For this project we will create an AWESOME surface design inspired by graphic art and

the way it uses black and white

We will discuss surface design more during the next class; today we will focus on building a

piece using the coiling method

COILING: Is a clay technique in which you stack thin ropes or coils of clay on top of

one another to create a vessel

While pinching is great for making small forms, coiling allows us to build pieces that are

bigger, stronger, and more varied in form

Jun Kaneko

Because we will eventually add a lot of design to the surface, for this project we

will focus on making our first coil pot very basic and even so we will have a nice

smooth surface to work with

***Even surfaces are easier to decorate than bumpy or varied surfaces!!!

TO BUILD YOUR COIL POT:

1) Start by rolling out or throwing a clay slab that is about the width of your pinkie

Use your hands to gently roll a piece of clay against the table or between your palms until you have created a coil that is approximately the width of your thumb

***Make sure your coil is even and has a uniform width at all parts!!!

***Move your hands up and down the coil while rolling; use slow, soft pressure to avoid breaking the coil

Add the Coil to your Base:

1) Place the coil on top of your base and begin to form a circle; create a circle that is at least 4 inches in diameter (4 inches across!)

2) Use your thumb to smush/blend the inner AND outer edges of the coil down into the base slab; this will cover the seam where the 2 pieces of clay meet AND make your pot stronger and less likely to CRACK!

***DO NOT PINCH the coil walls, but BLEND the sides of the coil down into the layer below

Continue to add coils on top of each other to build up the height of your vesselhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cPuXbqYNlY

***STOP BUILDING each time you’ve added 2-3 layers and move your pot so it doesn’t stick, make sure the walls aren’t beginning to lean, and check that you’ve blended both the inside and outside walls

***Leaving the seams (or cracks) between layers uncovered increases the chance of your piece BREAKING

when it is fired

Blended Outside

Blended Inside

*Build your coil walls STRAIGHT UP to make the surface design easier; stop every few layers to make sure your walls aren’t starting to lean in or out!

* Don’t end all of your coils in the same place, it will create a weak spot in your pot. Instead, end the coils at different spots and blend the ends down before adding the next coil

*Don’t worry about smoothing the outside surface until you’re finished building the entire pot; always focus on FORM first!

***Keep the width of your coils as uniform as possible! INSTEAD of the thumb rule, use your PINKIE finger as a guide for the width of your coils!

OTHER TIPS TO CONSIDER:

*Your coil pot must have a diameter of AT LEAST 4 inches!!!

*The pot must be AT LEAST 6 Inches Tall!

*The surface techniques we will eventually use on these pots will be very difficult if you don’t have a lot a space to work with, so GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

SIZE REQUIREMENTS: