Products Used

Clay
  • Low Fire Clay Body
Color
  • FN-KIT3 (Fn-001 White, FN-002 Yellow, FN-003 Orange, FN-004 Red, FN-005 Pink, FN-017 Purple, FN-018 Bright Blue, FN-019 Dark Blue, FN-007 Green, FN-020 Medium Green, FN-008 Brown, FN-009 Black)

Decorating Accessories

  • CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, ¼” Dowel Rods, Ruler, Pint Jar Shape (covered in paper), Needle Tool, Toilet Paper Roll Shape

Miscellaneous Supplies

  • Moist Clay, Pencil, BT-910 Synthetic Sponge

 

Teapots Sugar Jar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Title: Teapot and Sugar Jar 
Techniques: Slab/Hand-building, Glaze Application
Featuring: Foundations Kit 3
Course Length: 1-2 weeks (allow for dry time and firing)
Level: Advanced 9-12
Artist: Adena Griffith
Lesson Plan by: Hannah Clark
 

Lesson Plan:

Art (Ceramics) + Art History (Functional Teapots) + History (Cultural Tea Traditions)

Description:

According to Chinese tradition, tea was born around the year 2727 A.D., and has been celebrated for thousands of years in cultures all around the world. Since its origin, tea has not only been the drink of choice, but also used for medicinal purposes, family home traditions, and vitality for all classes and ways of life. In this lesson, students will study how the making of art relates to the process of the tea ceremony, and will create their own unique teapots with matching sugar jars. Also, students will glaze with color-blocking application, to evoke a contemporary, simplistic style of color and form.  

Objectives

  • Students will explore the history of tea, and the function of teapots themselves, as well as the process in which it is made and celebrated in all cultures.
  • Students will sketch various tea forms and develop their own contemporary designs using slabs and color blocking glazing techniques.
  • Students will create ceramic teapots and sugar jars that are inspired by their research.

National Standards (9-12)

  • VA:Cr1.2.Ia: Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present- day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
  • VA:Cr1.2.IIIa: Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices, following or breaking established conventions, to plan the making of multiple works of art and design based on a theme, idea, or concept.
  • VA:Cr2.1.IIa: Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.

Instructions

Construction:

  1. Using a ¼” dowel rods, roll out a slab with a rolling pin using a low fire clay body.
  2. Cut out three 4”x14” rectangles to wrap around a squatty pint jar.
  3. Once the jars are wrapped with clay slabs, remove the jars from the middle and clean up and seam lines.
  4. Using a needle tool, mark off 4 even points on the rim of cylinder.
  5. Cut out 4 triangles of equal size to create the darts in the teapot and sugar jar. Note: The larger the triangles are, the more dramatic the dart in the cylinder will be.
  6. Score and slip the negative space where the triangles were removed, and pinch the cylinder into a square.
  7. Cut out a circle from the rolled out slab and attach to the bottom of the teapot/sugar jar.
  8. Using a toilet paper roll, wrap a slab around it to create the neck of the teapot and score and slip the neck to the body.
  9. Cut out a lid to place on top of the teapot and form a knob from a ball of clay.
  10. Create a handle from either pulling clay or using a slab, and attach to the side of the teapot.
  11. To create the spout, cut out a large triangle and wrap the edges around to create a cone. Shape the spout to the desired form and attach to the body of teapot.
  12. Allow for teapot or sugar jar to completely dry and bisque fire to cone 04.

Glazing:

  1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 bisque. Moisten a clean sponge and wipe bisque to remove any dust.
  2. Using FN-KIT3 Foundations Kit 3, select various colors and, with CB-604 Soft Fan, glaze the different sections of the teapots/sugar jar. Note: Make sure at least 3 coats of Foundations are applied to achieve desired color.
  3. For the tallest teapot: FN-002 Yellow was used for the spout, handle and knob, FN-003 Orange for the trim and lid, FN-004 Red for the body, and FN-018 Bight Blue for the feet and neck.
  4. For the other teapot: FN-002 Yellow was used for the neck, FN-007 Green for the body, FN-018 Bright Blue for the trim, FN-004 Red for the lid, and FN-003 Orange for the spout, handle and knob.
  5. For the sugar jar: FN-002 Yellow was used for the trim, FN-018 Bight Blue for the body, FN-007 Green for the lid, and FN-004 Red for the knob.
  6. Once glazed, stilt and fire to cone 06.

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