Week 11_Homework_April 11th

Dear Class
Today I showed the Sculpture on the Wheel group how to spray glazes. Next time we meet, be prepared to talk about how you plan to finish and present your final work. I love models and sketches! If you need or plan to have additional non-clay items to complete your compositions, this will be the time to introduce them to me. We will also start writing our statements and preparing titles for our final work. 

Content Portfolio turned in a new version of their written statement. 

Group 2 has firing and mopping duties this week. They have loaded a bisque that will fire on Friday. There are two other kilns open and operational. If you have work that needs to be bisqued so you can glaze over the weekend, now is the time to put it out on the firing shelves! 

Glazing - All work needs to be glazed over the weekend so that you will have next week to figure out how to set your work up for final presentation. Any gluing or repairing will need to happen next week.

Cleaning Daze - Next week we will be cleaning starting Wednesday. As always, those who are absent on cleaning day will be docked at least one letter grade depending upon how much of said cleaning day/s/ they miss [there are two full days for cleaning].  

Week 10_Homework_April 2nd

Dear Students
Thank you for telling me exactly which 5 glazes you will be using for the semester. If you have not done this yet, it is late. Please see me next class with your glaze choices so that I can make a record of these.

I recommend that each of you applies and fires their glaze palette using test tiles so that you know exactly what to expect when you glaze your final pieces. I will be asking to see that you have these tests on Wednesday of next week. Please be prepared.

Everything you have made for the semester needs to be completely finished and out drying by this Sunday, April 8th, at 5pm. If there is no room on the cart for your finished work, please put your work CAREFULLY on the small table in the main room so that I see that you have finished on time.

Sincerely,
Professor Urrutia

ADDENDUM: The cone 6 firing will be starting on the Morning of April 9th at 9am. Please have your work in the kiln so that it is included. Your professor expects to see all fired tests at the beginning of class on Wednesday, April 11th.

Class 17_Homework_March 26th

Dear Class
This week is the last week to construct a project using wet clay. By Friday, March 30th, all construction with new clay should be finished. Please understand that you may still work on sculptures after this date as long as you are refining and putting on finishing touches only. If you are not finished building your work by Friday, chances are you will not finish in time for the end of the semester. 

Class 16_Homework_March 22nd

Dear Class
Sculpture on the Wheel
Today I did the last demonstration of the semester and showed you how to make a human-like head sing a thrown cylinder. This is the last building technique I would like to see you attempt. Some of you, if have not gotten your final work underway, will not have the time to attempt this technique. Others of you who are caught up with work will have the opportunity.

Next week is the last wet day. By next Friday, March 30th, all construction with new clay should be finished. Please understand that you may still work on sculptures after this date as long as you are refining and putting on finishing touches only. If you are not fiished building your work by Friday, chances are you will not finish in time for the end of the semester. 

I did not see any glazes today. Please email your glaze selections to me so that I know you have done this work. Recipes or pictures of recipes are fine. Check the class 15 blog for details of what glazes you should have selected for your final work.

Content portfolio
Please get all of your work finished and fired as soon as possible.

Class 15_Homework_March 19th

Dear Students
Next week is the last wet day. Please be sure that you work doubly hard until then so that all your work is composed and constructed by next Friday, including final pieces. 

Sculpture on the Wheel
Last Wet Day
There will be one more demo on Wednesday. This will be the face demo. You should have enough building skills now to very easily integrate this technique into whatever you know how to do. I think you can all see that building in this way [throwing, stacking, encrusting, altering thrown forms] is a very quick method. You can prep for the end by making pieces you can use eventually instead of doing everything at once. Please see me if you do not understand what I have explained. 
Glaze Prep You need to have glazes picked out for final. I would like to see a list of what you will use by this Wednesday. Glazes that are out on the shelves are fair game. Pick at least 5 glazes to use for your forms. Be sure the list you create incorporates all of the following, at least one for each distinction: 
*light value
*medium value
*dark value
*glossy
*satin 
*texture
Bisque Firing
Anything that is finished and dry needs to go out on the firing shelves as soon as possible. If you can plan to have everything but your finals and what we do on Friday out on Sunday, you will be sitting pretty for glaze time, yay!

Content Portfolio
Please have another draft of your working statement to me on Wednesday via email.

Sincerely, 
Professor Urrutia

Class 12_Homework_February 28th

Dear Students

Sculpture on the Wheel
This week is midterm. Please text me pictures of your finished three sculptures and upload your sketchbooks to the google drive. Please do this by 5pm on Friday and text me after you have done so. If you have trouble with the upload, email your information to me directly or upload your work to an account with a link that can be emailed to me. If I do not receive these things from you by the specified time, please do not be surprised when you see a C- for your midterm grade. To recap, please send the following:
*photo of your completed composed and carved out SOLID FORM
*photo of your completed ENCRUSTED FORM with attachments thrown and altered from the mound
*photo of your completed STACKED HOLLOW FORMS 
*upload the entire contents of your sketchbook binder to your google folder as a SINGLE PDF. Use the following naming convention: Lastname_Midterm_Sketch.pdf

Homework
*NEW FORM - Animal Form - Throw the forms you will use to make an animal form using the reference object you brought to class. Please have this form well underway before I see you in class next week.
*NEW - Final Project Declaration [Pick 2] - Review the project descriptions from the list provided [click here]. In an email, tell me which two projects you plan to pursue. If you have a clear idea of what you want to make, you will be following the 'create your own content' track. If you choose this or the 'object using another artist's content' you may create [2] forms instead of choosing another project on the list since these are the most difficult projects to pursue.

Content Portfolio
This week is midterm. Please text me pictures of your finished and in-progress sculptures work and upload your sketchbook to the google drive. Please do this by 5pm on Friday and text me after you have done so. If you have trouble with the upload, email your information to me directly or upload your work to an account with a link that can be emailed to me. If I do not receive these things from you by the specified time, please do not be surprised when you see a C- for your midterm grade. To recap, please send the following:
*photos of your finished and in-progress sculptures. One photo for each piece please.
*upload the entire contents of your sketchbook binder to your google folder as a SINGLE PDF. Use the following naming convention: Lastname_Midterm_Sketch.pdf
Please work on revising your last artist statement and work on drying and firing your first finished piece. 

Class 11_Homework_February 26th

Dear Students
Sculpture on the Wheel

• Today we covered making handles. Please use this information to finish your hollow stacked form if you so desire. 
• Bring your animal form to class on Wednesday

Content Portfolio

• Please be prepared to talk about the progress of your work on Wednesday

Class 10_Homework_February 20th

Dear Students
Please be ready to move forward the next time we meet. See the last post for details.
Sincerely, 
Professor Urrutia

Class 09_Homework_February 19th

Dear Students
Please continue working on your individual assignments.

Sculpture on the Wheel
Throwing from the Mound - Wall Sculpture: This work should be completely together by class this Wednesday, February 21st.

Stacked Form [3 or more pieces] - Pedastal Piece: This work should be completely together by next class this Wednesday, Februrary 21st.

Representational Animal and Human Head: You will need these to do well as we explore creating figures using thrown cylinders. Please be prepared!

Content Portfolio
Body of Work: Please continue working on your sculptural forms. 

Sketchbooks: I will be checking your sketchbook next class. Please be prepared.

Class 08_Homework_February 14th

Dear Students - 
Please find your group you belong to and do the homework

Sculpture on the Wheel
Today I allowed you to work on creating at least 3 different shaped forms as I demonstrated in class on Monday. You should now have at least 3 forms to compose into an interesting form over the weekend. Please do so and be ready to show off your work on Monday. 

Homework
New Form - Create and compose at least 3 different hollow shaped forms into one composition, ready to show by Monday, February 19th.
Encrusted Form - This form should be completely formed and finished.
Solid Form - The form should be completely formed and finished.

Content Portfolio
You should be working to show new forms for the next critique. In addition you will need a new statement for this critique.

Sincerely, 
Professor Urrutia

Class 07_Homework_February 12th

Dear Students

Sculpture on the Wheel
Today I demonstrated how to shape cylinders and make doughnut forms. By the end of class Wednesday you should have at least 3 shapes that you can connect into a single form over the weekend. As always, if you need help, please do not hesitate to ask.

Content Portfolio
Please continue working on two new forms. Find 3 additional pieces of research to add to your sketchbook.

Sincerely,
Professor Urrutia

Class 05_Homework_February 5th

Dear Students
Please find your homework below:

Sculpture on the Wheel
New Skill: Throwing a single hollow form on the wheel
Use 2# to practice making cylinders on the wheel
Solid Forms - This form should be completed and leather hard by next class
Throwing from the mound/hump - This form should be well underway and ready to show by Monday, February 12th.

Content Portfolio
Writing - Thank you for sending your 1st written statement to me for critique this Wednesday. If you haven't already done this, please do so as soon as possible
Critique - I will be looking at your work this Wednesday and asking you questions based upon what you have written in your statement. Please be prepared to write your feedback down in your sketchbook.
Applications - Please find at least two things you would like to apply to and peruse after graduation. Print these materials out or have them on your computer so we can discuss them in detail and get them ready for submitting. Appropriate applications may include graduate school and residency opportunities. 

Class 04_Homework_January 31st

Sculpture on the Wheel

Homework

Solid Forms - These should be completely carved out and put back together by class 06, Thursday, February 8th.

Throwing off the Hump - Today you should have created a form on which you will encrust with what you have been throwing on the wheel. This form should be in progress next week and we will not spend much time completing it in class, so be sure to work on your own. I asked you to look at Susan Beiner's work for inspiration. She doesn't make them in the way we are working, but the results will be similar I assure you!

Visiting the CBU Gallery - Please go to the show at the CBU gallery between now and Monday. Hopefully, you took a picture of the show card for location and times. If not, it is still in the room for you to see.

Content Portfolio

Artist Statement - The first draft of your statement will be due to me this coming Monday, February 5th by the beginning of class.

Critique - Please be prepared to critique on Wednesday, February 7th of next week.

Class 03_Homework_January 30th

Wheel Sculpture - Recap
Today.... 
-We went over cleaning up and adding texture to forms. We will be cutting these apart and putting them back together as we did in the begiining Carve Out assignment. 
-I introduced the trimming technique to the class using a bat. We can revisit this next class.
-I made and talked about using a clay chuck for trimming
-I showed you how to throw from the mound or hump and the rest of the steps for making a cylinder

Homework...
-THROWING - Please try to practicing making small cylinders via the hump. After you have formed these cylinders, try to make an intersting form with them. 
-RESEARCH - Go to CBU and see the clay show there by Niles Wallace. Be sure to take pictures and notes about what you see there.
-3 SHAPED SOLID FORMS - Work on hollowing out your 3 existing forms from last week.

Content Portfolio
-PHYSICAL WORK - Continue working on your new forms.
-SKETCHBOOK WORK - Continue working in your sketchbook binder.

Class 02_Homework_January 24th

Wheel Workshop
Please use the link below for access to the pinterest account I have been referring to in class:
https://www.pinterest.com/leeondrawurruti/enclosed-forms-using-the-wheel/
Once you get here, you will see a number of folders with various headings. Go ahead and peruse these folders for inspiration in regard to making forms out of what we are doing on the wheel.

Once you have an idea of the overall form you would like to create, make at least 3 forms using the techiniques we have been working on in class. Three is the minimum number so you may use more if you like. Try to have a variety of sizes and experiment with creating textures as I should you in class. All forms need to be leather hard by next class. We will spend next week creating a form using whatever you produce.

Next week we will be trimming and carving out solid forms. Be sure to have your entire throwing kit: metal/wood rib, potter's knife, needle tool, sponge, cut off wire, double ended/large loop trimming tools. In addition, please be sure to bring your chamoise and any smoothing brushes to use for clean up.

Homework recap:
- Spend time looking at other artists' work to get ideas about what you will make. Any work or plans you make can be recorded and stored in the Planning and Development section of your sketchbook binder.
- At least 3 forms that you can combine to make one form.


Content Portfolio
Physical Work - Please continue working on the forms you will presenting for the next critique [2]. 
Articles - Break down the articles you collected so that you have written analysis concerning all three. Place these in the Research and Analysis section of your sketchbook binder.

Happy studio making!
Professor Urrutia

Class01_Homework_January 22nd

Click for Larger 

Dear Students

Welcome to Ceramic Sculpture Workshop: Sculpture on the Wheel and Content Portfolio!

Today we went over the syllabus, saw a demonstration concerning centering on an electric wheel, and spent time working on the wheels individually. Your homework assignments are below. Please be sure that you read the proper heading. It will be designated by your chosen path.

Homework for All

-Sketchbooks - Get your binder together and bring to class. Be ready each class to take notes. Even if you write notes in another book, you will need to have those notes digitized for your final binder submission at the end of the semester.

-Google Folder - Make your personal folder and add the following folders: Sketchbook_Binder, Final_Work, Writing. Here is the link to the folder. Please let me know immediately if you have problems accessing this folder: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_xaMsUXOejZdjM2RmZ5cEZxQ2c

-Blog - Please become a follower of this blog. To do this you will need to be logged into your MCA gmail account

-Your Possessions - Finally, be sure to buy and bring your supplies to class. Write your name on EVERYTHING!

Sculpture on the Wheel

PRACTICE!

Use 4# of clay to practice centering and coning up and down. Here are some videos for you to take notes about: 

1. Centering and making a cone
2. Your body and centering - you will notice some differences in what I have taught you. Part of what you will be learning this semester is what works for you! ALSO, this man uses pugged clay he buys from a distributer. This clay is de-airred which is why he gets away without 

Content Portfolio Development

Homework

-Proposal

-[3] articles for research, printed and brought to class

Once you've made a decision pertaining to content, begin your research. Any articles you gather should be brought with you for next class (at least 3). Later we will translate the content therein to visual elements, contexts, process, etc. that you can use to build compositions. Actively think about, collecting, sketching visual elements that you might use to express the way you are thinking about your chosen subject matter. Copying images and cutting them apart to use in addition to drawing things should be very helpful in developing visual vocabulary. Whatever you develop, please bring to next class.

I look forward to an exciting and productive semester!

Best,

Professor Urrutia