roof alittle bit so the roof wil hold it's shape while I put it on top the bird house. Now that I put the roof on my bird house is complete.

Finishing my first project 2-3-09

I am about finish with my first piece. I put a flower design around the pot and on the handle. Now my next step is to fire it and glaze it. I will do that on 2-10-09.

First time making 1-29-09

I started making my first art piece which was a coil pot. A coil pot is clay ropes that can be formed into anything. I started mine out narrow then I made it wider and back narrow. After I did that I smooth out the outside so the pot want leak water when my mother uses it for her flowers. I also got to see the different tools that I have to use while I make my pottery.

Interview with mentor 1-22-09

At 11 I went to go visit Mr. Saunders to interview him and as I interviewed him I learned alot about pottery. The most important thing that I learned was the difference between the clay people buy and the clay that is dug up. The difference is that the clay that is bought, is more pure and fine rather than the clay that is dug up. The clay that is dug up is so groogy that is has to be put through a mill to make it more thiner, has to be filter and then dried. The interview went very well I learned alot of things about the clay with out even touching the it.

Orientation with Mr. Saunders

Today I meet Mr.Saunders, he was explaining the things that his class did for the first 3 days such as, he taught them how to make the base and then build on from there. Next week they learn how to roll out the clay to make flat clay. Then after that they get to learn how to use the wheel. When I walked into his class, I was amazed about how creative and unique the pots looked. He told me that the only thing I have to pay for is my clay which is only 10 to 11 dollars. I start going to his class next Tuesday evening and Thursday evening and maybe night.

Mentor visit #1

Today I'm going to visit Mr. Saunders for the first time. Hopefully today I can get an idea of what I am going to be doing in his class or when ever I meet with him.

Project Idea

I planned on doing pottery for my senior project. I want to learn how create and style pots from scrap because alot of people back in time used nothing but pots.