. . . the ancient art of making clay pots 

and your introduction to the vocabulary, methods, and history of making pots.  We will spend most of the semester learning and perfecting hand-building techniques before learning to use the electric wheel (students are guaranteed three class sessions of throwing on the wheel; they will have greater use of the wheel in Ceramics 2). 

Remember .  . . This is a class in which you use clay only.  Be sure you want to work with clay and that you can be responsible in your use of clay.  Only the most mature students will be happy in this class.

Warning . . . Ceramics is NOT Sculpture*

*We will learn to make pots using hand-building and wheel throwing techniques.  Many pots will be functional (you can put foods, liquids, or other things into them).  Some pots may not be as functional as others, and some pots may have sculptural elements, like a mug that looks like an animal.  But ceramics is not sculpture.

Assignments include sketches, which must be approved before you begin work, class discussion, a final exam, and art projects that include pinch, slab, and coil pots, glaze making, and an introduction to wheel throwing.

• sketches and art projects

• reading from textbook

• class discussion

• quizzes and a final exam

After you learn to hand build pinch, coil, and slab pots, I will teach you how to throw on the electric wheel.  For all projects, form and surface decoration will be explained with emphasis on techniques and design elements (line, shape, value, texture) and principles (balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, opposition).  I hope you will apply the theories you learned in basic art in your ceramics class.  

Grades will be evaluated using the following scale.  Because ceramics is a varied course, your grade is weighted in each area. Grade slips are posted periodically, but you must make sure you have completed all assigned work.  You will maintain a record of your own grades on an index card, which you hand in with each project  

Late policy.  No work can be handed in late without prior permission, which will be given for serious problems or emergencies only.  This permission will only be given prior to the day the project is due.  Do not ask me for permission the day the project is due.  For each day that a project is late without permission your project grade will be lowered by one letter grade. You are responsible for keeping track of your progress.  You must make sure you have completed all assigned work.  I cannot do this for you because there are so many small objects to grade.