Art 187 Syllabus

ART 187 - CERAMICS 2

INSTRUCTORS - MARK POORE
or RIC HARD MCCOLL

PREREQUISITE: ART 186

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is an intermediate course in ceramics, with an emphasis on wheel throwing. In this class, you will sharpen your wheel throwing skills to include working larger, taller, and with greater consistency of result. We will review many of the techniques introduced in the first semester class and add to these new techniques and variations. You will execute at least two projects in earthenware and explore the use of low-fire glazes, underglazes, and the majolica glazing technique. You will experiment with glaze mixing and testing to begin to develop your own glaze palette.

TEXT: Ceramics, A Potter's Handbook, 6th Edition, by Glenn C. Nelson and Richard Burkett. Available at the College Bookstore. Required text.

TOOLS:

Cut-off wire *

Plastic sheets for drying ware

Small brushes for underglazing*

Fettling knife *

Rolling pin

Canas covered clay board

Texture tools

Old cloth towel

Plastic bowl for water

Plastic jars for glaze testing

Dust mask for glazepreparation*

Clean up sponge *

Small sponge for throwing *

Chamois *

Needle tool *

Wooden modeling tool *

Trimming tools *

Loop tools for sgraffito *

Throwing ribs, metal or wood *

Calipers *

Bamboo brushes *

Rubber spatula

Throwing bats for plates *

***** Tools marked with an asterisk are available at the Bookstore

LABORATORY MATERIALS FEE:

There will be many glazes and other materials provided to you for use in glazing and firing your pottery. The lab materials fee will pay for all glazing and firing costs. This fee will be discussed fully by your instructor, but basically you have two choices:

1. Purchasing a laboratory materials voucher from the College Bookstore. This voucher entitles the student full access to our studio glazes, glaze chemicals, and firing. Vouchers will be passed out at the first class meeting, filled out by the student, and taken to the Bookstore for payment and returned to the instructor by the next class meeting.

OR

2. If you choose not to purchase the voucher, you will not be allowed to use studio glazes or glaze chemicals, and must purchase your own from ceramic supply houses. By purchasing our glaze materials in large quantity, we are able to reduce the cost to you significantly with the lab materials voucher. A full list of the available glaze chemicals and firing supplies provided by the voucher may be viewed by clicking on CHEMICALS LIST.

PURCHASE OF CLAY RECEIPTS:

Clay is purchased at the College Bookstore in 25lb. bags. Due to the extreme variations in clay quality, workability, and firing temperatures it is essential that you use only clay purchased through the Bookstore. Bringing in clays from outside sources can easily result in your pottery melting in the very high temperatures we fire our kilns. We will not fire pottery made from unknown clay sources. Pay for the clay at the bookstore, save the receipt they give you, bring the receipt to us here in the lab and we will issue you the clay here. We can not issue clay without a receipt, so please don't ask. Here are the clays we will be using in this class:

**TOOLS:**
Cut-off wire * Plastic sheets for drying ware Small brushes for underglazing* Fettling knife * Rolling pin Canas covered clay board Texture tools Old cloth towel Plastic bowl for water Plastic jars for glaze testing Dust mask for glazepreparation* Clean up sponge *	Small sponge for throwing * Chamois * Needle tool * Wooden modeling tool * Trimming tools * Loop tools for sgraffito * Throwing ribs, metal or wood * Calipers * Bamboo brushes * Rubber spatula Throwing bats for plates *

B-MIX STONEWARE WITH GROG, Cone 10: Gray-white, medium fine-grained clay, suitable for wheel or slab. Glaze colors show brightest color on white clays.

FAT RED STONEWARE:
A dark brown, fine-grained clay, suitable for wheel and slab. Glaze colors will be somewhat more muted on a darker clay.

BABU PORCELAIN Cone 10: Gray-white, extremely fine-grained clay, throws with difficulty, hand-builds with even greater difficulty. Its main advantage is the beautiful results most glazes show over it.

MCRB EARTHENWARE, Cone 06: Brick colored, fine grained terra cotta. Good for throwing or handbuilding. Great clay body for underglazing and majolica.

STEVE'S WHITE EARTHENWARE, Cone 06: Gray-white, medium-fine grog, fine for handbuilding or for wheel throwing. Great clay for underglazing.

LOCKERS:

Lockers are available in the hallway outside the lab. You provide your own lock, find an empty locker, put your lock on it, and then sign the locker sign-up sheet in my office. See the lab assistant to sign up: Richard McColl in the daytime or Roger Porter in the evenings. Failure to sign the locker list will result in your lock being cut off! This is done to ensure that only art students use the lockers.

LABORATORY HOURS:

You are welcome and encouraged to use the open lab hours we provide. These hours are exactly that, lab hours, uninstructed. This is valuable time you will need to complete your projects required in the class. Four hours minimum per week in addition to class time seems necessary if you wish to have any real success. If your schedule does not permit such a time commitment you might find the class difficult and unrewarding. Lab hours will be announced by your instructor at the beginning of each semester.

LAB RULES: Due to insurance regulations, we are unable to accommodate your children or friends. Please do not bring them with you to class. They may stop in for a brief visit, but cannot stay with you. If you need to make a phone call, please use the pay phones at the Campus Center snack area or at the Library. Do not use our phones to make or receive personal calls. If you have a family emergency, we will accept incoming calls for you. Our phone number is 818-240-1000 ext. 3059. No radios/tape/CD/MP3 players. No bare feet! All work you make in class must be signed legibly with your last name only. Unsigned work will not be fired or graded. If you attempt to turn in work for grading without a signature, I will not accept it. Any student caught stealing work from another student will be reported to Campus Security and the Dean of Students. You are responsible for cleaning your own messes. Students who do not will have their lab privileges revoked.

HOW TO REACH ME:

The ceramics department phone number is 818-240-1000 ext. 3059. On the first day of class your instructor will give you his email and voice mail information and office hours.

INTERNET: The GCC Ceramics Department may be accessed on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.glendale.cc.ca.us/ceramics/

Course syllabi, faculty profiles, lecture handouts, demonstration handouts, and a ceramic art gallery are available online.

ART 187 - GRADING CONTRACT:

MID-TERM PROJECTS: (30% of your grade)

_____ 1. 3 Bowls, at least one altered out of round, thrown from the hump

_____ 2. Bowl with a pedestal foot, made in two sections

_____ 3. Vase, 10" minimum. This project may be made in one piece or made by joining sections together

_____ 4. Select, weigh out, mix, and test fire at least one glaze of your choice

FINAL PROJECTS: (30% of your grade)

_____ 5. 2 Hard-slab constructed boxes. Carved or stamped texture required. Red or white earthenware only.

_____ 6. 2 lidded jars, each with a different lid fitting.

_____ 7. Plate, 10" diameter required. Brush painted design required.

_____ 8. Casserole, 8" minimum required.

_____ 9. 2 projects of your own choice.

Your selections of the above work for grading must include at least one example of each of the following design techniques:

_____ carving _____ wax resist _____ Majolica glaze

_____ sgraffito _____ stamped texture _____ glaze overlaps

_____ oxide painting _____ underglazing

WRITTEN PAPER: (30% of your grade)

A five page typewritten paper is required and is due at midterm (see calendar). The topic of the paper will be a description of a specific technique of ceramic decoration. You may choose a technique of interest to you and describe its historical and contemporary applications. I do not want a paper copied directly from a book or magazine. I am interested in your opinions that you have reached after study and reflection. I can tell in one or two sentences if the paper is your own or copied. If you wish to quote an author, use quotation marks. You may use illustrations, in fact they are encouraged, however, they do not count towards the five page minimum.

GRADING PROCEDURES:

The midterm project grade will be 30% of your final grade, the final project grade will be 30% of your final grade, the written paper will be 30% of your final grade, and the remaining 10% of your grade is based on class participation. This includes attendance during class and your laboratory clean up assignments. Projects will be graded on both technical execution and design quality. Projects for grading must be signed and must be turned on the due date to receive credit. Any requests for an alternate date must be arranged in advance. Any student who steals or turns in other students' projects for grading will be immediately dropped and receive a grade of F for the class. Plagiarism on the written paper assignment will result in a grade of F for the paper and your name and a copy of the plagiarized paper being forwarded to the Dean of Instruction according to the Glendale Community College policy on cheating and academic dishonesty. Three unexcused absences are the maximum allowable. You will be dropped from the class if you exceed this. Personal emergencies that require your absence for an extended period of time should be discussed with me in order to retain your seat in class.

SERVICE LEARNING OPTION:

Service learning can be a beneficial learning tool for students who wish to apply their classroom experiences to 'real world' environments. Students who wish to teach may find out if the classroom setting feels right to them. Students gain real job experience which can be used on a resume or application for admission to 4-year colleges or graduate programs. Students also gain the valuable experience of sharing their knowledge with others and building their self esteem. Students may also gain extra credit towards their semester grade in the ceramics class. This option is available to students enrolled in Art 187, 188, or 189. The option is not available to students enrolled in Introductory Ceramics (Art 186.) Service learning will benefit the intermediate and advanced students in such a technical field as Ceramics. The following agencies are available for service learning placements:

Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena

Free Arts for Abused Children, Monterey Park

Glendale High School, Glendale

Hoover High School, Glendale

Horace Mann Elementary School, Glendale

Jefferson Elementary School, Glendale

John Marshall Elementary School, Glendale

Kidspace Museum, Pasadena

RDWhite Elementary School, Glendale

The student wishing to do service learning for an extra credit assignment will need to perform 14 hours of community service work with one of the above agencies, and keep a journal of his/her reflections on the experience. Students successfully completing the above extra credit assignment will recevie an extra 10% bonus in computing their grade.

To sign up, students need to complete an application at the Service Learning Center, and attend an orientation. Next the student chooses 3 placements from the above list of service locations. After a telephone contact with the agencies, the student chooses a placement and can then begin. Student hours will be tracked using a Volunteer Sign In/Out form. The student will be evaluated by their supervisor at the placement site.