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Skutt Kilns Firing Modes - Programming RAMP HOLD Mode

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Magic Water Recipe for Pottery (Plus 5 Bonus Recipes) - Pottery Making Info

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When you are making pottery there are often times when you need to attach one piece of clay to another. When joining two pieces of clay together you definitely don’t want them to fall apart or develop cracks as they dry. One simple way to prevent these problems is to use Magic Water. How do […]

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Introduction: How to Make Interesting Mug Handles

I have been throwing pots for over 20 years, and have particularly enjoyed making mugs of all different styles and sizes. I was taught a method of making handles that spoke to me-easier and quicker than pulling handles, and offering a great deal of variety. No two are exactly the same! I sell my pieces, and give some as gifts, and these handles always seem to draw attention. This Instructable is intended for people who are already fairly proficient at throwing, and will not contain techniques for mug throwing or styling. It is strictly for the designing, making, and attaching of unusual handles.

Step 6: Rolling Technique

I like to roll the cylinders about two times with even, steady pressure. If you do it too hard, you will lose the roundness, and too soft, you won't quite get the depth of the pattern. Try to maintain a bit of the taper.

Step 8: Cut the Handle to Size

Use a needle tool to cut both ends of the handle. The size would depend on the size of the mug, and your preference for the final look. Generally 3 1/2"-4" works for me.

Step 9: Score the Mugs

Use a needle tool to score your mugs at both points where your handles will attach. Add a bit of water to each spot to make a nice slip.

Step 10: Shape and Score Your Mugs

Pre-shape your handle to approximate the final look. Score and add a few drops of water to both ends of the handle.

Step 11: Attach the Handle

Firmly attach the top and then the bottom of the handle to the mug. Look at it from the side and make adjustments to the shape in a way that suits you. Add a few drops of water to smooth around the the two attachment points for strength and to avoid rough spots.

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How to Make Interesting Mug Handles: I have been throwing pots for over 20 years, and have particularly enjoyed making mugs of all different styles and sizes. I was taught a method of making handles that spoke to me-easier and quicker than pulling handles, and offering a great deal of ...

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Contextual Factors
This lesson is taking place in rural Union City High School. The student population consists of 98% Caucasian students. 50% of the students at Union City High School also qualify for free and reduced meals at the school. The total number of students at the school is roughly 400 in grades 9-12. The art room is very well equipped and the department has a very large budget for such a small school. The school offers classes in drawing/painting, weaving, ceramics, stained glass, arts and crafts, graphic design, and more. There are two very large storage closets and a ton of cupboard space for storage. There is an electric kiln and two wheels for ceramics class; there are 5 floor looms and several table-top looms and inkle looms for weaving class; there are soldering torches, band saws, kilns, and grinders for the stained glass class; there are also the normal essential materials that every art room has. This school really has most of the necessary supplies you could think of. There are 7 tables at which students work and the room is filled with visual aids and example projects for student inspiration and knowledge retention. Class periods are 84 minutes long and students are seen every day for an entire nine-week marking period.

Students will be creating their own custom set of hand-made slab-built ceramic cups. Students from this economically depressed area of the state enjoy creating pieces that they know can be useful to them in their homes. Because these students typically come from poor farming families, things that are useful to them in their every day lives hold much more value to them than something that hangs on the wall or sits on the table collecting dust. Students will appreciate this project, as it will be an active and functioning aspect of their family system.
Goals and Standards

To create a set of at least two cups that has a unifying theme. 9.1.E Delineate a unifying theme through the production of a work of art that reflects skills in media processes and techniques

To explore functional ceramic art from contemporary potters around the world by using technology to access online gallery shows 9.1.K Evaluate the use of contemporary technologies in furthering knowledge and understanding in the arts.

To examine the history and development of the drinking vessel 9.2.C Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created

To appreciate the form and function of handmade ceramic mugs9.4.B Describe and analyze the effects that works in the arts have on groups, individuals, and the culture

To analyze and critique the work of their peers and professional artists 9.3.A Explain and apply the critical examination processes of works in the arts and humanities

Content
In this lesson, students will be creating unique, one of a kind hand-made slab-built ceramic cups. Students will be required to make a set of at least 2 cups that either interact in some way or hold a central theme that ties them together as a set. The cups are required to have a handle and must incorporate carving as a method for surface decoration. Students must also use food-safe glazes on the interior of each of their cups so that they can properly function in their homes. I will show them several methods for creating their slab cup, such as using a paper template, darting, etc. Students will be encouraged to make unique, one of a kind pottery that represents a bigger idea (personality, poverty, farming, war, family, love, nature, etc.).

Day 1: Students will begin project on slab built cups. I will give an introduction, presentation, and demonstration for the project. Students will do a preliminary drawing and plan of execution that will be approved before they begin working with clay. During demonstration, I will show students how to roll out slabs with a rolling pin and slab-roller. They will also be introduced to several construction techniques including using paper models and several alteration techniques such as darting, adding sculptural elements, and changing the shape by pushing and cutting. I have brought in many cups from my personal collection. Students will interact with these cups and discuss what they like/don't like about them and why.

Bell-Ringer: Do you have a favorite cup you use at home? Describe the cup in detail.

Pre-Assessment: Hold discussion about the relationship that humans have with cups, ask/answer questions as necessary to facilitate conversation

Formative Assessment: Check for student understanding through discussion and active participation. Guiding questions: Do you have a favorite cup? Why is it your favorite? How does this handle feel in your hand compared to that one? Have any of you made a paper model for a three-dimensional form? If I cut out this 2-d shape and fold the ends to create a 3-d form, what shape will the form be? To attach two pieces of clay, what method do I use? What is a theme? Do these cups look like they can be a set?

Day 2: Students will turn in drawings and continue to work on their slab built cups. They will make a set of two cups that relate to one another. For more ideas and continued interest in the subject material, students will take notes/sketch during a presentation featuring the work of contemporary potters. We will talk as a group about the aesthetics and processes involved in the construction of the cups.

Bell-Ringer: Write a few sentences describing the "Intimacy Hierarchy" that you learned from the video last class.

Pre-Assessment: Review material from previous day and make clarifications when necessary

Formative Assessment: Ask questions and hold class discussion/critique regarding aesthetic, function, and design during the contemporary cups presentation. Check student work for understanding and assist where necessary.

Day 3: Students will continue to work on their slab built cups. Students will be encouraged to look at the book 500 Cups by Lark books publishing company to do more brainstorming. Students will be shown a demonstration on how to properly use the slab roller.

Bell-Ringer: What is your cup set's unifying theme? Why did you choose that theme?

Pre-Assessment:Remind students of the importance of creating unique ideas/themes for the cup sets. Ask students about their themes and work with them to strengthen their ideas where necessary.

Formative Assessment: Check for successful construction methods and assist where necessary. Ask students about their designs in order to push their creativity and success.

Day 4: Students continue working on cup project. They will be shown an online gallery of a recent cup show and will participate in discussion about the work.

Bell-Ringer: How do you alter the thickness of your slab when using the slab roller?

Pre-Assessment: Check progress of student work at beginning of the class. Students should have one cup completed at this point.

Formative Assessment: Facilitate discussion and active participation during presentation, assist students with construction, ask/answer questions as necessary.

Day 5: Last day of working on cup project. Some students will be making cups; others will be glazing past projects, etc.

Bell-Ringer: Draw a picture of your cups in process.

Pre-Assessment: Check for understanding about the safe and proper use of glaze materials. Guiding questions: How do you know if a glaze is safe to use on the inside of pottery to be used to eating/drinking? How do you find out how many coats of glaze are needed for desirable results? Where are the glazes located and how are they organized?

Formative Assessment: Check for student understanding, ask questions/assist students as necessary.
Vocabulary/Word Bank

Unifying- to make or become a single unit

Theme- an idea that recurs in a work of art

Slab- thin, flat sheet of clay used for construction of pottery

Carve- to use tools to take away portions of the clay in order to add surface imagery

Materials/Resources/Technology Student Materials
Clay, Slab roller, Rolling Pins, Slip, Clay tools, plastic bags, etc.
Artists/Works
examples of past student work, work of multiple contemporary professional potters
Teacher Resources Summative Assessment Plan

Students will be assessed based on the guidelines outlined in the rubric. I will assess them based on the guidelines of the rubric, and the students will assess themselves based on the guidelines in the rubric.

Students have created a cup pair shares a theme that is thoughtful, original, and understandable. Their idea must be original, creative, and easily recognized as a set of cups to be viewed together.

Students will have participated in an analysis of the work of contemporary potters through active discussion and bell ringer questions.

Students will have participated in an analysis of the work of contemporary potters through active discussion and bell ringer questions.

Students have critiqued the function and aesthetics of the ceramic cup during their active and thoughtful participation in a group critique activity.

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Digication ePortfolio :: Kristen Muscaro by Ms. Kristen Elizabeth Muscaro at NAEA. Slab-Built Cup Set Contextual Factors This lesson is taking place in rural Union City High School. The student population consists of 98% Caucasian students. 50% of the students at Union City High School also qualify for free and reduced meals at the school.

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Amanda presents at PGATI, this is the slide deck presentation. Use it to make your own!

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How to Make Bisque Ceramics Stamps - Pottery Tips and Tricks

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Pottery Video: Helpful Tips for Slipcasting in a One-Piece Mold

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How to Weigh, Mix, and Pour Plaster for Slip Casting - GUY MICHAEL DAVIS

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Patternmaking Part 3 Conical Shape Vessel

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How to Make Magic Rice Paper Transfers for Pottery

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Make amazing surface designs with rice paper transfers for ceramics. The paper transfer process is very easy and this post makes it even easier!

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Masterpieces at Midday: David Gilhooly, Frogs and Dogs

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The Issuu logo, two concentric orange circles with the outer one extending into a right angle at the top left corner, with "Issuu" in black lettering beside it

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Last updated

This article contains a comprehensive list of local, national and international high school Art competitions for students aged 13-18 years. It is regularly updated with painting, drawing, design, sculpture, video, architecture and fashion design competitions from around the world and focuses on those that offer significant prizes, fame or glory.

Competitions can be a goldmine for Art students, offering money, scholarships, product vouchers, overseas trips, promotional opportunities and other prizes. With digital submissions common, those in disadvantaged countries can often compete on an equal footing, winning prizes that convert handsomely to a local currency. As well as the monetary benefits, prizes and awards can provide excellent fodder for university applications or CVs/resumes. The fame and social media attention garnered from a winning entry can also be just what is needed to launch a creative career.

CASE STUDY: Shania McDonagh, from Mount St. Michael Secondary School, was awarded €1,500 for coming first place in the Texaco Children's Art Competition. Her work became a viral sensation, featured on popular websites such as the Irish Times, Yahoo, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, ViralNova, Collossal and Bored Panda. Her winning pencil drawing was shared on Facebook over 100,000 times and reached a much larger number of admirers and potential fans. ' Shania McDonagh' is now a frequently searched in Google, as well as the phrase ' Shania McDonagh art for sale'. (To capitalise on this publicity that results from winning a competition, we recommend that keen Art students create their own website to promote their work and grow their fanbase - especially if you are hoping to establish a career in a creative field).
Shania's winning entry is the stunning pencil drawing below, drawn from a photograph by James Fennell:
Feel the fear and do it anyway

Many high school students fail to enter art competitions, as they are daunted about the standard of work required (especially after viewing technically outstanding entries such as Shania McDonagh's drawing above). They worry that their artwork would never compare to this and that they have no chance of winning; deciding the competition is not worth their time and effort. If you worry that you are not good enough, it is worth remembering that:

1. No one needs to know that you have entered. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

2. Everyone else has the same fear as you, so the number of people who enter is surprisingly low - especially for competitions that are less well known (like many of the ones on this list). Of those who do enter, many are 'whole class' submissions, where a teacher has required whole class participation. Your serious competitors are far fewer than you think.

3. Judges sometimes favour unexpected work - it is not always those who produce exceptionally realistic artwork who win. Your creative approach might be just what the judge is looking for.

4. You may have already produced appropriate work as part of a school project or may be able to tailor an upcoming school project around a competition brief. Digital submissions can also mean it is possible to enter multiple competitions using the same work (check particular rules of each competition to make sure this is allowed), so this can mean that much less time is required to submit an entry.

The art competitions below are categorised by location, beginning with international competitions and then focusing upon those for specific countries.
International Art Competitions

The Adobe Youth Voices Awards is a global competition that encourages and empowers youth around the world to express their desire for positive change through visual storytelling. Applicants are invited to investigate issues that are significant to them and to propose possible solutions that might resolve these issues. Submissions can be made into the following entries: animation, documentary, music video, narrative, poetry/experimental, photo essay or poster campaign. The top 3 submissions from each category are awarded an Adobe Youth Voices Award, with prizes for the artists and their school. 1st place prizes include a US$2,000 donation to a charity of choice, an Adobe Creative Cloud membership and 3 Samsung Galaxy Tablets. Winning works also receive international exposure through multiple online and traditional media coverage.

The Apocalypse Art Prize is a free painting competition. It aims to encourage young artists to use the Medieval style of manuscript illumination (with resources on their website to help applicants). Applicants must select three subjects from the list of set subject-matter, creating a triptych (set of three paintings that form one work) painted using traditional mediums: gouache, watercolor, egg tempera, distempera, acrylic, oil based painting mediums, or a mixture of these. There are three age groups: 16 years + (competing for prizes of $7,000, $3,000 and $2,000); 12-16 years (competing for a $2,000 prize); and younger than 12 years ($1,000 prize).

This competition aims to showcase the creative talent of those with autism. The competition is open to people aged 11-25 years old that are formally diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Condition. There are 5 main categories to enter: 2D Art, 3D Art, Digital Photography, Digital Animation and Poetry. All finalists are invited to the awards ceremony in England as well as presented a £25 Amazon voucher. Highly commended works and winners of the People's Choice Award receive a £50 Amazon voucher. Overall category winners receive a Kindle Fire HD and their school or organization receives a Create! Artbox. The competition is free to enter.

Have you always wanted to design your own bag with the prospect of having it manufactured and produced? Hosted by Fashion Access trade fair, the Design-A-Bag competition is a great opportunity for applicants to showcase their work in front of prominent people in the fashion industry. Cash prizes of US$500 to $US1,500 are awarded for outstanding designs across each category. The best overall design receives a four week leather goods pattern making course in Milan, valued at €5,000. This course enables the winner them to design their collection, which is then exhibited at the Fashion Access Fair held in Hong Kong. There are also air tickets to the awards ceremony, held in Hong Kong, to be won. Applicants must submit three illustrations of their design including two different views of the bag and a technical, scaled drawing. Descriptions, swatches and colours must also be included in the submission. The competition is open to all design students and hopeful designers around the world. No entry fee is required.

Doodle 4 Google is a competition designed especially for school children, providing them with a unique opportunity to have their design featured on their country's Google homepage. The competition runs in many different countries with a changing theme each year. Children must submit their doodle along with an application form and short description of what they have created and why. All submissions are grouped and judged in age groups and are critiqued in terms of artistic merit, creativity, and how well the theme is communicated through the artwork. The winner has their Doodle featured on the Google homepage for 24 hours, as well as some serious prizes for them and for their school. The winner of the 2014 US Google 4 Doodle competition (shown below) won a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for their school. Google also donated $20,000 to provide improved facilities in 10 other schools in Bangladesh, in honour of the chosen design. To locate the Doodle 4 Google competition for your country, alter the website address so that it has the extension for your country (such as .co.uk or .co.nz). Doodle 4 Google is free to enter.
The winning entry by 11 year old Audrey Zhang, from Island Trees Memorial Middle School, New York:
The annual International Photography Awards (IPA) is open to photographers of any kind, residing in any country across the globe. There is a vast range of categories to enter in and many prizes to be won. The winners of the main categories are invited to attend the Lucie Awards. The grand winner is titled International Photographer of the Year and receives a cash prize of $10,000 provided by AtEdge. Cash prizes of US$5,000 and US$2,500 are also awarded to the winners of the non-professional and student categories. 40-50 images from both professional and non-professional entrants will be displayed in an exclusive show in New York. The curated images also travel to other countries to be exhibited in photo festivals and galleries. Entry fees range from USD$15-USD$35 depending upon the category entered. All entrants must be 18 years or older.

The Autodesk SketchBook Express app is a sketching and painting software that provides any user with the tools to create professional, quality works of art. The 'Live it. Sketch it. Share it.' competition requires entrants to create a drawing using the app based on the theme, 'My Story'. From abstract art to realistic sketches, applicants are free to interpret the theme as they wish. The competition is open to anyone aged 13-24 worldwide. To enter, download the free Autodesk SketchBook Express app for Android, iOS and desktop, create your design and share it with your friends and family. Six winners will receive a prize pack valued at US$2,500, including a Wacom digital design tablet. There are more prizes to be won for finalists and their schools.

After her experiences at sea, Linda Cabot wanted to inspire and encourage young people to think carefully about the ocean. In 2011, she began the annual Ocean Awareness Student Contest in partnership with the Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association. The competition invites high school students to investigate a current environmental topic that affects the world's oceans, such as plastic pollution in oceans. Students can choose to express their findings in art, essay, advocacy or poetry form.

The RotoArt Contest has grown from a small, local competition in New Zealand to an international event with entries from high school students all over the world. The competition is held once every two years and accepts visual art entries on any theme and in any media (excluding photography). 50 finalists are exhibited at the awards ceremony in Hamilton, New Zealand, where the artwork is available for sale, with the proceeds going to the artists. The artworks are also shown in other exhibitions around the country. There are two sections to enter: Section (A) for students that are residents of New Zealand or the Cook Islands and Section (B) for those residing elsewhere in the world. The winner of Section (A) receives NZ$1,000 and a 21 day trip around the USA, while the winner of section (B) travels to New Zealand, with the option of bringing a chaperone. Both winners are hosted by Rotary Clubs in each country.

The annual Saatchi Gallery / Deutsche Bank Art Prize for Schools has no restrictions on what works can be entered. All works, from sculptures to installations to paintings are eligible for submission. Students aged 18 and under from anywhere in the world are invited to take part in this prestigious competition. The winner is awarded £2,000 for themselves and £10,000 for their school's art department. Two runner-ups also receive £1,000 and £5,000 for their school. 20 shortlisted entries feature in an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. There is no entry fee and entries are submitted online.

The annual Science Without Borders Challenge invites secondary students to create a media project to raise awareness of the need to preserve, protect and restore the world's oceans and aquatic resources. The theme and requirements of the competition changes each year but remain relevant to conservation of the world's oceans. In 2013, a 1-5 minute science video addressing 'How are we all connected to the oceans?' was required, while in 2014, students were invited to submit two-dimensional artworks on 'Protect Our Coral Reefs'. The competition is open to secondary school students across the globe, 14 to 19 years of age. A US$300 scholarship and iPad Mini are awarded to the 1st place prizewinner and a US$250 scholarship prize to the 2nd place prizewinner. Admission is free.

The Sony World Photography Awards is free to enter and open to anyone aged 19 and under. Entrants are invited to submit photographs into one of 3 categories: culture, environment and/or portraits. The winning images will be displayed in a photography exhibition in London as well as the 'Winners' Book'. Winners also receive exposure on the World Photography Organisation website, global media attention for their work and DSLR photography equipment from Sony. The overall winner receives the title of 'Sony World Photography Awards, Youth Award Winner' and also wins flights to London, accommodation for two nights as well as VIP tickets to the Sony World Photography Awards gala ceremony. This is a competition you want to win!

The Artist's Magazine hosts an annual art competition that is open to artists anywhere in the world who work with traditional, two dimensional media. Student or beginner applicants (young artists aged 16 years and older) must have been enrolled in a post-high school art programme or have pursued art on their own for no more than 4 years. There are five 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in the Student/Beginner Division. 1st place winners receive US$150, 2nd place US$75 and 3rd place US$50. Winners in this division are also featured in The Artist's Magazine and receive a 1-year membership to the NorthLight VIP Programme, which includes a yearlong subscription to The Artist's Magazine. There are five categories to enter: 'Portrait/Figure', 'Still Life/Interior', 'Landscape', 'Abstract/Experimental' or 'Animal/Wildlife'. Entry fees range from US$15-US$20.

The annual International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment was launched in 1991 and has since received over 3 million submissions from children all over the globe. The competition is organized annually by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, Bayer and Nikon. These corporations hope to educate children and bring attention to important environmental matters. Each year, a new theme and sub-theme are announced for the painting competition. A prize of US$2,000 and an all-inclusive trip to a UNEP event will be awarded to the 1st place prizewinner. Children are free to use any style of painting or any media they wish to create their entries. The competition is free to enter and is available to children all over the world, aged 6-14 years.

The Japan Quality Assurance Organization and International Certification Organization Network, in partnership with UNICEF Tokyo, have hosted the International Environmental Children's Drawing Contest since 1999. The competition provides children with an opportunity to think about the environment in an appreciative and sensitive way. Entries must be a hand drawn artwork. All entrants receive a participation prize, with 48 of the top entries receiving special awards. The contest is free to enter for children 7-15 years old from all over the globe.

The United Nations wants to get ordinary citizens to showcase their creativity by getting involved in fun and exciting challenges. Competitions aboutn various themes are frequently organized throughout the year, from crystal growing to short films on healthy nutrition to political cartoon drawing contests. Each challenge raises awareness about a particular topic and brings creativity to real-world situations. Most challenges require no entry fee, and with monetary prizes of up to $10,000 awarded, this is definitely something to check out!

American Art Competitions

CelebratingArt seeks to motivate and reward children by having them enter the CelebratingArt contest for the chance to have their work published in a book. Paintings, computer art, sculptures or drawings by any student from grades K-12 in the USA may be entered in the competition. 10 winners from each grade group (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12) and their art teachers will share over US$5000 in prizes. Winning works will be compiled in a full-colour, hardback book that will be available for purchase. All winners win a free copy of the art book.

The Congressional Institute provides educational material on Congress to the public. They sponsor an annual visual arts competition for high school students in hopes of encouraging artistic talent across the United States, in each congressional district. The competition is open to high school students only, in grades 10-12, enrolled in schools in the United States. Paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media works, computer-generated art and photographs are accepted for judging. Winning works are exhibited for one year.

This competition is sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund and Lawrence Technological University. Graduates from Lawrence Technological University's Transportation Design and Industrial Design programme have a 100% placement in the industry, with offers from large companies such as Ford, VW and Nissan. High school seniors in the United states who are interested in enrolling in these courses straight after high school are encouraged to enter. The creative brief requires applicants to design either a small sport utility vehicle or related products that reflect the traditional aesthetic of the classic Ford Bronco. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizewinners are awarded US$52,000, US$40,000 and US$24,000 scholarships toward their chosen programme at Lawrence Technological University.

Hosted by the Juanita and Ralph Harvey School of Visual Arts at Midwestern State University, the High School Art Competition is open to all students enrolled in regional high schools in Texas. Participants do not need to be enrolled in an art class. There is no entry fee and submitted work can be from any of the following categories: ceramics, drawing, computer graphics, sculpture, photography, printmaking, painting or mixed media. A maximum of fifteen two-dimensional works and five three-dimensional works can be entered into the competition per applicant. Commendable works are eligible to win cash awards totaling US$1,400. Scholarships in the amount of US$4,000 are also awarded to high school seniors wishing to major in Art at Midwestern State University.

The unique Mystery Build competition invites participants to create a work of art using a Mystery Build Kit, without knowing what will be included inside. It combines resourcefulness and puzzle solving with art to showcase creative talent and skill. In addition to the kit, participants may also use liquids such as paint or glue to create their masterpiece. Outstanding entries compete to win over US$21,000 in cash prizes. The purchase of a Mystery Build Kit also includes entry to the competition and access to online tutorials and videos. â€¨Entries are unlimited and can be made individually or as a team. The competition is open anyone in the USA or Canada.

Sponsored by the National Geographic, this annual photography competition is open to legal residents of the United States in grades 9-12. Entrants must submit an original photograph that encompasses what exploration or adventure means to them, along with a short description (100 words or less) explaining this. Each entrant is eligible to submit up to five photographs for judging. The Grand Prize winner has the option of an all-inclusive trip to Paris, London, Prague or San Francisco for a National Geographic Student Expedition Photography Workshop. The value of this prize is estimated to be US$7,000. The 2nd and 3rd place prizewinners receive a $250 and $100 gift certificate to the National Geographic online store. Applications are judged on photographic quality (50%), how well the photograph conveys a sense of exploration or adventure (25%) and the quality of the photograph's description (25%).

Each year, the National YoungArts Foundation grants up to US$10,000 in monetary awards, as well as inviting its winners to take part in master classes and courses with world-renowned artists and professionals. Submissions can be entered into the visual, literary, design or performing arts categories. The competition is held annually and is open to students in the USA, aged 15-18 (or in grades 10-12). International students who are studying in the USA on a student visa are also eligible to apply. Application to YoungArts requires an online submission and audition tape or portfolio. Applications cost US$35 per category. Applicants are eligible to submit in more than one discipline or category.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards was launched in 1923 and has become the largest source of scholarships for young, creative students in the United States. Winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards that have gone on to become icons in their respected fields include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath and Stephen King. Students enrolled in schools across the United States and Canada in grades 7 through to 12 can apply. There are a total of 28 art and writing categories to enter. Scholastic partners with over 100 visual and literary arts organisations each year to award students and their schools with over US$250,000 in prizes and scholarships. There are opportunities for submitted works to be published in Scholastic publications including the National Catalog and The Best Teen Writing, which are distributed to schools and libraries nationwide.

The Take a Shot at Changing the World competition invites students to find big ideas that can create change in the world. Applicants must make a movie about their big idea, including what changes should be made and what issues need to be addressed in their community, school or neighbourhood. Exceptional submissions and ideas will receive cash prizes of US$1,000-US$3,000. The competition is only available to students in grades 6-12, attending public or private schools within Pennsylvania, USA.

The Berks Photographic Society is a charitable organization that supports amateur and professional photographers in their creative pursuits. Each year, they sponsor the High School Photography Competition, inviting students in grades 10-12 from Berks County, USA, to pick up their cameras and take part. Photographic work of any theme can be submitted for judging. Scholarships are awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizewinners and all submitted entries are publicly exhibited.

This competition is open to high school students Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. Students must create two-dimensional works, drawing upon sources such as state history, landmarks, natural resources, parks, monuments, communities and culture etc. The overall winner receives $1,000, with second place awarded $500. Winners of each indivual state receive $200.

UK Art Competitions

UpStArt is an organisation on the look out for emerging artists in London, England. Each year UpStArt hosts the Student Art Competition, which is free to enter and is open to year 13/upper 6th artists at schools in Greater London. Painting, illustration, ceramics, mixed media, photography and sculpture pieces of any theme are accepted for judging. Three winners are awarded Cass Art vouchers worth £1,000 and £500, with work placement at UK Greetings Cards. Students also win master classes for their schools with graffiti artist Nick Walker, Bean artist Kev F and graphic novelist Sarah Lightman. Finalists' works is exhibited at Strand gallery, London. Judges include Goldsmiths, Central Saint Martins, Royal College of Art, Saatchi Online and Sky Arts. The Public also have a vote in determining winning entries.

Australian Art Competitions

Open to all Australian students aged 12-19, the Black Swan Youth Prize encourages young artists to be confident in themselves and their creative skills. Students can choose to enter in either the portraiture or the heritage category. The Young Portraiture Prize invites students to paint a portrait of themselves or a well-known Australian that they respect and admire. There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes of up to AU$1,000 to be won, as well as great prizes for schools. The Young Heritage Prize challenges students to create a piece of art that portrays the heritage of the city of Perth, Australia. The prize aims to raise awareness and educate children on the history of Central Perth. There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes of up to AU$500 to be awarded for outstanding entries. The competition runs annually and there is a fee of AU$15 per entry.

Each July, the Cossack Art Awards attracts thousands of creative types to the small town of Cossack in Perth, Australia. The annual award is fast becoming a nationally recognized event and provides the highest acquisitive prizes of all art competitions in Australia. In conjunction with multiple national organisations, the Cossack Art Awards provides over AU$90,000 in monetary prizes to exceptional candidates each year. There are 9 categories to enter in with one artist winning the 'Best Overall Artist' prize of AU$15,000. 330 entries are accepted into the competition, with submissions closing once this number has been reached. All works are exhibited and sold, with the artist receiving a 27.5% commission. Applicants must be Australian residents aged 16 years and over. There is an entry fee of AU$35 per artwork.

The Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Awards hopes to support young artists by providing them with the funds to jumpstart their artistic careers. The awards are held every two years, with the next awards in 2015. The competition is open to residents of Australia, 18-30 years of age. All drawing, painting and printmaking artworks are eligible for entry. The Lane Cove Council is the major sponsor of the event and provides the winner with a grand prize of AU$5,000 for their work. A Highly Commended prize of AU$1,500 (funded by the Lane Cove Art Society) and a Commended prize of AU$1,000 (provided by Centrehouse Art Centre) is also be awarded to exceptional candidates.

The Blake Society is a non-profit organization that seeks to encourage the exploration of spirituality, religion, belief and human justice through art. Each year since 1951, The Blake Society has organized the Blake Art Prize, which consists of 4 separate awards. The John Coburn Emerging Artist Award is an AU$5,000 award for emerging artists. The competition is open to Australian residents and all applicants must pay a $55 handling fee for their work.

The Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize honours Australian contemporary photography. The theme for this prestigious, annual competition is 'Contemporary Life in Australia', with particular emphasis on day-to-day life. There is the chance to win up to AU$5,000 for students entering the competition and each winner's school wins an equal amount to further develop their arts curriculum. Winning pieces are featured permanently as part of the Moran Arts Foundation Collection. Australian residents or citizens are eligible to enter the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize competition. All entries must have been taken in Australia. There is an entry fee of AU$25 per application.

Sponsored by The Young At Art Initiative, this competition is open to Australian primary and secondary school students and is free to enter. Children can choose to enter into any one of the following categories: drawing, painting, photography or computer art and will be judged according to 3 different age groups (junior: prep to grade 4, middle: grade 5-year 8 grade, senior: year 9-12). There are awards for both students and teachers to be won. Honourable Mention, Gold Award and Silver Award winners receive a trophy and all other finalists are awarded a special certificate. There is also the Art Teacher Award and the Gold Apple Teacher Award to be won for outstanding teachers. All awards are presented at the annual Young Australian Art Awards held in October/November each year.

New Zealand Art Competitions

Canon EYEcon is a competition for emerging photographers and filmmakers in New Zealand. Tertiary students currently studying photography or film, assistant photographers, film assistants, and Year 12 and 13 high school photography students are invited to take part in the competition. Photography submissions require a selection of three A4 photographs, as well as a 500-word supporting paragraph. Film applications require a 1-3 minute video that is representative of the applicant's style and genre, and a 500-word supporting paragraph. Overall winners receive $3,000 Canon dollars to spend on Canon equipment, NZD$1,000 cash, the opportunity to work with professional photographers and media, and more.

The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards is open to New Zealanders of all ages and is not restricted to those studying or working in design. There are two sections to enter: the school section for primary-secondary school students and the open section. Submissions into the school section incur a $25 entry fee and designs can be submitted into the 'Streetwear', 'Nightlife' or 'Recycled' category. 1st and 2nd place winners in this category will be awarded NZ$500 and NZ$100, respectively. There are no design restrictions and any materials can be used that are suitable to the category entered. There are also special awards to be won including the â€¨Young Designer Award for applicants under 21 (winner will receive a NZ$4000 package, including registration to Auckland Fashion Week).

Open to New Zealand high school students in Years 11-13, the New Zealand Animation College seeks young and emerging talent, nationwide. With a first place prize of over $10,000 in cash and Adobe, Wacom and Gordon Harris prize packs, this illustration competition hopes to set outstanding applicants up for a successful and creative future. The design brief requires entrants to design a 2D or 3D character with both a light and dark side. Applicants have the option of choosing from a selected list of contrasting emotions. These are: triumph, curiosity, excitement, love, serenity or happiness vs. rage, fear, disgust, shame, frustration or despair. Illustrations can be created using any medium.

The Waikato Society of Arts presents the New Zealand National Youth Art Awards, a competition established to support visual arts in the community. New Zealand artists between the ages of 15 and 27 are able submit their artworks into the competition. All creative pieces in any media, including two-dimensional, three-dimensional and video, are accepted for judging. The National Youth Art Awards provides over NZ$4000 in prize money to outstanding applicants. As well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes, there is also a 'Best Digital', 'Best Young Waikato Artist' and 'People's Choice' award to be won.

AUT University hosts The Original Art Sale each year, Auckland's largest art market. Over 1,200 artworks are curated for this unique 3-day event, which attracts thousands of art collectors and buyers from all over the country. The show has an exclusive wall for student entries. 40 works are chosen for exhibition at the event. The 3 best works will be announced at a special Gala Night and the winners receive cash prizes sponsored by AUT University. Applicants into the Secondary School Art Competition must be a secondary student from the Auckland Supercity region. All submitted works must be two-dimensional. Entries are free of charge.

The Schools' Trash to Fashion Awards is an event organized each year by the Auckland Council in partnership with the Keep Waitakere Beautiful Trust, who hope to raise awareness on environmental and waste issues through creative arts. All primary, intermediate and secondary school students from New Zealand are invited to turn 'trash' into 'fashion' by designing and producing a garment made from waste materials. The annual competition has fast become one of Auckland city's most prominent eco-art events. Finalists showcase their designs at a special runway show, with NZ$16,000 worth of prizes awarded to the most commendable entries. There is an entry fee of NZ$5 for individual submissions and NZ$10 for team entries. The competition is open to students in New Zealand aged 5-17 years old.

Ireland ART Competitons

The Texaco Children's Art Competition began in 1955 with the goal of fostering a young love of art in children. Original drawings, paintings or prints using any media and on any subject matter are eligible for submission to the competition. Winners of the Young Adults category have the chance to win cash prizes of up to €1,500. Special merit awards are also granted for young adults, including Art & Hobby art boxes valued at €150. The children's categories also have the chance of winning up to €400 of Art & Hobby vouchers. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and special merit award winners are invited to the Texaco Children's Art Awards Ceremony where their work will be displayed. The competition is free to enter and each person can submit up to two individual artworks. Entrants must be under 19 years old by the competition closing date and must be residents of Ireland.

Scotland Art Competitions

The Tesco Bank Art Competition for Schools aims to make the National Galleries of Scotland a pleasurable place for young children. The competition allows children to engage with and be inspired by the art in the gallery and encourages art education across the country. A list of themes is announced each year with a special category for special education schools and group entries. 53 winning entries are announced and all winning works feature in a calendar that is sold in the gallery's shops and posted to every school in Scotland. Admission is free of charge and is open to students in schools across Scotland.
If you have a competition that you would like to submit for this list, or have found a competition on this list which is no longer running, please contact us. NB: We do not intend to list every competition, but rather those that award significant prizes and/or fame to those who win. Some competitions are run purely as a mechanism for garnering traffic or interest in a company or business, and offer minimal prizes or benefit to the Att students who enter. Competitions of this nature are not included. Thank you!

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50+ Awesome Art Competitions for High School Students

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Last updated This article contains a comprehensive list of local, national and international high school Art competitions for students aged 13-18 years. It is regularly updated with painting, drawing, design, sculpture, video, architecture and fashion design competitions from around the world and focuses on those that offer significant prizes, fame or glory.

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Ceramic Review Masterclass: Chris Bramble and Freya Bramble-Carter

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Speedball's liquid, opaque underglazes will not run or bleed, making them perfect for detailed painting, sgraffito and design work. They can be blended and are compatible with Speedball's low fire earthenware glazes. 12 colors include yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, royal blue, sky blue, medium green, brown, gray, white and black. Apply to greenware or bisque. Recommended firing range is Cone 05-10. Firing at higher temperatures may produce color shifts. Lead-free, food safe when used and fired as directed. Pint bottles. Non-toxic glazes carry the AP Seal.
Safety Data Sheet: Click here to view or download a pdf copy

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Speedball Ceramic Underglazes 12-Pint Set

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DetailsSpeedball's liquid, opaque underglazes will not run or bleed, making them perfect for detailed painting, sgraffito and design work. They can be blended and are compatible with Speedball's low fire earthenware glazes. 12 colors include yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, royal blue, sky blue, medium green, brown, gray, white and black.

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The tabletop option is the lowest cost

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North Star Equipment has produced a new line of slab rollers for those with limited space in their studio. Their are three different sizes to choose from 18", 24", & 30" widths. These new table top slab rollers like the other North Star slab rollers have two rolls, much like the wringer of an old-fashioned washing machine. Both rolls have a small diamond pattern ("knurling") machined directly into the metal to grip the canvas. The bottom roll is turned by the handle, but cannot move vertically. As it turns, it drives the top roll through a train of gears. The upper roll both turns and can be adjusted up and down. The two rolls turning together pull slabs through easily, and the vertical adjustment of the top roll gives an easy-to-set and infinitely adjustable thickness from paper-thin to over 2 inches. A reference scale allows setting and repeating openings to within 1/100 of an inch.

The Table Toppers are made of moisture-resistant medex with a melamine surface. These table toppers have anti skid material on the feet. This is so your slab roller does not move when pressure is applied to the handle. The table topper fits neatly onto the slab roller itself with no adjustments necessary .

The design gives great flexibility in making slabs on any level surface. Very thin, translucent porcelain slabs and thick, heavily textured architectural slabs are easy to produce. A wide variety of other texturing materials and objects can be passed through the machine along with the clay. Slabs can be rolled either direction or reversed on all North Star machines.

The slab roller body and rolls are made of cast and carefully machined high-strength special alloy aluminum. Gears are made of the strongest material available for this application, nylon or steel. Bushings are nylon and the remaining parts (except plastic gear covers and knobs) are machined steel. The Table Toppers are made of moisture-resistant medex with a melamine surface. Metal surfaces are zinc plated or coated with a durable powder coat finish. Virtually no maintenance is required, and the simplicity of the design ensures that any repair ever needed will be quick and easy

HIGH DESIGN & GREAT ADVANTAGES

Every part carefully designed and made for its intended purpose. No off-the-shelf or inferior parts or material.

Rust free and virtually maintenance free.

No clumsy heavy shims or boards.

No chains, cables or cast-iron gears.

Thickness infinitely variable from 0 to 2-3/4 inches.

Slabs can be rolled in either direction and clay can be added or subtracted at any time.

Roll slabs up to 28" wide. The length of the slab is limited only by the space and canvas available.

Tapered slabs are quick, easy and precise.

Warping, curling and cracking are drastically reduced.

All machines accept press molds and a wide variety of texturing material such as burlap, plant materials, rope, cork and bark.

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North Star Equipment has produced a new line of slab rollers for those with limited space in their studio. Their are three different sizes to choose from 18", 24", & 30" widths. These new table top slab rollers like the other North Star slab rollers have two rolls, much like the wringer of an old-fashioned washing machine.

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This is Duncan Pure Brilliance

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This is Duncan 1001

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IN1001 Duncan Envision Clear

Our most popular low fire clear. Great over low fire white clays and underglaze decorations. Slightly milky over red clays-consider GL612. Non-toxic and food safe. Perfect for kids' work and for the creative artist working at low temperatures. Cone 06-04. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.

Description

Additional information

Description

Our most popular low fire clear. Great over low fire white clays and underglaze decorations. Slightly milky over red clays-consider Amaco LG-10. Non-toxic and food safe. Perfect for kids' work and for the creative artist working at low temperatures. Cone 06-04. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.

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Our most popular low fire clear. Great over low fire white clays and underglaze decorations. Slightly milky over red clays-consider GL612. Non-toxic and food safe. Perfect for kids' work and for the creative artist working at low temperatures. Cone 06-04. Conforms to ASTM D-4236. Description Additional information Our most popular low fire clear.

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This can also be found at Home Depot or Lowes

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HardieBacker 1/2 in. cement board is the best choice for walls and wet areas.This no-mesh board cuts easily even in tight awkward spaces.

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Please complete this form today! (Or before next Thursday 9/29) I will be asking questions about your school kiln, please take a moment to go to the kiln (if you have one at your school) and take a few pictures to reference. I'm also interested in your experience with clay.

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Shop Sargent Poster Paint Empty Palette at Blick. Find everything you need for your next creative project online.

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How to Make Vases Using the "Broomstick" Method - MITCH LYONS

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All kinds of musical instruments can be fashioned from clay, with one of the simplest being the ocarina. Flutes, whistles and ocarinas are known as airduct flutes and they come in many shapes and sizes. Their common characteristic is an airduct assembly, which makes it easier for a novice to play, since it removes the requirement that a player carefully position their mouth and lips in the precise way necessary to get a proper tone. The ocarina project we are presenting today makes an ideal ceramics lesson plan for teachers incorporating basic handbuilding skills. Or it can be a fun project for those who need a break from their regular studio work. Check it out and start making music with clay! - Jennifer Harnetty, editor.

Gather Your Pottery Tools

Metal rib with a serrated edge Sponge and cup of water Countersink - found at hardware stores; used to make nice beveled edges on the finger holes Tool with a nice flat blade - for smoothing the clay and shaping the sound hole Popsicle sticks Drill bits or a hole-cutting tool to make the finger holes

Make Music with Clay Before you get started, bevel the tips of your popsicle sticks to make them effective cutting tools. If you have access to an electric bench sander, you can easily put beveled edges on the ends of your sticks. But you can get similar results by rubbing the edge of the stick over a sheet of medium grade sandpaper held on a flat surface. Shape a piece of fresh clay into a smooth ball. A pound of clay will make an ocarina about the size of a medium orange. Cut the ball in half through its middle. Pinch the two halves into bowl shapes. Cradle the clay in one hand and shape it with the thumb and index finger of the other. Turn the clay in your hand frequently and keep the thickness of the wall as even as possible. If the clay begins to dry and crack, use your sponge and water to remoisten it.

When you have finished the first half, open the other half in the same fashion. Compare the diameters of the two pieces as you go. When the two halves match up perfectly, fuse them together into one hollow shape. Use the serrated rib to rough up the rim of each half and paint on an even coat of water. Allow the clay to soften a bit before joining the halves. Press the halves together. A slight twisting motion will strengthen the bond. Meld the seam with your fingers followed by a small, flat spatula-like tool, as shown. Use the fingers of both hands to remove surface imperfections. Use a dampened sponge to keep the clay moist and free of cracks.

Create a flattened bottom by pressing the hollow form onto the table surface. Set aside the body of the ocarina to create the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece shown below is approximately 1 inch wide, 1 1/2 inches long and 3/4 of an inch thick. Notice that the mouthpiece shape has squared sides with a slight taper from back to front. The mouthpiece is thick enough to allow for the later insertion of the beveled popsicle stick to create the windway. The shape of the mouthpiece can be smoothed after it has been attached to the body. Lay the mouthpiece next to the body to determine the best place for attachment.

Use the needle tool to thoroughly score the end of the mouthpiece and the area where the mouthpiece will be attached. Brush on a liberal coating of water. Allow the clay in this area to soften. Set the mouthpiece and body on the table and press them together. The mouthpiece must be aligned with the flat side of the body.

After the mouthpiece is attached, pick up the body and smooth away the seam. Complete this step thoroughly to minimize the risk of cracking later. Carefully insert the popsicle stick into the mouthpiece to create the windway. Care must be taken to ensure that the stick passes through the mouthpiece parallel to the top and bottom surfaces and squarely with the sides. Slow even pressure is best. With the stick used to create the windway still in place, use another beveled-edge stick to cut the aperture, or window, on the underside of the ocarina. The aperture should be located so that the side closest to the mouthpiece is just inside the interior of the wall of the body. If the hole is cut too close to the mouthpiece, the aperture will be blocked by the wall. Make a squared opening and remove the small piece of clay. Cut all the way down to the stick underneath. Make clean, squared cuts on all four sides.

Next, with the beveled edge of the stick facing down, make a square cut at a 45° angle, moving toward the mouthpiece, as shown in the illustration. Press the stick in until it reaches the other stick. Follow through, removing the small piece of clay. Your objective is to create a sharp beveled edge on the side of the aperture farthest from the mouthpiece. This sharp edge splits the air from the windway and creates the sound. Carefully withdraw the stick from the windway. Bring the ocarina to your lips and give it a test blow. If it whistles, you can move on to the next step. If there is no whistle, reinsert the stick in the airway and check the sharpness of the bevel.

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Making Music with Clay: How to Make a Ceramic Ocarina

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All kinds of musical instruments can be fashioned from clay, with one of the simplest being the ocarina. Flutes, whistles and ocarinas are known as airduct flutes and they come in many shapes and sizes.

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Ancient pinch pottery BMA/Walters collection

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Skutt Kilns Firing Modes - Programming Cone Fire Mode

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Foundation Skill: Use a mold to make a bowl.

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LOADING YOUR CERAMICS KILN FOR BEGINNERS  // AMACO Classroom Kiln Basics

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Video Tutorial

In this video I demonstrate how to measure the specific gravity of a glaze I just mixed using a graduated cylinder and a scale.

Measuring specific gravity is a way to calculate the water content of a glaze to ensure that each time you glaze, you have the same amount of water.

CONSISTENT WATER CONTENT = CONSISTENT APPLICATION THICKNESS = CONSISTENT RESULTS

If you found this video useful, please share this post or leave a comment below.

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How to Measure the Specific Gravity of Your Glazes - Sue McLeod Ceramics

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In this video I demonstrate how to measure the specific gravity of a glaze I just mixed using a graduated cylinder and a scale. Measuring specific gravity is a way to calculate the water content of a glaze to ensure that each time you glaze, you have the same amount of water.

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Creating an ENCLOSED and LIDDED Slab Box Form with Tar Paper;   An Easy Technique for Beginners

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Minute 36:30 for section about slave labor and Unitarian social justice ceramic medals

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Beyond The Pottery: The Creative Giant, Josiah Wedgwood (Full Documentary) | Perspective

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Augusta Savage

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Upon her return in 1932, she established the Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts in Harlem which provided free tuition to those who wanted to learn how to paint, draw or sculpt. She gained a reputation as an influential teacher.

Savage was also one of the leading artists of the Harlem Renaissance, a renowned African-American literary and artistic movement of the 1920s and '30s. This included being heavily involved with the "306 Group"- so named for the art studio at 306 West 141st Street, where Savage exchanged techniques and ideas with black artists such as Charles Alston, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Morgan and Marvin Smit. [1]

Augusta Savage received commissions to make bronze busts of prominent civil rights campaigners including W. E. B. Du Bois (a sociologist and activist), Marcus Garvey (a Jamaican publisher and political activist), and William Pickens Sr. (a key figure in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - NAACP).

She later became the first director of Harlem's Community Arts Center and was the first African American to be elected into the National Association of Women Painter and Sculptors.

In 1939, Savage opened her own art gallery: The Salon of Contemporary Negro Art. This was also the year that one of her most notable works of art was displayed: The Harp.

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Art Activism - Augusta Savage - Art History Kids

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by Shiona Herbert Activism against racial inequality has been enveloping the world in recent times. It motivates us here at Art History Kids to learn more about artists who have stood up to racism. An important figure in this movement was sculptor Augusta Savage. She was an artist, educator, a

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Sourcing clay from the ground in Seagrove NC

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The Real Dirt About Clay | PBS LearningMedia

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What kind of geology makes the best clay for the pottery industry? Watch as a third generation potter analyses the dirt he digs up and then converts it into fine art. What kind of geology makes the best clay for the pottery industry? What makes clay? How is geology related to pottery making?

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Cloud Stop Motion

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Database of POC in Ceramic Arts, all levels.

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greater than or equal sign

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Number Gators (Greater Than, Less Than Symbols Song)

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J Trip plan episode showcasing modern Japanese ceramics.

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A Quaint, Stylish Pottery Town & Edo-Period Pop Art - J-Trip Plan | NHK WORLD-JAPAN On Demand

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Our reporter shows us around the town of Hasami, Nagasaki Pref., with a 400-year history in pottery. She browses shops selling distinctive ceramics with modern designs made using traditional methods. She strolls around the old pottery district and an old climbing kiln.

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Using clay for math

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Two-year-old Elizabeth screams with delight, "I made a ball, I made a ball!" Finding the math in a ball of clay Ah, it's another magical moment with clay. Making shapes, discussing length, adding loose parts or subtracting pieces of clay to share with a friend.

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Clay as art therapy for depression

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If you've ever pushed your hands into a piece of wet clay, you'll likely have a sense of the therapeutic properties of the material. The physicality of clay, and its vast potential for creativity, have attracted artists, artisans, and amateurs for centuries. Those practitioners have long lauded the restorative and meditative benefits of creating ceramics-and today, it's a proven method for art therapy.

Hong Kong-based art psychotherapist Joshua K.M. Nan recently devised a study to measure the effects of clay art therapy (CAT) on adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). A potter himself, Nan had observed that his patients enjoyed working with clay, and recognized that "art therapy literature has documented very little on the therapeutic effects of pottery work, especially with more rigorous scientific methods of research."

In 2016, he conducted the study alongside Rainbow T. H. Ho, a fellow professor at the University of Hong Kong. Their findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in April 2017, suggest that creating objects out of clay can help adults with MDD to improve mood, decision-making, and motivation.

The World Health Organization projects that by 2030, depression will affect 350 million people and become the "leading cause of disability-adjusted illness in the world." Yet individuals suffering from depression currently have little option but to take antidepressants (which can cause negative side effects). Nan and Ho proposed CAT as a viable alternative treatment.

They hypothesized that CAT could alleviate elements of depression in adult outpatients with MDD and predicted that through engaging with clay, participants would "be able to improve their general health, holistic body-mind-spirit (BMS) well-being, and cognitive ability to articulate feelings," Nan says.

The method is designed to actively engage depressed individuals both physically and mentally through a variety of exercises with clay, ranging from simple to progressively more complex projects. Through the process, the theory goes, adults can discover new ways to understand and express their thoughts and emotions.

For the study, Nan and Ho recruited 106 adults from mental health outpatient clinics in Hong Kong. Aged 18 to 60, the patients in this sample set had been diagnosed as having at least a mild form of depression.

The participants were split into two groups. Individuals in one group engaged in traditional visual arts and crafts with social workers or tutors; in the other group, they learned to create ceramic objects from trained art therapists who were experienced in working with clay. This latter group employed various ceramic techniques and processes like kneading, making pinch pots, glazing, and firing, and eventually graduated on to making small ceramic sculptures.

"These sculptures were associated with their significant life experiences, loved ones, or embodied inner self-representation," Nan explains. "This exercise helps patients utilize various neurological functions, like visual judgment, sensory motor processes, and high level of cognitive functions." These decisions and judgements could relate to a participant's choice of color or the particular formal qualities given to an object.

Throughout the study, Nan notes, they used quantitative methods to measure various aspects of emotion regulation, like positive and negative mood, and interactions between cognition and emotion-all of which "are closely related to the conventional understanding of the signs and symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder." They found that those who were taking CAT had lower levels of depression and improved "daily functioning, general mental health, and holistic BMS well-being."

CAT, Nan found, activates patients' "innate creative abilities" and transforms negative emotions (such as despair or despondency) into positive ones (like hope, surprise, satisfaction, and joy). What sets it apart from other forms of art therapy, he believes, is clay's distinctive malleability and the physical exertion it requires.

"It is especially significant that CAT has shown effects on the abilities to arouse positive emotion in MDD individuals," he continues, adding that these areas are particularly valuable given that depression prohibits the ability to generate positive emotions and memories.

He notes, however, that as with the consumption of antidepressants, art therapy and CAT must be practiced for a significant period of time before an individual can feel their effects.

But, in his estimation, the benefits of finding one's artistic potential through clay can far outweigh the necessary commitment to the medium. "The experience of witnessing how clay transcends into a beautifully glazed ceramic art piece after firing," Nan notes, "is parallel to the transformative process of discovering an artist's identity after carrying a stigma of mental illness."

Correction:

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Joshua K.M. Nan is a psychologist and art therapy researcher. He is an art psychotherapist and assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong.

Jenna Gribbon, Luncheon on the grass, a recurring dream, 2020. Jenna Gribbon, April studio, parting glance, 2021. Jenna Gribbon, Silver Tongue, 2019

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Why Creating Ceramics Can Be so Therapeutic | Artsy

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If you've ever pushed your hands into a piece of wet clay, you'll likely have a sense of the therapeutic properties of the material. The physicality of clay, and its vast potential for creativity, have attracted artists, artisans, and amateurs for centuries.

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T eachers at all levels introducing clay to their classrooms often struggle to find an exciting introductory project to build construction skills and confidence with the medium.

The pinch pot is always a good place to start. Students learn to feel the clay and determine what it will and will not do. They also learn that clay is less plastic over time. Slowly rotating the clay between the thumb and the forefinger is the easiest way to make a pinch pot. Students and teachers must be prepared to have students restart this project a few times until a comfort level with the material and the creation of a small symmetrical pot is reached.

This assignment extends the pinch pot into a sculptural event. Students were told to transform their simple pots into zoological forms capable of holding nuts or candy. Students considered different ways of integrating animal forms into their pinch-pot bowls, looking at Egyptian, Inca and Mayan samples for inspiration.

IT IS GOOD PRACTICE to have students sketch their ideas-as even the simplest drawing will give one an idea how to proceed after the basic pinch pot is achieved. Through this exercise, students can conference with teachers to become better acquainted with what is possible with clay and what supports are needed to realize a particular project.

Brianna's whimsical cow needed a pinch pot with a flatter bottom area for balance, while Laura's ambitious crab required the careful addition of two claws and multiple legs-which in turn needed to be supported by clay "stilts" until the piece reached the leather hard stage.

For Kaitlyn's owl, it was decided that two pinch pots, slipped together would provide the basic structure. For pieces like Max's fish, it was clear that important texture elements would need to be addressed while the clay was still approaching the leather hard stage.

AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PINCH-POT FORMS, the technique of joining pieces of clay with slip can be introduced to add distinct features-arms, legs, tail, heads and other weird and wonderful appendages. At this scale, it is not necessary about worrying that shapes are hollow-but students should be alerted about the problems of trapping air that would cause their work to shatter in the kiln.

Students were cautioned about using water to smooth out cracks and surfaces. The addition of water to a localized area on a clay sculpture will cause that area to dry slower than the rest of the figure, and unless some very creative drying solutions are devised, the result is often cracking, imperfect joins or in some case breakage during firing.

To finish their projects, students used a combination of underglaze and clear glaze. Underglaze fires to a matte finish and can be applied using sponges, stencils and is particularly useful with brushes to add fine detail. Underglaze colors can be mixed and/or watered down to use as a stain. It is important to refer to sample charts, as the color of the raw underglaze rarely reflects how it will appear after firing.

It is possible to apply underglaze on greenware (unfired clay) and then use a variety of tools to scratch the surface so that the color of the clay is exposed after firing. This approach is quite effective with stoneware.

Underglaze application after bisque firing offers a few more options, as the clay can no longer be reactivated with water. A damp sponge can be used to remove underglaze applied to the surface of the sculpture so that the coloring agent remains only in the textured and recessed areas. Students can then selectively add clear glaze to the areas that they wished to appear shiny.

This project came to a sweet end when, for presentation at our annual art show, the pinch-pot animals were filled with jelly beans to the delight of all who passed by the display.

High school students will ...
* recognize that a ceramic piece can also be decorative and utilitarian.
* demonstrate expertise with the coil and pinch clay construction.
* will be able to identify clay that is plastic, leather hard and bone dry.
* create slip from dry clay and use it to attach clay parts.
* understand the use and importance of the kiln.
* use underglaze and glaze effectively.
Arts & Activities Contributing Editor Irv Osterer is Department Head - Fine Arts and Technology at Merivale High School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

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T eachers at all levels introducing clay to their classrooms often struggle to find an exciting introductory project to build construction skills and confidence with the medium. The pinch pot is always a good place to start. Students learn to feel the clay and determine what it will and will not do.

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Haring kids lesson plans

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Description

THIS LESSON USES THE NYC BLUEPRINT LEARNING STANDARDS.
Elementary students experiment with clay before making their own imaginary animals.

This lesson accompanies the following additional lessons:
"Creating a Cranimal"
"Cranimals in 3D"
"Paper Sculpture Habitats"

Objective

The students will learn about animals.

The students will have their literacy reinforced by working with pieces of animal names to invent a new animal.

The students will use their drawing skill.

The students will work cooperatively with a partner.

Resources

Photographs of (or a walk to) nearby public sculptures
Images of Keith Haring's public sculptures and 3D pieces

Materials

Art Historical images
Pictures of public sculptures
Brown paper to cover tables
Clay
Clay tools

Procedure

MOTIVATION
For the students to be introduced to working with clay.

VOCABULARY
Clay, 3D, sculpture, push and pull (in terms of clay).

PROCEDURE
Students will gather on the carpet. We will look at the clay, pictures of public sculpture, and examples of Keith Haring's public sculpture and 3D work.

Key Questions: Can anyone tell me something about clay? Where does it come from? How may it be used? Can anyone name something that is made out of clay? How do you think it was made? How do you think this clay can become hard? Does anyone know what sculpture is? There are some sculptures that we see everyday here in our neighborhood - can anyone think of any? How many people do you think get to see it? What does it mean for a sculpture to be placed outside in public? Who might take care of it?

Demonstration with clay: Talk about the properties of clay. Go over pinch, coil, push and pull. Ask students to come up with some ideas of things to make with the clay.

Students go to sit at desks: Before giving out the clay to the students, explain that today everyone should play with the clay, and try to experiment making many different things. Let them know that at the end of the class everyone will roll their clay back into a ball so it can be used by other students.

Students work: Students work with the clay for the remainder of the class. Periodically gather their attention and tell them about some of the things that have been created so far in the class.

Closure: At the end of the class the students are to roll their clay back into a ball. Remind the students that artists don't always make a work of art when they work. Let them know that they will have the chance to make something more permanent out of clay.

Extensions

Assessment: Assessment will strive to understand how well the students understood how to manipulate the clay. Ideally each student will use their clay to create three or four different things during the class time.

Enrichment & Reinforcement: The next lesson will consist of making model magic versions of their Cranimals.

BLUEPRINT LEARNING STANDARDS FOR THE ARTS
1. Art Making: Students work with clay.
2. Literacy in the Arts: Students are introduced to sculpture vocabulary.
3. Making Connections: Students think about where clay comes from, and what it is used for.
4. Community and Cultural Recourses: Public Sculpture.
5. Careers and Lifelong Learning: Students think about people who use clay for things other then art.

NY STATE STANDARDS EMPLOYED
1. creating, performing, participating
2. knowing and using materials
3. responding and analyzing works of art

The author of this lesson, Marie Antonelli, a Masters in Art Education student of the School of Visual Arts in NYC, is the 2005-2006 scholarship recipient of the Keith Haring Scholarship award. This project is a collaboration with The School of Visual Arts & a local NYC public high school.

To find out more about The Keith Haring Foundation Scholarship offered through the School of Visual Arts, please contact: Director, School of Visual Arts/Visual Arts Foundation, 15 Gramercy Park South, NYC 10003 or SVA's web site.

Images

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View More Images THIS LESSON USES THE NYC BLUEPRINT LEARNING STANDARDS. Elementary students experiment with clay before making their own imaginary animals. This lesson accompanies the following additional lessons: "Creating a Cranimal" "Cranimals in 3D" "Paper Sculpture Habitats" The students will learn about animals.

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Boca Raton Museum of Art

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Click on the appropriate grade lesson plan below to download corresponding lesson plans for each image. Questions and comments are encouraged. Please contact the Education Department at 561.392.2500 ext. 104 or email [email protected] .

Abstract

Dorcely Le Coq et Le Lune

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Click on the appropriate grade lesson plan below to download corresponding lesson plans for each image. Questions and comments are encouraged. Please contact the Education Department at 561.392.2500 ext. 104 or email [email protected] . Dorcely Le Coq et Le Lune

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Artist Adrian Bates

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Ceramic Review: Masterclass with Adrian Bates

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Precise patterns-looking at clay vessels to design

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About the real man David Drake the Potter

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Dave's Life

around the enterprise. in great demand on plantations across South Carolina. Though Pottersville has since disappeared, the spot where Dave fired his pots is still visible at the site. The trees in the photograph above mark the kiln's location. to his new son-in-law, Lewis Miles. Lewis, who lived near his in-laws at Horse Creek, was learning the pottery business, and Dave surely had much to teach him. Dave's inscriptions are a record of their collaboration. Beginning in January of 1840, he wrote Lewis Miles's name on his pots, as shown in the example at right. Astonishingly, he also wrote his own name. No slave potter in all the years of pottery making in Edgefield had ever done such a thing. After that first time, he often signed his work, though by no means always. Many perfectly good vessels bear only a date and "Lm," for Lewis Miles. Some pots that have been attributed to him carry no marks at all. But on those occasions when he chose to write "Dave" in the damp clay, it was almost as though he were imprinting the jar with his soul.It may be that Dave and the woman he was attracted to were allowed to marry. Though not a legal marriage, it would have been marked by a ceremony in which both participants jumped over a broomstick together, a custom that was common in Southern slavery at the time. slaves were severed by the sale, for his slaves were divided among six different buyers. Years later, in 1857, Dave composed a poem that suggested he was still thinking of what happened on that dreadful day: If Dave had been able to write freely on his jars at this time, what terrible images he would have had to draw on., surprised the invaders, and drove them from the area. Though a small incident in the great panorama of the war, the battle of Aiken, as it came to be called, had real importance in Dave's story: it spared the pottery factories where he had long worked and saved many of the documents that have shed light on his life.

At the same time that Dave was learning how to turn and burn stoneware, he was acquiring another, very different skill. He was learning how to read. The sharing of such knowledge with the enslaved population had long been frowned upon by the slaveholders of South Carolina, who believed that even the slightest education would cause a slave to think and act on his own, thereby becoming more likely to rebel. Some in the state nevertheless chose to teach their slaves to read so that they could have direct access to the Bible. Because Harvey Drake was a profoundly religious man, it seems likely that it was he who started young Dave on the road to literacy, perhaps using Noah Webster's "blue-back speller," a page of which is shown at left.

We know that Dave knew how to read and write because he wrote inscriptions on many of his pots. Often he made them rhyme. This is his first known poem, written on a Pottersville jar dated July 12, 1834:

When Reverend John died in December of 1846, all eighteen of his slaves were put up for sale, including Dave and possibly his "Dearest miss."
Dave appears to have fallen in love when he came to Horse Creek. This is suggested by two poems that he wrote in 1840. The first, dated February 10, reads,

I wonder where is all my relation
friendship to all - and, every nation

Dave was purchased at the sale by Reverend John's son, Franklin Landrum. This was the beginning of one of the most difficult periods in Dave's life. He was faced with a series of events, including three murders, that strained relations between the slaves and slave owners of the area. Perhaps most difficult for Dave was the suicide of one of the women who worked in the pottery with him, following her whipping by Franklin Landrum. What a disturbing, complicated time this whole period of anger and punishment and treachery must have been for the families, slave and free, at Horse Creek. No poems by Dave have been found from this period, which has led many to suspect that he was forbidden to write.

At Stony Bluff, Dave began to write poems again. His surviving poems increased from one every few years to three in 1857, eight in 1858, and seven in 1859. He sent his verses into the world one after the other, in one case writing two in the same day.

About 1856, Lewis Miles began to worry as issue after issue arose to divide the country. Knowing that paper money could become worthless if war broke out between North and South, Lewis turned to pottery to protect his family. He instructed Dave to make a little stoneware container for him each month, a miniature version of the great jars the potter was known for. Lewis filled each one with gold and buried it.

After the war, Dave was a free man. He took the name David Drake, which was a reference to the Drake family and his early life at Pottersville. It was a graceful combination of words that must have given him pleasure to use. With legal surnames now to unite them, many former slaves sought to locate relatives from whom they had been separated. Often, members of extended families chose to live close to one another in kinship colonies. Records from the 1870 U.S. Census suggest that such a colony grew up around Dave, perhaps uniting him with children and grandchildren.

Dave would need this support, for the last few years of his life were fraught with danger as members of the Ku Klux Klan rode the district. On one night they raided Dave's neighborhood and severely beat a black woman who lived there. How ironic this must have seemed to him. When the black people of Edgefield were in bondage, they could at least rely on the knowledge that their owners, loathe to lose their investments, would not allow them to be killed by others. As free men and free women, however, they were worth exactly zero, putting their lives more in danger now than they had been under slavery.

Dave died at some point in the mid-1870s, for his name does not appear on the 1880 Census. Because this was not a prosperous time for blacks in Edgefield, his family members probably could not afford to purchase a marker for him. It's likely that they marked his grave instead with pieces of broken crockery, which was then a practice in much of the black South. Dave's grave might, in fact, have been covered with sherds of a jar that he himself had made. Perhaps his final marker was a fragment of stoneware with "Dave" written on it in his own hand.

When war came in 1861, every eligible male in the Miles and Landrum families volunteered for military duty. Though many slaves from the area accompanied the sons of their owners to war or were conscripted to build fortifications around endangered cities, Dave, sixty years old and missing a leg, was kept at Stony Bluff to work in the factory. Jars that Dave made for Lewis Miles survive from every year of the war except the final one. He wrote his last known poem on May 3, 1862, on a twenty-inch-high storage jar that, in spite of the disruptions of wartime, is almost perfectly formed:

I, made this Jar, all of cross
If, you dont repent, you will be, lost =

Reading this couplet in the context of the war, it is hard not to hear it as a Cassandra-like warning. Accounts of death and disaster were everywhere at the time that he wrote it. In the single battle of Shiloh, fought a month earlier, more men died than all the Americans who died in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War combined. This gives terrible weight to the words "you will be, lost."

When Sherman led his men from Savannah through South Carolina, one branch of his army seemed headed directly for Edgefield and for the potteries at Stony Bluff and Horse Creek.The path of the army is shown in the map below.

whats better than Kissing -
while we both are at fishing

The second, written on August 26, reads,

another trick is worst than this +
Dearest miss: spare me a Kiss +

put every bit all between
surely this Jar will hold 14

Writing this short set of instructions in how to pack a fourteen-gallon jar with meat may seem a simple thing, but it was in fact an extraordinary act of courage for a slave at that time. Dave was telling the world of Edgefield that he could read words, he could write words, and he could even make words rhyme. Only a few months after he composed this poem, the South Carolina General Assembly-as if outraged by what he had done-passed the harshest anti-literacy law in the state's history. As former South Carolina slave Elijah Green remembered, "An' no for God's sake, don' let a slave be catch with pencil an' paper." It was, he said, "a major crime."

When Harvey Drake died, Dave was purchased by Harvey's brother, Reuben, who decided to take his family west to newly opened land in northern Louisiana. He might have taken Dave with him if a terrible accident had not occurred: When Dave, who was about thirty-five now, got drunk and lay down on the railroad tracks, a train ran over him and cut off one of his legs.

Dave survived, but he was forced to stay behind as the other Drake slaves, probably including loved ones, set off for Louisiana. He was purchased by Rev. John Landrum, who was another uncle of Harvey and Reuben Drake, and taken twelve miles across the district to the headwaters of Horse Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River. There, he was put to work in a pottery owned by Reverend John. Because Dave was no longer able to operate the foot treadle that moved the potter's wheel, he teamed with another slave, Henry, whose arms were crippled but whose legs were strong enough to drive the wheel. What an image: two men, both damaged, helping each another remain productive, the only real measure of worth under the slavery system. It must have worked, for Louise Landrum Murphey, the great-great- granddaughter of Reverend John, remembers her father saying, "Dave was the best potter they had in there."

Dave was put to work in the factory while he was still in his teens and taught how to turn stoneware vessels -jugs, pitchers, churns, storage jars-all

Dave was born into slavery in about 1801. Records show that he was "country born," which means that he began life not in Africa but in this country. His first known owner was Harvey Drake, a young man of Edgefield District, South Carolina. Harvey was in business with his uncle, Dr. Abner Landrum, who had opened a pottery factory just a mile outside the town of Edgefield. Dr. Landrum created a village, which he called Pottersville, It appears that Reverend John lent Dave at this time The record of the sale is shown at left. Whatever links of love and kinship existed among Reverend John's Lewis Miles acquired ownership of Dave in 1849. He brought him to a fine new pottery, which he had built on his land and named Stony Bluff. The full name of the factory is shown in the letter heading at right. With Henry, the worker with crippled arms, probably again turning the foot treadle for him, Dave produced work that gained a reputation for being the "best ware in [the] country." It was loaded in wagons and peddled all over Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The Yankees were stopped only when the forces of Gen. Joseph Wheeler hid themselves behind the shops and houses of nearby Aiken Information on this page is condensed from Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter, Dave by Leonard Todd (W.W. Norton, Fall 2008). The photograph of the Pottersville site is by the author. The woodcut and alphabets are from Noah Webster's The American Spelling Book, 1824 edition, courtesy of Applewood Books, Carlisle, Mass. awb.com. The L. Miles inscription is on an 1841 jug in a private collection; the inscription photo by Gavin Ashworth is courtesy of Ceramics in America. The 1847 slave sale record is in the estate papers of Rev. John Landrum at the Edgefield County Archives. The 1862 Stony Bluff letter is in the Sylvester Bleckley Papers at the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina. The map of Sherman's March is by Jo Ann Amos.

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Leonard Todd Chronicles the Life of the Slave Potter Dave

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Dave's Life around the enterprise. in great demand on plantations across South Carolina. Though Pottersville has since disappeared, the spot where Dave fired his pots is still visible at the site. The trees in the photograph above mark the kiln's location. to his new son-in-law, Lewis Miles.

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Symbols in ceramic art, Roberto Lugo vessel

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Teacher resource links

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Kilns | Ceramic Pottery Kiln, Glass Kiln, Pottery Wheels | Skutt

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Teacher's Home - Kilns | Ceramic Pottery Kiln, Glass Kiln, Pottery Wheels | Skutt

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Teacher's Home - Kilns | Ceramic Pottery Kiln, Glass Kiln, Pottery Wheels | Skutt

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African American artists

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July 14 (Sunday)
2-4 p.m.

Meet and hear three artists speak passionately about their life's work. William Villalongo and Syd Carpenter are both featured in our exhibition An Essential Presence, while Rigo Peralta is an Allentown-based artist whose mural Transcultural is currently installed in the Museum's vestibule. Each will talk about their artistic journey and practice while bringing attention to the range of art created by people of the African diaspora and its importance to American art, culture, and history. After, they will engage in a talkback with the audience. Free

William Villalongo is an assistant professor at the Cooper Union School of Art whose work is included in the collections of the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Princeton University Art Museum, El Museo del Barrio, and the Denver Art Museum, and it has been reviewed in Art in America, The New Yorker, and the New York Times.

Syd Carpenter, a sculptor who works primarily with clay, wood, and steel, was born in Pittsburgh, earned an MFA from Tyler School of Art, and is currently a professor of studio art at Swarthmore College, where she teaches drawing and ceramics. She has been a guest artist at Anderson Ranch, Chicago Art Institute, Hollins University, Dickinson College, and Howard University among others.

Rigo Peralta is a surrealist artist born in the Dominican Republic. His first encounters with art came with rolling hills and rushing rivers as his backdrop. Peralta studied at Escuela de Bellas Artes de Santiago and at the Art Students League of New York. His work is included in the collection of the Allentown Art Museum among others.

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Dynamic conversation: Artists of the African diaspora - Allentown Art Museum

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July 14 (Sunday) 2-4 p.m. Meet and hear three artists speak passionately about their life's work. William Villalongo and Syd Carpenter are both featured in our exhibition An Essential Presence, while Rigo Peralta is an Allentown-based artist whose mural Transcultural is currently installed in the Museum's vestibule.

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Pinch pot ruberic

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Classroom tool

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Portrait of Elijah Cummings

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Miss Amanda carves and paints Elijah Cummings tile

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9th grade mural

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Making clay boats, experimenting

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Float Your Boat - Clay Boats * Beyond the Chalkboard

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After 10 minutes or so, when each team has begun testing their first designs, gather your students together to talk about what they have discovered so far. What are some of the shapes they have tried? Have teams hold up their boats or draw the shapes on a chalkboard or piece of chart paper.

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drawing and writing

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Scribble Stories * Beyond the Chalkboard

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Storytelling encourages creative writing and practice of written language. It also helps children learn how to write clear sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea, and how to be thoughtful about the audience and purpose of written material.

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Amplifier

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g1-6

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4th g geometry and design

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STEAM Lessons: Geometry through Acoma Ceramics

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In the next session they plan out their own design for a tile using a grid and the shapes that were offered. They are encouraged to follow the design process by first envisioning an idea like "I want symmetry" or "I want to all four sections to be the same" or "I want to divide this in thirds."

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clay coins

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by Jessica Lazarus

Through mold making processes, students will make multiples of a uniquely designed clay token of personal value to be shared with the community. Students will compare and contrast themes and imagery from a variety of social, protest and pop artists. Students will also discuss symbolism in art as they develop their original designs.

Step 1 Introduction

Art can be found all around us. Generate a list of ideas on where you or your group have seen artwork outside of a museum or gallery setting. What purpose did this art serve? See what answers arise and generate a list of all ideas. What you saw may have been social art.

Now that you have more information do you have any other ideas on where positive social artwork exists? Do you remember what kinds of images you saw? If in a group- take turns answering.

Next, see coins through the online site. Looking at pop-art, protest art and examples of other cultural arts to examine what images you find most useful in order to help communicate your ideas, then you will be designing your own clay tokens to share with others.

See Roadsworth's street paintings, Shepard Fairey's icon posters and Isakari Umuhire murals. All three are different types of social art.

Answer the following to brainstorm your ideas: What and/or who is being shown? What specifically is happening? Is the image real or abstract? How can you tell?

Image borrowed from: https://www.icaf.org/.

Step 2 Sketching

Take a few minutes to jot down any ideas or images you connected with on a personal level.

Generate a list of the ideas.

Try answering the following: What do you value as an individual, an American, a young man/woman, an immigrant etc. Write you responses on a sheet of paper (ex. honor, trust, health, compassion). If in a group, discuss what is similar, surprising, profound from the list of volunteers?

Select the top three personal values you believe in to begin brainstorming your design.

Step 3 Brainstorming Cont.

See the Humanitarian and Cultural coins of the U.S. Mint online. See which you find most captivating and begin analyzing them. Ask yourself, What event/icon/image is being shown? What message or big ideas do I think of when we see these same characters or events and what might these represent?

Think/discuss how the layers used form the image and the narratives you see. Continue brainstorming ideas through drawings.

Step 4 Final Sketch

Narrow down your ideas to two personal values. Take the next 15-20 minutes to draw out your ideas for those two different values. You will need to include the following in your sketch: A. Clues and visuals that support your ideas, B. A composition that seems complete and considers the round shape of your token.

Start with a circle about 2" in diameter and then draw in your image. Tracing paper can be used to help draw details.

Step 5 Modeling

With plexiglass and oil-based clay, create a relief image by adding layers. Mold a 1/4" thick round clay disc and secure this to the Plexiglas, pushing down. Add layers from background to foreground until the full image is developed. Your layering will encourage your viewer to feel the image as well as see it. Use flat, round and angled tools to smooth edges and flatten surfaces evenly. You can use a magnifying glass to create details.

Use tools to begin developing your design on your oil-based clay circle. Break to reflect on progress.

Step 6 Casting

Once your oil based clay token is complete, you will be pouring a material called plaster over your model to make your mold. Once poured, your plaster will become hard and set in 1-2 hours. Note: Your token should be well secure to Plexiglas before pouring your mold.

Before pouring your mold, make sure that all exterior edges of your token model are rounded and angled inwards so that the mold form will be able to lift up avoiding undercuts (one suggestions is to draw an image of your mold and demo model to visualize how the process works.

Get plastic gloves and a mask (plaster dust is a contaminant, mask is a safety precaution)

Pour cold water halfway into a yogurt cup (for only one mold- a large bowl can be used if doing multiples.)

Add plaster until a peak forms in the center.

Mix thoroughly for 3-5 minutes until you see a thick yogurt consistency.

Tap yogurt cup on the table to remove air pockets.

Pour mixture slowly over surface of oil-based clay.

Remove any remaining air pockets by gently tapping the plaster on the table (use only a little pressure to avoid plaster from thinning.)

Note: once plaster is poured it cannot be moved until it dries.

To avoid breaks in your mold, your plaster should be no thinner than .5" thick.

Reminder: Wear a mask and use gloves when mixing plaster. All plaster must be thrown away to avoid clogging sinks.

Step 7 Traveling Q's

Think back to your original project goal of sharing a personal value with others through a social art project. Once you have your mold made you can begin to make individual tokens. Consider what will you do to your physical tokens to help them travel or be exchanged from person to person?

Record your (or the groups) suggestions. Ideas: You can post your tokens online on the Travelingtokens.com website and share them with others, or if you prefer, we can share them through our own social media or another agreed upon platform. Each token can receive a QR code and/or a hashtag to describe its meaning and alert the person receiving the token to take a picture with it to share with their online community.

You can add the words, "Get & Give" to show how the token is meant to be passed from person to person. Generate a list of ideas you think would support the strongest approach to sharing. allowing tokens to travel from one person to the next.

You can make your own stamp - similar to how you are making your own tokens or print a stamp through a CAD machine or online through a stamp making company.

You can engrave letters and symbols such as the Instagram logo with a clay tool or write the character or value you are looking to present on the front or back if you feel it is needed.

The image and website along with a statement when passing the token was voted as one of the best ways to communicate an idea.

Notes about the Website: The website is linked to an Instagram with postings visible on "TravelingTokens". The site supports students' blogs to post and receive comments.

Step 8 Token Making

Once your presentation decisions are made, you will stamp and clean-up the edges of your clay tokens.
Begin by pulling the oil-based clay out of the mold form by either simply lifting the mold off of the Plexiglas sheet to expose the original form or by taking a curved tool and prying the oil-clay out of the mold. Be sure that no residual oil-based clay remains in the mold.

Next, follow the steps using the plaster mold and ceramic clay. 1. Roll out a soft ball of clay approximately the size of your oil-based clay, 2. Smooth this clay so that it contains no cracks or creases, 3. Press clay into mold pushing down evenly, 4. Even out surface with water or fingertips or a hard rib scraped over top of clay with minimal pressure, 5. Stamp into clay token and engrave designs as needed, 6. Blow dry clay form in mold or let set for 5 minutes, 7. Using soft clay that is slightly sticky due to water put clay into coin and in the same motion pull backwards. Token should release from mold. If it does not release easily, repeat step 6.

(Handout copies of the steps listed to any group members.) Take time to practice the techniques demonstrated, finish refining the forms or making plaster molds. Check for undercuts or issues in plaster molds while working.

Step 9 Glazing

Sketch out your desired color scheme based on the imagery you designed. Think about how individual personal values can be made clearer through the color choices and glazes used. Consider how you can make glazing more efficient and effective when painting 10 tokens at a time.

Suggestion: You may stain the backs of your clay tokens with a combination of gloss glaze and underglaze to darken embossed/ stamped designs. A sponge to the surface of the token will remove excess color.

Note: Be sure to wipe off bisque fired works before glazing them. If kiln use is not available, cold acrylic paints can be used to color works.

Step 10 Finish

Once all works are glazed and in the kiln, think about the impact you will have as your work is passed around and your ideas and actions are shared. You are empowering yourself or your group as social artists while at the same time helping to make your community a better place.

Complete this unit project by posting images of tokens and their meanings throughout your community.

Presentation option: Develop an artist statement that describes your token's message and where your ideas come from. Send this statement to travelingtokens.com and/or publish articles about your work in the local paper, T.V. Channel or online to share with others.

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Through mold making processes, students will make multiples of a uniquely designed clay token of personal value to be shared with the community. Students will compare and contrast themes and imagery from a variety of social, protest and pop artists. Students will also discuss symbolism in art as they develop their original designs.

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STEAM lesson writing

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Turning STEM into STEAM isn't as simple as it sounds. STEAM lessons don't always blend art as an equal component to the other disciplines. There are many lessons out there that claim to be STEAM, but the added art is usually an afterthought and little to no aesthetic concepts are put into the actual process. It's not that STEAM lessons have to produce a desirable outcome; it's just that STEAM lessons should highlight the subject it was meant to incorporate in the first place.

Try starting with the art and moving into the STEM connections.

Think about how much breadth is included under the STEM umbrella. It's far reaching; multiple avenues of math are included, various branches of science, not to mention all the components of engineering and technology. It's difficult to cover each discipline with equal concentration. When I plan lessons with my STEM colleague, we try to strike a balance that feels rigorous, yet manageable. Hitting a couple of benchmarks within STEM standards is a good starting point.

Finally, determine how you can infuse the 4Cs (Creativity, Critical thinking, Communication, and Collaboration) into your planning. Again, realistically, it's hard to cover all of these concepts at once, and many times it's best to narrow your unit down to what you feel is best integrated authentically. For example, providing opportunities for students to answer reflective questions about their art making process can boost critical thinking skills while using peer feedback activities or critiques can facilitate more meaningful communication within your classroom.

Integrating art into STEM lessons with integrity can be done. It's about finding the balance where the art portion is kept genuine and equally combined with the other disciplines. Here is a STEAM planning document for you to use as a guide. Take a look at the download below.

Download Now

In addition, we are excited to announce that we'll be launching a brand new class this April called Project Based Art Room! The class is a perfect introduction to all things PBL (Project-Based Learning), STEAM, Design Thinking, Makerspaces and more! This class will be for beginning and experienced teachers alike as various methods of incorporating these 21st-century models will be explored and integrated into your own teaching practices. Find out more here.
What is the best way for you to plan for STEAM lessons or units? What has been your most successful STEAM lesson?

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How to Keep the Integrity of Art in STEAM - The Art of Education University

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Turning STEM into STEAM isn't as simple as it sounds. STEAM lessons don't always blend art as an equal component to the other disciplines. There are many lessons out there that claim to be STEAM, but the added art is usually an afterthought and little to no aesthetic concepts are put into the actual process.

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Who to follow in ed

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Not on Twitter? You should be! Twitter is an immeasurably useful tool for educators. Beyond building a network of educators from around the world, Twitter chats and free PDs are happening every day - literally - with some of the biggest and brightest thinkers and practitioners out there. Here's a look at the most useful and important hashtags and chats you should be following so you can have access to amazing education-world people at the click of a mouse.

Get Connected

Even if you're not into social media, Twitter is one account you should have purely for professional reasons. Many educators use their Twitter only for professional connections as it's an education super-cache and you can truly connect to authors, thinkers, and fellow educators. The more people you follow and connect with, the more followers you're likely to get. The wider your net, the more amazing content and connections you'll catch. The Twitter feed can move fast, but knowing where to find the most relevant content can help. Get your account for free at www.twitter.com and then search for these chats and hashtags. Let's get connected!

Twitter Chats

Twitter chats happen by searching for a hashtag at a certain time and watching the conversation appear in your feed. If you want to participate, simply post something using the hashtag and @mention (use the @ symbol before their Twitter handle) those you wish to respond or talk to.
#EdChat (Thursdays, 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET)
Founded in 2009 by Shelly Sanchez Terrell, Tom Whitby, and Steven Anderson, #EdChat is the weekly " Bammy Award-winning Twitter conversation that any educator can join to discuss and learn about current teaching trends, and how to integrate technology, transform their teaching, and connect with inspiring educators worldwide." It also discusses policy, reform and often features major edu-lebrity guests.
#EdTechChat (Mondays, 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET)
Started by Susan Bearden, Sharon LePage Plante, and Tom Murray, the #EdTechChat hashtag began in 2013 as one of the first Twitter chats specifically about education technology. People interested in ed tech also use the hashtag #edtech.
#LeadUpChat (Saturdays, 6:30 a.m. PT/9:30 a.m. ET)
Created by Jeff Veal, with co-leads Dr. Neil Gupta, Paul Erickson, and Dr. Todd Schmidt, the very popular #LeadUpChat focuses on school leadership, culture, making change, and growth mindset.
#PBLChat (Tuesdays, 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET)
Started by the New Tech Network, #PBLChat is a weekly chat on Twitter that focuses on education and Project-Based Learning.
#LeadLAP (Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. PT/10:30 a.m. ET)
Moderated by Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess, this "chat will focus on the idea that we can lead and make positive change from any position in our school systems. Leadership is not about a title, it is a way of thinking and acting." LeadLAP stands for Lead like a Pirate - based on Burgess' book of the same name. Burgess husband, Dave Burgess, founded #TLAP, the popular Teach Like a Pirate hashtag connected to the popular book.

Hashtags to Follow
#EduColor
" EduColor seeks to elevate the voices of public school advocates of color on educational equity and justice. We are an inclusive cooperative of informed, inspired, and motivated educators, parents, students, writers, and activists who promote and embrace the centrality of substantive intersectional diversity." It started as a "support group for self-determined advocates of color," growing into a monthly chat and newsletter.
#DeeperLearning
The hashtag of the Deeper Learning network, this is a great one to follow if you're interested in 21st-century learning. Deeper Learning is a set of six competencies that students need to succeed in and out of the classroom and following this hashtag will connect you to some pretty cool educators and organizations engaging in this work.
#EdLeaders
Are you an active or aspiring education leader? Follow #EdLeaders for the latest work and musings of administrators and principals.
#STEM
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is a hot topic. Use this hashtag to hearing about STEM teaching, projects, and discoveries.
#SPED
Use this hashtag for discussing special education. There's also #SPEDChat for those looking to engage in a dialogue.

Quick Hits

Others Way to Get Social!
The Participate App
Through this app, educators can build community, participate in chats, design courses, get support and share resources. Check it out on Twitter.
Instagram for Teachers
Instagram has a robust teacher community covering everything from class decor and teaching strategies to teacher style. Hashtags like #teachersofinstagram, #teachersfollowteachers, #teacherlife and even just #teacher will connect you to some really fun content.
TeachersConnect
TeachersConnect is a multiplatform app and "free online community for teachers," where you can "share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate with teachers like you." Ask questions, get ideas, connect with other teachers, and learn.

Tags: Educational Technology, Mid-Career Teacher, New Teacher, Professional Development, STEAM, Veteran Teacher

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The Hashtags and Chats Every Educator Should Be Following

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Not on Twitter? You should be! Twitter is an immeasurably useful tool for educators. Beyond building a network of educators from around the world, Twitter chats and free PDs are happening every day - literally - with some of the biggest and brightest thinkers and practitioners out there.

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Steam lesson plans

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WV STEAM Lesson Plans | PBS LearningMedia

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Art, math, science, and technology media and lessons in this collection provide opportunities for students to engage in activities which integrate content from the different subjects.

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How to use curiosity in the classroom

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Great teachers are amazing people - constantly adapting, motivating, and inspiring young minds. Even to the best of teachers, though, it can seem difficult to take the time to cultivate what really matters when test time looms on the horizon. But studies show that instilling a sense of wonder and curiosity is far more important than test drills.

Tips for developing awe-inspiring moments in the classroom

Truly awesome learning can take place when you foster your students' curiosity. Here's some food for thought.

1. Go beyond the classroom. The world is an awe-inspiring place so think outside of your classroom's box. Remember that everything you teach your students inside your classroom is in preparation for what's outside of it. Give students a safe space to connect what they are learning to the bigger picture. Also, create opportunities to bring the world into your classroom. Most students can recall the time they performed a dissection because it brought the outside world into the learning experience.

2. Cultivate a culture of curiosity and imagination. Routines help to establish rules, boundaries, and expectations. When you begin promoting curiosity every day, it becomes the new normal. Allow students to take control of their curiosity and they will flourish.

3. Place importance on questions instead of answers. We don't live in a black-and-white world. Neither will your students after they graduate from your classroom. Focusing on the question prompts inquiry and allows for deep learning, encouraging students to search for creative solutions in the world around them, rather than trying to identify the right answer.

How to incorporate curiosity into your lessons

Make curiosity the goal

If you devoted time to answer all the curious questions, you could be at it for hours. Instead, offer students a non-disruptive way to foster their curiosity. For example, you could show an awe-inspiring photo or video to students. Then, give each student a strip of paper and ask them to illustrate by drawing or writing (or even suggesting a new option!) a question they have on the topic. Next, encourage other students to answer the "question" or ask a related question.

Another way to foster curiosity is with a "curiosity journal" stationed inside your classroom door or a stack of Post-it notes next to a "curiosity board." Rather than disrupting a lesson each time a question arises, encourage students to quietly write their question inside the journal or on a Post-it. Then reserve a set amount of time every other day or once per week to review them (and do review them!). Regardless of how you do it, make curiosity a goal in each lesson.

Give popular topics a prominent place in your instruction

Start by discovering what students like with pointed questions, such as "when you have free time, what do you want to do the most?" Then use those interests to inform your lessons.

For example, if your students like Fortnite, you might have them design their own game (physically or with code) to illustrate their knowledge of a historical event or significant text. If your students show interest in the environment, you might develop a lesson that puts the students in charge of crafting a solution to an environmental problem or assisting in a service project. If students are obsessed with selfies, have each student take one, print it, and identify geometric elements, such as perpendicular lines or right angles. It's all about focusing your lesson around their world and finding the awesome in the ordinary.

Show students what they are capable of

One of the best ways to illustrate awe is to highlight your students' inner potential. Good lessons allow students to see what they are capable of and grow through their mistakes. Explain how penicillin was discovered by accident or how the invention of the microwave was stumbled upon unintentionally. Then, challenge them to come up with something of their own and celebrate the successes and the failures!

These ideas can be extended to educational programs that help promote interest in particular areas, such as STEAM. To truly achieve wonder, you may even try cross-discipline lessons, such as using art to examine scientific or engineering principles or applying mathematical concepts to artistic themes. The most important thing is to retain a sense of curiosity in your own learning journey. The best way to teach curiosity is to practice it!

Ashley gained a passion for all things writing by spending years teaching a high school English class. She founded Contenthusiast so that she could spend her days hovering over a keyboard. When she isn't writing, you can find her traveling with family or buried in a book.

Tags: Back to School Season, Engaging Activities, Mid-Career Teacher, New Teacher, Veteran Teacher

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Use Curiosity Learning to Create Unforgettable Classroom Lessons

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Great teachers are amazing people - constantly adapting, motivating, and inspiring young minds. Even to the best of teachers, though, it can seem difficult to take the time to cultivate what really matters when test time looms on the horizon. But studies show that instilling a sense of wonder and curiosity is far more important than test drills.

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all grade levels

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The science of chemistry is much more than observing reactions when combining two or more different types of chemicals. Our understanding of the universe, our planet, and humans as electrochemical beings is fundamentally based on understanding the principles of chemistry. This makes learning about chemical processes through experimentation vital to the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Student exposure to the fascinating world of chemistry is imperative to cultivating tomorrow's doctors, physicists, researchers, and scientists. Here are some chemistry project ideas to foster students' curiosity.

Elementary classroom chemistry projects

Invisible ink

Sympathetic ink substances disappear and then reappear when heated.

Ink types: milk, lemon juice, vinegar, grapefruit juice, Windex, and cobalt chloride

Dip a paintbrush or Q-tip in lemon juice. Write something on a small piece of white paper. Let the "ink" dry before holding the paper over a toaster. Heat will magically cause the secret writing to appear.

Instructions for this project here.

Fizz inflator for balloons

Mixing vinegar and baking soda causes a reaction that creates carbon dioxide.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

Lava flowing in the classroom

Oil floats in water because it is less dense than water. However, salt sinks in water with oil because salt is more dense than oil.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

Make ice cream from scratch

This experiment shows an endothermic chemical process that allows ice cream to form out of the following ingredients:

A bag of ice

4 oz of vitamin D milk

4 oz of cream

4 tsp of white sugar

1/4 tsp of vanilla flavoring

1/2 cup of rock salt

Small and large Ziploc freezer bags

Instructions for this project here.

Fun with slime

This chemical experiment shows the unique quality of this compound to be both a liquid and a solid.

Supplies needed:

Two disposable cups

Elmer's or white craft glue

Food coloring

Borax powder

Water

Tablespoon and plastic tsp for measuring and stirring

Instructions for this project here.

Heat-producing chemical reactions

How common household items produce heat when combined.
Supplies needed:
Instructions for this project here.

Middle school classroom chemistry projects

Growing crystals

Chemical reactions needed to create crystals involve making a solution that cause solute particles to coalesce and build a nucleus.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

Never-ending lava lamp

A heat source causes oil to expand faster than alcohol and then cool, demonstrating changes in density caused by thermal expansion.

Supplies needed:

Glass container that can be sealed

Baby or mineral oil

70% and 90% alcohol

Incandescent light bulb

Instructions for this project here.

Separating salt and sand

This experiment investigates the concepts of solubility and insolubility.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

Hot ice

Explore exothermic chemical reactions, crystallization, and the science behind supercooling.

Supplies needed:

4 Tbl of baking soda

One liter of clear vinegar

Instructions for this project here.

Mini lemon volcano

Explore chemical reactions involving baking soda and citric acid. Stirring baking soda and citric acid increases frothiness.

Supplies needed:

Two lemons to make one volcano

Baking soda

Food coloring

Dish soap

Craft sticks

Spoons and cups

Medium-sized tray

Instructions for this project here.

Fizzing bath bombs

Students can explore the chemical concept of neutralization while doing this experiment.

Supplies needed:

Kitchen scales

Spray bottle

Water

Citric acid

Bicarbonate of soda

Cornflower

Lavender oil

Tennis ball (optional)

Instructions for this project here.

High school classroom chemistry projects

Luminescent chemical reaction

How a specific chemical reaction produces light energy without creating heat.

Supplies needed:

Water

Anhydrous sodium carbonate

Sodium bicarbonate

Luminol

Ammonium carbonate monohydrate

3% hydrogen peroxide

Copper sulfate

Funnel, flask, and spiral condenser

Instructions for this project here.

How to make a pH indicator

Understand what a pH scale is and why it is an essential part of learning about chemistry by having students make their own pH indicator.

Supplies needed:

Two cups of chopped red cabbage

One cup of water

Instructions for this project here.

Magic trick: Burning a one-dollar bill (not really!)

Explore the chemical reactions among paper money, alcohol, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

POP! goes the nitrogen triiodide

When iodine crystals react with concentrated ammonia, it creates nitrogen triiodide and a loud popping sound.

Supplies needed:

Instructions for this project here.

Splitting water molecules: Electrolysis of water

This project allows students to explore the concept of battery energy used to induce chemical reactions that do not occur spontaneously.

Supplies needed:

Water

9-volt battery

Metal thumbtacks

Clean, clear plastic water bottle

Epsom salt

Scissors

Plastic cup or beaker

Black permanent marker

Modeling clay or paper towels

Instructions for this project here.

Revealing different pigment chemicals in leaves

Students learn about chromatography and the chemical concept of solubility.

Supplies needed:

Fresh, green leaves or fresh spinach leaves

Food processor or mortar and pestle

Scissors

Ceramic or glass cup

Coffee filters

Isopropyl alcohol

Straw or pencil

Tape

Instructions for this project here.

For further information about teaching the concepts of STEAM, visit our STEAM Teaching resource page for more fascinating and fun activity ideas.

Tags: Mid-Career Teacher, New Teacher, Science, STEAM, Veteran Teacher

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15+ Chemistry Project Ideas That Reinforce STEAM Learning

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The science of chemistry is much more than observing reactions when combining two or more different types of chemicals. Our understanding of the universe, our planet, and humans as electrochemical beings is fundamentally based on understanding the principles of chemistry. This makes learning about chemical processes through experimentation vital to the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

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Native peoples of the Chesapeake

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Andy Warhol

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Introduction

Andy Warhol is known for his bright, colourful paintings and prints of subjects ranging from celebrities including Marilyn Monroe and Mohammed Ali, to everyday products such as cans of soup and Brillo pads. But behind these iconic images are some surprising approaches and ideas. Through artworks in the ARTIST ROOMS collection, explore some of the things that made this iconic artist tick.

Themes, Ideas and Inspiration

Early experimentation

Andrew Warhol (or Andrew Warhola as he was christened) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928. His parents were Carpatho-Rusyns who immigrated from what is now known as eastern Slovakia. Andy was the youngest of three sons. His father recognised his son's artistic talents and saved enough money to pay for his college education. Warhol studied at the Carnegie Institute, and in 1949 graduated with a degree in Pictorial Design.

Drawing and repetition

After graduating, Andy Warhol moved to New York to become a commercial illustrator. The drawings he made in the 1940s and 1950s were light-hearted and often fantastical. Many of them used a 'blotted-line' technique, a basic form of printmaking.

To make these blotted-line images, he began by making a drawing (either by hand or tracing it from a found image). He then went over the lines of this drawing with ink or watercolour. The final stage in his process was to press a clean sheet of paper onto the wet lines to make a 'printed' image. He did this several times using the same 'master drawing'. The resulting images were spontaneous and expressive. This technique was the first of many that Warhol used to explore the creative possibilities of repeating images.

Collaborations

Head with Flowers 1958 is typical of Warhol's illustrations. But he isn't the only artist behind the work. He would often hold 'colouring parties', inviting his friends to add coloured inks to drawings like this one.

This collaborative, detached attitude to making art is one we see later in his career. In his 1960s studio - known as the Factory - he employed studio assistants to make his work for him. Warhol realised that he could increase the commercial productivity of his art more quickly by getting others involved in making it.

Activity: Blotted Lines

Warhol's blotted-line technique meant he could create multiple versions of the same image quickly. Have a go at making your own blotted-line drawing.

Trace an image or draw a picture free-hand on paper.

Draw over the lines with a wet material such as ink or paint.

Blot the wet lines with another sheet of paper to create a 'print' of the drawing.

See how many different times you can reproduce the same image from your original drawing in this way. Try using different colours and materials to create your wet lines.

Fame, Celebrity and Fashion

From a young age Warhol was infatuated with fame, fashion, celebrity and Hollywood. As a boy living in Pittsburgh he found escape from his ordinary working class life in popular teen magazines and by collecting autographs from film stars.

In 1949 when Warhol first moved to New York, the art editor of Glamour fashion magazine, Tina Fredericks, bought one of his drawings and commissioned a series of shoe illustrations. One commission led to another and Warhol was soon in high demand as an illustrator for prestigious clients including the Conde Nast organisation, the New York Times, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. His involvement with the fashion world during this time reflects his fascination with New York's glamorous celebrities, a subject that would be important in his later work.

In the early 1960s, while living and working in New York, he began a series of portraits of stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley and Jackie Kennedy. He used photographic silkscreen printing to create his celebrity portraits. This meant he could directly reproduce images already in the public eye, such as publicity shots or tabloid photographs. The technique also allowed him to easily produce multiple versions and variations of the prints.

When the film star Marilyn Monroe died in 1962 Warhol almost immediately started making portraits of the actress. His paintings and prints were based on a photograph taken by Gene Kornman in 1953 to advertise the film which Monroe had starred in.

Marilyn Diptych 1962 is perhaps one of Warhol's most iconic works. It was exhibited in his first New York exhibition in 1962. The work is made up of two canvases, each featuring 25 Marilyns printed in a grid pattern. (Two-part works such as this one are often referred to as diptychs). The rows of repetitive heads suggest postage stamps, billboard posters or, perhaps more fittingly, film strips.

One of the canvases is vibrant and bursting with energy, representing the star's flamboyant public personality. The other is monochrome and sombre, the uneven application of ink causing her face slowly to disappear. The two contrasting sides of this work capture the contrast between Marilyn's artificial public persona on the left and the harsh reality of her troubled private life on the right. Warhol did not originally intend these two canvases to be shown together as a single artwork. It was the collector who bought the artwork from Warhol who suggested the idea: '[when] I said I thought they should be presented as a diptych, Andy replied 'gee whiz yes''

Image and Identity

In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.

Andy Warhol, Catalogue Moderna Museet, Stockholm

Andy Warhol is now an American cultural icon, and images of him are as famous as the art he created. The art dealer Ivan Karp of the Leo Castelli Gallery first suggested that Warhol should make self-portraits. Karp said:

People want to see you. Your looks are responsible for a certain part of your fame, they feed the imagination.

Warhol understood the superficial nature of celebrity in American society. Images of public figures are created by marketing companies to make money, but in reality say little about the person behind the mask. Warhol succeeded in creating a powerful public image for himself - the Andy Warhol 'brand' - with his trademark straight blonde hair and dark glasses. He became a master at cultivating his own celebrity profile as his fame grew. He constantly documented his daily life through photography and film, an early version of today's social media.

In his self-portraits, Warhol often exaggerated, transformed or disguised himself so that the images became caricatures of his real face. In his Self-Portrait with Fright Wig series of 1986 his ghostly, white head is isolated from his body by his dark clothing, making it appear almost to float against the dark background like a skull. He wears a silver wig, which he often used in his range of disguises. The wig hair is wild and messy while his blankly staring eyes look straight ahead. This self-portrait is one of the last series of self-portraits that Warhol completed before his death in 1987.

Warhol also frequently used art to explore his homosexual identity. In his early line drawings of young men we see his fascination with the male body.

This is also seen in his portrait film of the poet John Giorno, Sleep 1963. By the 1980s homosexuality was becoming more accepted in parts of America and Warhol's Tongue in Ear 1980, with its more explicit content, reflects this shift.

I like money on the wall. Say you were going to buy a $200,000 painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and hang it on the wall. Then when someone visited you the first thing they would see is the money on the wall.
The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again) (1975)

Money was one of Andy Warhol's favourite subjects and he spoke openly about how much he loved it. Born into a poor family, he determinedly worked his way upwards into the high society he had always idolised as a child. Early on in his career he realised the potential to make money from art. In 1962 he made the work 192 Dollar Bills, featuring rows of printed dollar bills silkscreened across the surface of a canvas. He returned to this theme in 1981 with a set of drawings and paintings including Dollar Sign 1981. The image is made from a marker pen-and-ink drawing that was screen-printed onto a white canvas. In these works Warhol blatantly presented the idea of art-as-money.

The artworks that Warhol is perhaps best known for are his Campbell's soup can paintings. In December 1961 Warhol supposedly paid the interior decorator and gallery owner Muriel Latow $50 for the idea to use this iconic image. According to his friend Ted Carey, Latow had said:

You've got to find something that's recognisable to almost everybody. Something like a can of Campbell's soup.

Warhol went on to make artworks depicting Campbell's packaging throughout his career, exploring their simple graphic designs as symbols of ordinary American life. He often repeated images of soup cans in grid formations, transforming these everyday items into minimalist artworks.

The soup can artworks were hugely successful and made Warhol lots of money. In 1985 the Campbell's Soup company commissioned Warhol to create a series of paintings of their dry-mix soups. Campbell's Soup Box 1985 is one of these. It shows a chicken noodle package, combining photographic print with hand-drawn elements.

When Warhol produced the original Campbell's paintings in the 1960s they were seen as powerful statements about the boring repetition of advertising. Twenty years later many critics felt this imagery had lost its edge, and that Warhol had sold out. But Warhol argued that throughout his career he 'was always a commercial artist'.

Death

Death was an important theme in Andy Warhol's work from the early 1960s right up until his death in 1987. He said his interest in the subject came from his friend Henry Geldzahler, a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1962, Geldzahler had said to Warhol:

That's enough affirmation of life ... Maybe everything isn't always so fabulous in America. It's time for some death.

High profile events like the death of Marilyn Monroe and the assassination of John F. Kennedy were as interesting to Warhol as car crashes, suicides, riots and legal executions. His images of human or animal skulls present death as a universal subject. At the same time he explored his own mortality through photographs, prints and paintings in which he coupled his own image with an emblem of death.

In Skulls 1976 Warhol repeats the same image six times using a photograph he bought in a Paris flea market. He was interested in the historical use of skulls as a symbol of memento mori ('remember you must die') works; and also in the ways that modern artists such as Pablo Picasso had updated the skull motif. Warhol juxtaposes bright, candy colours with the deep, black eye sockets of the skull, reminding us that death is a part of even the most colourful of lives.

In 1968 Andy Warhol was shot and badly injured by the radical American feminist Valerie Solanas. This made him even more fascinated by death. The weapon depicted in Gun 1981 is similar to the .22 snub-nosed pistol that Solanas used. By using the gun in his art, Warhol draws attention to an object that has become an American cultural icon. He depicts it in the same cold, impersonal way, as he represented consumer goods in his earlier artworks, suggesting the emptiness of modern life as represented by its objects.

What Do You Think? Symbols and Meanings

Warhol often used objects as symbols in his work to tell us something more about modern life.

What does his Gun tell us about American society?

Is this image still relevant today?

He also explored the hidden meanings within certain objects. How has he done this with his Skulls?

Time

One of Warhol's obsessions was time, and he spent much of his career exploring ways of capturing its passing. In his photographs, prints and paintings he could freeze a moment in time and repeat it over and over again, while in his films he documented and slowed time down. In 1974 Warhol preserved time in his series of autobiographical Time Capsules. He filled 612 boxes filled with things collected from his daily life, such as magazines, books, taxi receipts, photographs and business files. He sealed these and put them in storage. (They are now held at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.)

Films and photography

Paintings are too hard. The things I want to show are mechanical. Machines have less problems. I'd like to be a machine. Wouldn't you?
Andy Warhol, Time magazine, 1963

Warhol produced nearly 650 films between 1963 and 1968. His films were experimental and were driven by his desire to capture the ordinary experience of living. He said, 'What I liked was chunks of time all together, every real moment'. His films are now recognised as radical explorations that went beyond the frontiers of conventional cinema.

In 1970 Warhol famously withdrew all his films from circulation. This meant that critics and scholars had to write about them from memory, from reviews or from verbal descriptions. Fourteen years later he donated all his original films to New York's Museum of Modern Art for cataloguing with the Whitney Museum's Andy Warhol Film Project. He made the poster The Films of Andy Warhol in 1988 for the exhibition that opened at the Museum of Modern Art showcasing his extensive film work.

As well as making films Warhol was a keen photographer. In 1976, after being given a camera, he began to document seemingly insignificant aspects of his life. These range from photographs of himself or his friends, to everyday abstractions like footprints in sand and graffiti on the streets.

In 1986 he developed a series of images that became known as his stitched photographs. These were created by sewing several identical images together as in Self Portrait 1976-86. The threads used to join the photographs are left hanging, giving them a rough-and-ready quality. Like his early screen prints they are arranged in a repetitive grid formation. In this artwork, Warhol sits here in a dramatically-lit setting, wearing his recognisable silver 'fright' wig.

Belief

Andy Warhol was raised as a Byzantine Catholic, and as a boy went to church regularly with his family. As an adult he continued to go to church almost every Sunday, although he kept this aspect of his life very private, rarely speaking about it in public. He did however discuss the topic in an interview published in the March 1975 issue of Interview magazine. He simply said: 'I think it's really pretty to go to church. The church I go to is a pretty church. They have so many masses'.

One of Warhol's closest friends John Richardson wrote in a eulogy to Warhol after his death:

The knowledge of [his] secret piety inevitably changes our perception of an artist who fooled the world into believing that his only obsessions were money, fame [and] glamour.

It was only in the last 10 years of Warhol's life that religion became an important subject in his work. The last series created before he died was a group of paintings, prints and drawings based on Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (1495-8). In around 1985-6 Warhol was also working on a series called Ads and Illustrations, which were based on black-and-white newspaper clippings.

Many of these works explored evangelical declarations such as Repent and Sin No More! (1985-6) and Heaven and Hell Are Just One Breath Away (1985-6). The statements in these artworks suggest that redemption is available for those who seek it, much like church posters calling for new members. They were never shown during Warhol's lifetime, another example of the private nature of his religious beliefs.

Have a Go: Text and Message

Text has been used by many artists to convey powerful messages, including religious ones like Andy Warhol's.

Find a statement that means something personal to you and think of how you could turn it into a work of art. This might be by using a certain type of text, adopting a bold graphic or hand-drawn font style, or experimenting with different media to creaye your text piece.

Explore text-based artworks from Tate's collection in the slideshow above to get some inspiration.

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Introduction Andy Warhol is known for his bright, colourful paintings and prints of subjects ranging from celebrities including Marilyn Monroe and Mohammed Ali, to everyday products such as cans of soup and Brillo pads. But behind these iconic images are some surprising approaches and ideas.

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Winnie the Pooh teacher resource

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Mexican story teller figure

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Middle to HS

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Middle to HS

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Ceramic Dictionary

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ca: ABRASÍMETRE

es: ABRASÍMETRO

Abraser is a machine used to determine the abrasion resistance of a material. It is a strong steel cylinder that rotates and carries heavy, strong, balls which fall and break down the product being tested.

ca: ABSORCIÓ - En l'argila.

es: ABSORCIÓN - En la arcilla.

Absorption is the process by which two or more products combine. In clay, the absorption of dampness makes it expand and increases its weight, which leads to cracking and breaking. Clay is not completely dry at room temperature. If fired up to 120º C to dry off and then left to cool, it will be able to reabsorb more dampness. If firing clay of different thicknesses, the first firing should be long with the temperature rising slowly, so the clay can dry out completely before becoming bisque at 600º C.

Read more about: Clay

ca: ÀCID

es: ÁCIDO

Acid; acidic oxides
In pottery, acids are used in slips and glazes.

In chemistry it is a compound usually having a sour taste and capable of neutralizing alkalis and reddening blue litmus paper, also containing hydrogen that can be replaced by a metal or an electropositive group to form a salt, or containing an atom that can accept a pair of electrons from a base. Acids are proton donors that yield hydronium ions in water solutions, or electron-pair acceptors that combine with electron-pair donors or bases.

ca: ADDITIUS - Ceràmic materials.

es: ADITIVOS - Cerámic Materiales.

Additives are different pottery materials that have to be added to clay when in its natural state and while being manufactured, to make it pliable.

Grogs, sand and other materials can be added to clay to give strength, textures, improve colors and avoid shrinking. Combustible materials, rice, pasta, dried plants, etc. can be added to the clay so that during firing they will burn away, leaving a texture. Sand and grog of different colors and textures can be broken down and added. These do not burn away but give texture and strengthen the clay when fired.

Grogs can be made from different types of crushed red brick. If you sandpaper or use an electric saw for cutting and filing tiles, this will throw off very fine grog that can be used. Always make sure that what is to be added can be fired up to the same temperature as the clay being used, because like all clays, if over fired it will melt and bleed.

When certain clay colors are required, body stains can be purchased in powder form and mixed into the clay. It is always better to mix these with white clay as the color of the clay can affect the stains.
Read more about: Grog

ca: ADHESIU

es: ADHESIVO

Adhesive is a substance, such as glue or glaze that causes one object to adhere to another. Glue can be laid over bisque and a fired glaze can act as a binder. Cover a fired glaze with a thin layer of glue and leave it to dry. It can then be painted, which stops the colors crawling. The base of glues used must be natural so that they burn away when fired. glue - Arabic is the one most used.
Read more about: On-glaze - Third firing

ca: ÁGATA O LAMINACIÓ

es: ÁGATA O LAMINACIÓN

Agate is a stone with many colors. Agateware is named after it and implies different colored clays being mixed together. They can be mixed by kneading to create random effects or in separate pieces of different colors to build up a previously planned pattern. Agateware bowls can be created using press or hump molds and agateware tiles by using different shaped frames. Use white or a clear colored clay and add body stains to get the color you require or use colored clays that can be bought. It is always better to use the same type and make, as mixing different ones can cause problems such as shrinking in different proportions.

Working sequence and kneading colors together
1) First of all knead the colored clays separately.
2) Lay them out one on top of the other and knead them together, not too much, otherwise they will blend completely.
3) Slice off a part of the clay, so that you can see to what extent they are mixed.
4) Make your jar remembering that during the throwing and while it is wet, you cannot see the pattern.
5) When finished leave it until it is leather dry, then scrape off the outer skin of clay and you will be able to see the pattern.
6) The clay can be glazed and then fired or first bisque fired and then glazed.
Some clay colors improve greatly with glazing.
CREATING PATTERNS IN COLORED CLAY

1) Draw and plan a design showing: sizes, shapes and colors needed.
2) If a shape has to be repeated many times, cut it out in cardboard, plastic or very fine wood so as to be able to copy it exactly.
3) Roll out the different color clays using slats so they are all the same height.
4) Cut them in strips or in the shapes needed. (a) and (b)
5) All the parts that have to be joined should be scored and dampened with slip. When pressed together the slip works like glue. Make slips (clay plus water) from the colored clays being used.
6) On a flat surface lay the different colored strips of clay next to each other and join them by putting a bar of wood on each side and pushing them together. c)

If different shaped pieces are required, roll out the clay into a cylinder to the diameter needed then stand it up, put it between two slats, pull a cutter along the top of the slats, separate the two parts and continue cutting until you have all the pieces needed of the same height. The shapes can then be changed using your fingers or bars to form the shape required.

To make a circle of different colored strips, make a cylinder of the center color. Then roll out flat pieces of different colors. Cut one edge at 45º and then dampen this edge with slip or a soft brush and water. Lay the cylinder of clay on top and parallel to the straight edge and roll the strip round it. Cut off the unwanted clay and join the two sides, then roll backwards and forwards to make sure that it is joined properly and that there are no air bubbles, then go on adding all the colors needed for the design.

Cut the roll of clay into slices, which will be circles of different colored lines then mold them into the shapes required. Agate patterns can be built up to form a flat object such as a tile or a shape using a mold. A mold in two pieces can be used but the places where the two pieces meet must be planned as an integral part of the design. It is easier to use a hump or press mold. Put the prepared pieces into the mold to form the pattern, scoring and using slip to join every piece, pressing them together.

When the clay is in the mold it should be left to dry extremely slowly, to allow the pieces to join and shrink to the same degree. Once hardening starts you can begin, on the inside, to clean it up using a soft rubber kidney or fine sandpaper. When leather-dry it can be removed from the mold without suffering distortion and the outside can then be scraped clean in the same way. When cleaning the outside, always support the inside with your other hand.
Read more about: Molds / Molds-Press Molds / Molds for tiles

ca: PISTOLA D'AIRE - Ceràmica, molles.

es: PISTOLA DE AIRE - Cerámica, moldes.

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Air guns expel compressed air and have been adapted for use in the manufacture of pieces made by casting, to speed up the production. They are operated at low pressure round the edge of wet clay in small molds; this slightly dries it and allows the piece to be removed more quickly.

They are also used to clean dust from pottery or molds and to apply the glaze.
Read more about: Casting - Dragons

ca: AERÒGRAF - Cerámica, Polvoritzador.

es: AERÓGRAFO - Cerámica, pulverizador.

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Airbrush: small gun sprayer using compressed air to spray liquids, colors, glaze-bases, glazes with color, etc. It works the same way as a blow gun and is useful for applying colors delicately in small quantities or areas. There are two types of spray guns.

a) With a suction tank underneath (single action).
There is a push button to activate the flow of air so the paint comes out through the nozzle onto the surface which has to be painted.

b) With gravity tank (double action)
The paint starts to flow when the button is pulled backward and the amount of paint depends on how far you pull the knob.

Note: It is important to clean the airbrush after each use. Follow the instructions that come with it to clean it properly, otherwise the nozzles become clogged.
Link to Building-your-model-railroad

ca: ALBAREL - Pot de Farmàcia

es: ALBARELO - Bote de farmacia

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Albarello jars started to be made during the 13th century and were designed for druggists to keep medicinal herbs dry and clean. They were made with lids to help retain the medicinal properties. Decorated with the Latin name of the herb they contained and a drawing of it to help the illiterate public, which at the time was a majority, these jars are still in use in European drug stores as decoration, also in household kitchens to keep spices and herbs for cooking. Over the centuries the lids became damaged or broken so modern ones, made in the antique style, can now be bought with or without lids. The common name for them now is chemist or herb jar.

The top photo shows two jars made in the classical shape but there are others such as calices and orzas; they are all made in many different sizes.

Read more about: Majolica: 5g - Painting jars / Majolica: 5h - Twelve photos of painted jars

ca: ÀMFORA

es: ÁNFORA

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Amphoras are jars that have been found around the Mediterranean coast and were first used in the 15th century BC. They usually have a pointed bottom, can be with or without handles, of any size and have either of two different kinds of neck; one forms a continuous line from the widest part of the body to the final edge; the other differs in that the shoulder of the body curves sharply to join the bottom of the neck. They vary greatly in height from 25cm to 2 meters and were made to store and transport grapes, olives, wine, oil, grains and many other specialties.

Originally, an amphora was most probably made using the coiling method and later by wheel, when that started to be used. With a wheel, first the top half was made forming the neck, handles and half the body, that slightly narrowed at the bottom. When this half was finished the clay was left to harden enough to be turned upside down on to a chuck that fitted in to its neck, leaving a space between the edge of the neck and the wheel, so the neck did not take the weight of standing and was not deformed. Then a collar, previously thrown, which had the opening the same size as the base was added to it. It was then turned and the base opened, thinned out and smoothed on both sides to seal the two parts together. The collar was then lengthened and thinned out to a make a point. When the neck was too small for the hand to work inside it, it was pushed together and sealed off on the outside.

ca: ENCLUSA - Ceràmica.

es: YUNQUE - Cerámica.

Anvil is a stone or piece of wood that is curved, like an egg. It is held inside a jar against the wall to support the clay and prevent it from breaking while beating on the outside with a paddle. Beating enlarges the jar, thins out the clay and strengthens it.
Read more about: Paddle

ca: DECORACIÓ APLICADA - Ceràmica, argila.

es: DECORACIÓN APLICADA - Cerámica, arcilla.

Applied decoration denotes clay shapes being added to another clay object. Clay, cut or molded to form a design, is added to another piece of clay. The decoration can be added easily when the clay surface is soft, but once clay is dry, slurry and scoring are necessary. Different methods of shaping can be used: dot box, molding, coiling, sprigging etc. When pieces of clay are put together they must be well sealed to prevent cracks and fractures appearing when drying or being fired. It can be very simple or very complicated as seen in Wedgwood sprigging.
See: Sprigging

ca: ARQUITECTURA CERÀMICA

es: ARQUITECTURA CERÁMICA

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Architectural Pottery is work attached to buildings for practical and decorative purposes. They can be tiles, pictures, names, numbers, etc. or work in relief. The photos below show different forms and how these can be mixed with each other and used architecturally.

A classical border design used in the decoration of a modern kitchen; a door that at the top shows parts of the town where the business is situated and around the sides, all the plants the firm irrigates; an arch of tiles that separates two rooms; six tiles are used as a picture in the center of a wall; a classic tile picture set in a modern kitchen; biblical scenes made for a church.

Note The tiles in a) to c) are all painted by hand with the Majolica method and g) to i) are industrially made.
Link to Ceramics Bensu for tiles decorated with the Majolica Method
Read more about: Names and notices / Numbers / Repeated tiles

ca: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA

es: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA

Architectural sculpture is a ceramic design in clay with a flat back, so that when it is finished, it can be attached to a wall or any flat surface. There are two methods; Architectural Sculpture, where both the shapes and levels are in three dimensions and Flat Relief which is at different levels but flat.

The photos in the following three designs show how different techniques can be used together. Next to each design is a map with the layout of the pieces, where they join and how they fit together. All three are made with refractory - stoneware clay, which is strong and good for work that has to be left in the open air. It is clay prepared to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when fired to high temperatures. There are different types made with different textures and colors that can be fired up to 1300º C.

Can Rajoles. Is stoneware, fired at 1300º C, then decorated with colors and fired again at 1280º C. The red of the flag was painted with the on-glaze method and fired at 800º C. Note: In the past the color red could not be fired at a high temperature but it is now made for all temperatures.

Ceramica. Is stoneware, the letters and the background were molded in refractory and fired at 1300º C, then they were painted and all the pieces were fired again at 1280º C. The four plates were painted with the Majolica method and fired at 980º C.

Lleo. Is molded in stoneware in 3 sectionsand is flat but with different heights and fired at 1300º C. The front is covered with an opaque glaze-base using the spattering method then painted with the Majolica method and fired at 980º C.

ca: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - CAN RAJOLES

es: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - CAN RAJOLES

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Can Rajoles means the house of tiles in Catalan and St. George is the Patron Saint of Catalonia. The work is formed in refractory in 20 separate pieces and is 46in long and 38in high (130 × 100cm). It was bisque fired at 1300º C, then decorated with colors that vitrify at 1280º C and fired again.
The red was then added to the stripes on the flag and this one piece was fired at 800º C.

ca: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - CERÀMICA

es: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - CERÁMICA

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The work consists of seven pieces: the word ceramica is in three (CE/ RAM/ ICA), and there are four more, each a plate with background. The slight overlapping of the letters hides the places where the pieces join. It was all molded in refractory and bisque fired at 1300º C. Then the letters and the background were decorated with oxides that vitrify at 1280° C and fired again. After this, the plates were decorated using the Majolica method and finally these four sections were fired at 980º C.
Working sequence
a) When sculpturing with clay, first make a design on paper. Work out where the outlines of the different pieces will join in relation to the design and take into account the width of the pieces, making sure they will fit into the kiln when laid out on the shelves for firing.
b) Cut out in paper the shapes that are needed.
c) Use a table you can walk or turn round and work on top of a large piece of wood covered with a material; canvas is very good for this.
d) Knead, roll out the clay to the height needed and cut it into the required sizes following the outline of the paper.
e) Build up and carve away the clay following your original design, making the parts fit together correctly and overlap if you want to hide the joints.
f) In the drawings next to the three photos the outlines of the separate pieces are shown but in the finished work many are completely hidden by the overlapping of other parts of the design.
g) Keep advancing at the same stage and with the same plasticity, so the shrinkage is even.
h) When not working cover it with a damp cloth and a sheet of plastic and don't let one part dry more than another. Take into account that a piece that varies in thickness will dry quicker in the thinner parts, which can lead to breaking.
i) As the work progresses let it dry off slightly. This makes it easier to add details and to smooth out. Gradually build up your design adding and changing ideas, leaving textures and finishing off smoothly where needed.
j) If they are large heavy pieces scrape out some of the clay from behind when finished. This makes them lighter and helps the drying process. On the back, indent lines to help it adhere when attached to a wall.
k) When the work is finished it will have changed from the original drawing. If it is complicated, redraw the outlines and number them, then indent each piece on the back with the relevant number.
l) When finished leave your work uncovered to dry, keeping it weighed down so the edges cannot warp upwards. Use small objects like ashtrays, weights, pots etc., and put them round the edges and places you think are more likely to bend.
m) During the drying period keep cleaning and tidying your work, altering parts if necessary to make them fit together perfectly
n) When completely dry proceed to firing them. As there are parts that are thicker than others it is very difficult to know if they are completely dry inside. For this reason start firing very slowly and at a low temperature for a long time. This is to give the thick parts time to dry out. I let the kiln take 4 hours to heat up from 0º C to 600º C, after which it takes about 6 hours to reach 1300º C.
o) Fire refractory clay at 1300º C. It can be decorated with colors that vitrify at different temperatures always starting with the highest of 1280º C and then decreasing.

ca: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - LLEÓ

es: ARQUITECTURA ESCULTURA - LLEO

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Lleo consists of three pieces molded in refractory and fired at 1280º C, then decorated following the Majolica method and fired at 980º C. The lion and the background are in one piece and flat but at different levels, there is a variation of ½in (2cm), the letters "LL" and "EO" are in relief.

Working sequence
Flat Relief: is a design with different layers of flat clay.
a) Roll out the clay to the height needed.
b) Cut out the shapes needed. In Lleo there are three pieces.
c) Mark the outline by laying the design on top of the clay and with a pencil, mark round the outline indenting it into the clay.
d) Scrape and sliver off the lower parts to make the different levels.
e) Model and tidy up the edges to the exact shapes you need. Here it is in two levels, but this depends on your design requirements. When dry it was fired at 1280º C.

Decorating: The glaze-base has been put on with a texture called shacking.
Stir the base that is in your base container, take out a bowlful and put it to one side, add water to the base until it is very thin, then stir it well.

Prepare the three pieces in the following way, one by one. Hold one upside down and dip it into the base just deeply enough to cover the front and sides but not the back, so that the base goes in between the angles. Move it from side to side, lift it out and turn it round. With a brush made with palm leaves, dip the leaves into the thick glaze that has been kept and shack it over the thin glaze, leaving the surfaces with a texture.
With a paintbrush drip more glaze over the letters and lion and with a wet brush smooth it down.
Clean the base off the backs but leave it round the sides, then paint the letters and the lion and fire it at 980º C.

ca: CENDRA - Utilitza en la ceràmica.

es: CENIZA - Utiliza en la cerámica.

Ash is the powder left after the combustion of any material. The ashes used in pottery are natural, made from trees, plants and animal bones and these can be bought prepared as very fine powder. You can make charcoal powder by burning down boxes such as those used for packing fruit and vegetables. The ash must be broken down into a fine powder, sieved to take out all the rough bits. Cover it with water and pass it through a sieve with a fine mesh, repeat this several times, then lay it out on a flat surface to dry. When dry store it in an airtight jar.

In pottery charcoal powder is used to mark out the outlines of designs. The design should be on transparent paper and pounced, laid on top of what is being decorated and rubbed with a small bag full of ash, which goes through the holes and marks on the design. As charcoal powder is a natural product it will burn away when fired at 700º C. and for this reason, when pieces are fired at 980º C., the remainder of the product will then disappear.

As ashes form part of a glaze and are easily melted, their function is also to help to bring the firing temperature down and create transparent effects.
Read more about : Charcoal - Powder / Marking / Marking - Bag for charcoal / Marking Tiles - Large designs / Marking Tiles - Small designs

ca: CENDRER

es: CENICERO

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Ashtray is a plate that varies in size, is usually about 20 cm or smaller in diameter and can be any shape, round, square, etc.
The outer edges slant upward very slightly, they can be with or without borders and the edges have open half circles to hold cigarettes. They are made to hold the ash that is thrown off while smoking.

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ca: ABRASÍMETRE es: ABRASÍMETRO Abraser is a machine used to determine the abrasion resistance of a material. It is a strong steel cylinder that rotates and carries heavy, strong, balls which fall and break down the product being tested. ca: ABSORCIÓ - En l'argila. es: ABSORCIÓN - En la arcilla.

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Potters in Iran

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Tehran, Iran, is one of the world's largest cities. It is a populous, sprawling, often-polluted place ringing with the sounds of development, traffic, and progress. Tehran is a city born from frenetic growth. Two hundred years ago, its Qajar rulers set out to transform their new capital city into a metropolis to rival any in the world. They pointed the way to regular bursts of destruction, construction, and reconstruction, supported of course by the brickmakers, tilers, plasterers, drain and chimney makers, and other tradespeople working in clay that made such expansion possible.

Today, more than half of Iran's population is under 35 years old. This youthful energy pervades the busy fabric of Tehran and has inspired a contemporary art scene in which ceramics has a very public presence. Rooted in the migration of potters and tilers to work on the city's original building projects, vast tile murals fill the dead urban spaces beneath freeway overpasses and enliven metro lines; public sculptures line the alleyways and populate parks and gardens; and from the center of roundabouts rise vast pottery vessels, ready to remind both visitors and residents of ceramics' role in the Iranian narrative.

Adapting to an Urbanized World

As Iran's population became increasingly urbanized, potters were faced with a difficult choice. It was apparent that they could no longer continue to work in the same way they had in the past. New opportunities to be found in the city made the difficult physical labor of a production potter less appealing to successive generations. While workshop after workshop closed their doors, the potters that remained had to adapt. From contemporary artists making work about climate change, to factory workers dealing with the chronic effects of exposure to lead and silica dust, urban planners facing increasing demands on limited resources, and the village potter seeking to maintain a valued tradition, the newest inheritors of Iran's ceramics heritage are considering the sustainability of their profession. This generation is defining the role that Iran will take in finding global and local solutions to making the ceramic arts and industries more sustainable culturally, economically, and environmentally.

From 1979 until very recently, international sanctions isolated much of the Iranian economy. Inadequate access to new technologies and to basic equipment and imported materials made commercial survival largely more important than budding environmental concerns. Conversely, it inspired a reliance on regional resource materials; creative reuse and repurposing supported the growth of an increasingly dynamic and creative practice. Kilns were built in the shells of old washing machines, broken car windshields were ground up for use in glazes, wheels and pugmills were ingeniously fabricated in small workshops. Today, increasing access through the Internet to technical information, and importantly, marketing, has played a substantial role in preserving local potters' professions and traditions. Iran is rich in ceramic pigments and clays and although a considerable amount is now mined for export (and then reimported in a processed form, as in the case of cobalt), it provides a solid foundation for a local industry as well.

New Technologies and Growth

As potters everywhere have sought to be more efficient-to reduce the human labor involved in producing each pot-the potters of Iran have consistently borrowed such technology and methods as were useful to them. Novin Aslan Islami, a master potter of Lalejin, recounts a visit from ceramics advisors associated with the British Army during World War II. These advisors brought with them a technology that would set Lalejin on a path to be one of the largest centers of ceramic production in the world: oil burners. Most potters now fire with natural gas and petrol rather than wood. At least one family used this equipment to facilitate their business' transition into one of the country's largest factories.

Since then, Lalejin itself has grown considerably, to encompass several hundred independent workshops, industrial factories, and a working population centered around this industry. It was recently designated by UNESCO as a world capital of pottery. Iran is now the world's fourth-largest producer of utilitarian ceramics.1 The scale of this kind of localized production almost must be seen to be believed. Driving down the main street of the town, with shop after shop after shop of brightly colored wares of all descriptions and qualities, it is easy to see why this town has come under some criticism for becoming too industrialized, too far away from the roots of an authentic pottery practice.

However, it is important not to underestimate the importance of the domestic market. As ceramics has become less practically necessary, it is increasingly viewed within an ideological, and even nationalistic, framework. In small pottery towns like Shah Reza, piles of utilitarian dishes cover the roadside stands on every main street. There, the cheerful repetition of a brushwork fish is a recognizable local motif and is eagerly sought by Iranians who wish to have such wares in their homes as a distinct expression of and identification with the kind of lifestyle where one chooses to support local handicrafts-driven by symbolic value rather than strict practicality.

Sustaining Tradition and Raising Awareness

Raising environmental awareness is a topic taken up explicitly by Iranian ceramic artists such as Fatemeh Ghorbani Malefjani, whose work The Earth Warming features a flock of cast penguins huddling on a bed of sand, pressing in to what surely must be the last shrinking glaze pool of clear, cold water. The penguins cannot see the wider cause of their dilemma, but we can. Such art can push us to action or remind us that restoration can only be achieved through collaboration.

Bita Fayyazi explores themes of consumption and environmental degradation in her work, which has found success in the international contemporary art market. Her cast and assembled sculptures often verge on the grotesque, reflecting the ugly and uncomfortable realities of contemporary life. Her work Road Kill consisted of hundreds of terra-cotta dogs cast and modelled from those she found dead on Tehran's highways. In what she describes as a social performance, she redistributed them around the city and later buried them, undecaying monuments to an aspect of the city's environment many would rather ignore.

Sara Boroujeni's piece Arrive: (something or someone who comes) begins with a womb-like earthenware vessel and fetus. The artwork is experienced in stages: the figure is tucked away inside the vessel and covered in soil. Time passes before leaf by leaf a startlingly green plant slowly unfurls, emerging from the hidden seed planted in a child's mind. The possibly disturbing hole in the child's head becomes clear both as a functional means to facilitate the plant's growth and a metaphorical container for the emergence of ecological thinking-an action resulting from our previous engagement with the soil and the earth. In its hardened form as clay, the earth cradles and hides the child and its potential, but also provides for the possibility for transmission and growth in the next generation.

Nader Khalili sought inspiration from clay as a material for buildings well-adapted to desert conditions. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he left his career as a traditionally trained architect to experiment with glazing and firing traditional earthen-building structures as low-cost and permanent residences. These ceramic houses were originally known as geltaftan (which means fired clay in Farsi) and emerged from the metaphorical and physical combination of the elements: earth, water, air, and fire. As founder of the CalEarth institute, Khalili answered many of the difficulties facing resource-poor populations using the earth itself to develop sustainable solutions for living.

Iranian scholar and artist Majid Ziaee also draws on both traditional imagery and contemporary ideas in his work. He co-authored a paper that sought to identify ways indigenous ceramic traditions, particularly in the northern region of Guilan, relate to the modern understanding of environmental ceramics.2 So far, Guilan has largely escaped the influence of industrializing technologies and pottery production there is a communal and seasonal accompaniment to farming. The paper concludes that where small-scale, traditional production relies primarily on local and renewable natural resources, it is not seen as a threat to the environment and may even reduce plastic pollution. However, continuing modernization of production and a lack of knowledge about larger motivations for limiting chemical use and reducing waste is of some concern.

Potters in Iran also face difficulty in maintaining the social sustainability of traditional forms. For example, the shape of some pots may be explicitly connected with making a certain kind of regional food that is in decline as eating habits change. Promoting these handicrafts would likely ensure the survival of this unique ceramic identity, but increasing demand would, in turn, increase the cost to human life and the natural environment. This is to some extent what has happened in many other Iranian cities, particularly as they expanded into industrial and international markets.

the author Jillian Echlin received an MA in art education from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where she also taught. She received an MA in history of art and is pursuing a PhD from the University of York. She has served as a consultant for the Leach Pottery and Clay College, and has contributed to numerous publications. Learn more about her research into Iranian ceramics at . www.iranceramicarts.org

1 Along with being a global player in ceramics manufacturing, sustainability is now on the radar of corporate sensibility. In 2016, Tehran hosted the 16th Energy Globe World Awards. This signalled a renewed recognition of the immense impact of ceramic construction materials on energy and resource use. Intensified efforts toward sustainability have also been underlined by an expansion in programs for renewables and energy efficiency. However, this has not had much effect on the smaller-scale industries that comprise the majority of the industry, where working conditions can be hazardous. And engaging in protest, including radical environmental activism, can still be a very precarious undertaking.

2 Ziaee, M., Nadalian, A., & Marasy, M. "The Ecological Aspects of Local Pottery in Guilan, Iran," Journal of History Culture and Art Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, June 2017, pages 297-317.

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Seeking Sustainability: The Potters of Iran - Ceramic Arts Network

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Tehran, Iran, is one of the world's largest cities. It is a populous, sprawling, often-polluted place ringing with the sounds of development, traffic, and progress. Tehran is a city born from frenetic growth. Two hundred years ago, its Qajar rulers set out to transform their new capital city into a metropolis to rival any in the world.

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Beginning coil

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16th October 2017

Coiling is perhaps the most versatile of the handbuilding techniques, because it allows you to build forms of any design or scale. It's generally considered to be a slow and contemplative way of working, which demands patience and attention to detail more than anything else. There are several methods of using coils but in this coiling project we will use the traditional method of rolled coils, and expand on other techniques in future issues until you find the method most suited to you.

The right clay - tips
Clay used for coiling must be plastic, to prevent it cracking as you build the form - your pottery supplier will be able to advise on the best type of clay to meet your needs, but generally:

* Adding 20-30% grog or sand to your clay will increase its strength.
* The bigger the item to be built, the groggier the clay should be.
* Some clay - like T Material - has amazing properties, that allow you to continue to build even though the lower section of the form is drying out - it also has amazing thermal shock resilience, which makes it an excellent choice for extreme firing methods like Raku. Its only drawback is that it is expensive! Try mixing it half and half with a less expensive clay that fires to the same temperature, to reduce the cost a little - make sure the two clays are wedged together very thoroughly.
*Smooth clays like porcelain are much harder to coil, with so only use these for small items that can be built relatively quickly.

You will need

Scraping tools with different rounded edges are especially good for the insides of pots where there may be angles that are hard to get to.
Loop tools are also really useful for removing large amounts of excess clay to reduce the thickness of the clay wall - a loop which is rounded at one end and pointed at the other is the best choice for the inside of larger coiled pots.
Outline former (see below)
Surform
Toothbrush
Board to work on

Getting started - outline formers/templates
Before you start to build your coil pot you should know what shape you intend to build - this sounds an obvious point to make but students often start to coil with no real idea of this, and the shape of the pots looks unresolved as a result.

The next step is to make an outline former because this will help you keep control of the shape as you build it.

The best material to use for the former from is thin MDF, which can easily be cut with a strong knife, but thick cardboard or hardboard will also work well.

Things to bear in mind when making a former:
* The board must be large enough to allow you to hold it comfortably when in use. Make allowances for the size of your hand by gripping the side of the board before drawing and cutting out the shape.
* Draw the outline shape with a black marker pen - it's easier to see than a pencil line when cutting out.
* The board must have a level base so that it can sit on the board that the pot's made on, to keep the shape true.
1)

Begin by forming the clay into a thick sausage shape in both hands. You can actually thin the coil quite considerably this way, but only do this until it becomes difficult to handle.
2)
Roll your coil on a non-absorbent surface - melamine is good if you have some, but whatever you roll on it's important that the coils don't lose moisture at this stage.

Roll with the palms of the hands, rather than the fingers which will make marks in the clay. Start in the middle and work outwards, rolling the clay back and forwards until it's a thickness you're happy to work with. A 10mm thickness is about right to start with.
3)
Roll several coils to ensure you can build your pot in one go, without having to stop to make more. Keep the rolled coils on plastic sheeting and cover with more plastic until ready to use, to prevent moisture loss.
4)
Cut the base from a soft, rolled or pinched slab of clay using a pastry cutter to make an accurate disc. Make the base a little larger than required because some size will be lost when the first coil is attached.
5)
Create a footring by placing a small disc on the underside of the base slab. The disc can be purpose-made from bisque-fired clay, or you could use a large coin, flat button or thick card. Turn the base over and place on a board -leaving the disc in place underneath.
6)
Attached the first coil, after scoring and slipping the edge of the base section. This will be periodically necessary at stages as the form builds up, but only if the clay is too firm to blend easily. Begin by blending one end of the coil down onto the base carefully.
7)
Wind the rest of the coil around for its entire length so that it flares out gently to form a bowl shape.
8)
Supporting the form, by cupping the side in one hand, carefully blend the coils into one another and onto the rest of the base. Blend the clay downwards using a thumb, finger or wooden tool.
9)
When the coil has been blended in on the inside of the form, turn it over and repeat the blending process on the outside, taking care not to squash the form. This is easier if you hold the shape in one hand as you blend with the other.
10)
Remove the disc from the base and very carefully refine the surface using a metal or plastic kidney to remove lumps and bumps and smooth the surface.

At this stage you can use a wooden spatula to paddle the surface of the pot to correct the shape and help compact the clay and ease out any irregularities in the surface if you aren't happy with the shape.
11)
Repeat the smoothing and blending process on the inside using a small plastic kidney to remove excess clay.
12)
Sit the pot on a board and make any corrections to the rim using a Surform to level it. This is worth doing periodically because it helps keep the shape and prevents distortion.
13)
Check the shape of your pot so far, by holding the outline former flat on the board the pot is sitting on, then drawing it carefully around the form. It will help if the board is sitting on a whirler to do this. Any corrections to the shape should be made as soon as they're detected, and by doing this regularly you'll maintain control over the pot.
Score and slip the rim of the pot, then continue to build up the shape in the same way until it reaches the desired shape and height.
14)
Remember to make periodic checks and corrections to the shape, using the outline former to guide you.
15)
Thoroughly work over the surface of the pot to remove irregularities of thickness, and take special care at the rim because this is the point the eye is first drawn to. Use a kidney to minutely even-up the clay section, compact the clay, and level the rim.
16)
The bowl is now finished and ready for decoration and firing.

This bowl has been decorated after bisque firing by simply applying a black underglaze stain to the cross-hatched surface, then wiping it back with a damp sponge so that it remains only in the texture. A plain transparent glaze completes the surface treatment to make an understated but stylish and functional bowl. Fired to 1160ºC in an electric kiln

For more coiling projects, see our back issues, here

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16th October 2017 Coiling is perhaps the most versatile of the handbuilding techniques, because it allows you to build forms of any design or scale. It's generally considered to be a slow and contemplative way of working, which demands patience and attention to detail more than anything else.

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Factory prodess clay-mug

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Modeling a car

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Audi PRODUCTION - The Power of CLAY MODEL

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Assessment strategies

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contributed by Saga Briggs

The ultimate goal of teaching is understanding.

But sometimes it's easier to talk than to teach, as we all know, especially when we need to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. We hope students will understand, if not now then before test time, and we keep our fingers crossed that their results will indicate we've done our job.

The problem is, we often rely on these tests to measure understanding and then we move on. There isn't always time to address weaknesses and misunderstandings after the tests have been graded, and the time to help students learn through strategies to ask great questions is gone.

Below are 22 simple assessment strategies and tips to help you become more frequent in your teaching, planning, and curriculum design.

Book TeachThought Professional Development for training on assessment practices that grow teachers
22 Simple Assessment Strategies & Tips You Can Use Every Day 1. An open-ended question that gets them writing/talking
Avoid yes/no questions and phrases like "Does this make sense?" In response to these questions, students usually answer 'yes.' So, of course, it's surprising when several students later admit that they're lost.

To help students grasp ideas in class, ask open-ended questions that require students that get students writing/talking. They can reveal more than you would've thought to ask directly.
2. Ask students to reflect
During the last five minutes of class ask students to reflect on the lesson and write down what they've learned. Then, ask them to consider how they would apply this concept or skill in a practical setting. Exit ticketsmake this easy to administer and review student answers.
3. Use quizzes
Give a short quiz at the end of class to check for comprehension.
4. Ask students to summarize
Have students summarize or paraphrase important concepts and lessons. This can be done orally, visually, or otherwise.
5. Hand signals
Hand signals can be used to rate or indicate students' understanding of content. Students can show anywhere from five fingers to signal maximum understanding to one finger to signal minimal understanding. This strategy requires engagement by all students and allows the teacher to check for understanding within a large group.
6. Response cards
Index cards, signs, whiteboards, magnetic boards, or other items are simultaneously held up by all students in class to indicate their response to a question or problem presented by the teacher. Using response devices, the teacher can easily note the responses of individual students while teaching the whole group.
7. Four corners
A quick and easy snapshot of student understanding, Four Corners provides an opportunity for student movement while permitting the teacher to monitor and assess understanding.

The teacher poses a question or makes a statement. Students then move to the appropriate corner of the classroom to indicate their response to the prompt. For example, the corner choices might include "I strongly agree," "I strongly disagree," "I agree somewhat," and "I'm not sure."
8. Think-pair-share
Students take a few minutes to think about the question or prompt. Next, they pair with a designated partner to compare thoughts before sharing with the whole class.
9. Choral reading
Students mark text to identify a particular concept and chime in, reading the marked text aloud in unison with the teacher. This strategy helps students develop fluency; differentiate between the reading of statements and questions; and practice phrasing, pacing, and reading dialogue.
10. One question quiz
Ask a single focused question with a specific goal that can be answered within a minute or two. You can quickly scan the written responses to assess student understanding.
11. Socratic seminar
Students ask questions of one another about an essential question, topic, or selected text. The questions initiate a conversation that continues with a series of responses and additional questions. Students learn to formulate questions that address issues to facilitate their own discussion and arrive at a new understanding.
12. 3-2-1
Students consider what they have learned by responding to the following prompt at the end of the lesson: 3) things they learned from your lesson; 2) things they want to know more about; and 1) questions they have. The prompt stimulates student reflection on the lesson and helps to process the learning.
13. Ticket out the door
Students write in response to a specific prompt for a short period of time. Teachers collect their responses as a "ticket out the door" to check for students' understanding of a concept taught. This exercise quickly generates multiple ideas that could be turned into longer pieces of writing at a later time.
14. Journal reflections
Students write their reflections on a lesson, such as what they learned, what caused them difficulty, strategies they found helpful, or other lesson-related topics. Students can reflect on and process lessons. By reading student work-especially -types of learning journals that help students think-teachers can identify class and individual misconceptions and successes. (See also
15. Formative pencil-paper assessment
Students respond individually to short, pencil-paper formative assessments of skills and knowledge taught in the lesson. Teachers may elect to have students self-correct. The teacher collects assessment results to monitor individual student progress and to inform future instruction.

Both student and teacher can quickly assess whether the student acquired the intended knowledge and skills. This is a formative assessment, so a grade is not the intended purpose.
16. Misconception check
Present students with common or predictable misconceptions about a concept you're covering. Ask them whether they agree or disagree and to explain why.
17. Analogy prompt
Teaching with analogies can be powerful. Periodically, present students with an analogy prompt: "the concept being covered is like ____ because ____."
18. Practice frequency
Check for understanding at least three times a lesson, minimum.
19. Use variety
Teachers should use enough different individual and whole group techniques to check understanding that they accurately know what all students know. More than likely, this means during a single class the same technique should not be repeated.
20. Make it useful
The true test is whether or not you can adjust your course or continue as planned based on the information received in each check. Do you need to stop and start over? Pull a few students aside for three minutes to re-teach? Or move on?
21. Peer instruction
Perhaps the most accurate way to check for understanding is to have one student try to teach another student what she's learned. If she can do that successfully, it's clear she understood your lesson.
22. "Separate what you do and don't understand"
Whether making a t-chart, drawing a concept map, or using some other means, have the students not simply list what they think they know, but what they don't know as well. This won't be as simple as it sounds-we're usually not aware of what we don't know.

They'll also often know more or less than they can identify themselves, which makes this strategy a bit crude. But that's okay-the goal isn't for them to be precise and complete in their self-evaluation the goal is for you to gain insight as to what they do and don't know.

And seeing what they can even begin to articulate on their own is an excellent starting point here.
This post was written by Saga Briggins and was first published by on opencolleges.edu.au; 20 Simple Assessment Strategies You Can Use Every Day

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22 Simple Assessment Strategies You Can Use Every Day

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contributed by Saga Briggs The ultimate goal of teaching is understanding. But sometimes it's easier to talk than to teach, as we all know, especially when we need to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time.

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Blue clay?

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Scientists at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Mayo Clinic have published a study outlining how natural clays can be used to design new antibacterial drugs. The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when a microorganism becomes resistant to an antimicrobial medicine.

According to their findings, published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents ​, the clay has antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus - including antibiotic-resistant strains carbapenem and methicillin.

"The general mechanism of antibacterial clays, determined by studies of many clay types worldwide, is by soluble aluminium and reduced iron released from the clay minerals that buffer the pH and Eh conditions," ​ASU research professor Lynda Williams told us.

"We have shown that aluminium attacks the cell membrane and reduces iron, causing membrane and intracellular protein damage," ​she added.

The research collaboration is exploring the use of clay in topical applications for wound care. While trials are just beginning in animal models, Williams told us "In vitro studies on biofilms [which occur when bacteria develop a protective coating] show that unlike many other alternative antibiotics, the clay antibacterial mechanism kills a very large spectrum of antibiotic-resistant pathogens most troublesome in hospitals and wound care in general." ​

The institutions will eventually look to out-license this technology. "More research is needed for US Food and Drug Administration approval", ​we were told.

The collaboration is a welcome initiative, as major pharmaceutical companies move away from antibiotic development. In 2015, AstraZeneca announced plans ​ to spin out its antibiotics R&D unit, into a standalone subsidiary.

In addition, earlier this year, pharma giant Novartis said it would discontinue antibacterial and antiviral research ​ to increase investment in core focus areas.

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Blue clay could help combat superbug threat, say researchers

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Scientists at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Mayo Clinic have published a study outlining how natural clays can be used to design new antibacterial drugs. The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when a microorganism becomes resistant to an antimicrobial medicine.

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Exploring Pottery Villages in India

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30 min film

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Fire and Earth - The Tibetan Blackware Pottery

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Native Clays Movie (full) Indigenous Art and Pottery of Tony Soares