Fourth Grade
Clay - Coiled Pots
Coiling is a method of creating pottery using snakelike coils of clay wound around and piled up on each other to create the shape of the vessel. This method has been used to shape clay into vessels for many thousands of years, by such different cultures as those from Africa, Greece, China and Japan, and even New Mexico.
Using the coiling technique, it is possible to build thicker or taller walled vessels, which may not have been possible using earlier methods. The technique permits control of the walls as they are built up and allows building on top of the walls to make the vessel look bigger and bulge outward or narrow inward with less danger of collapsing. The coils in this technique would often be smoothed over in traditional pot making, but the underlying structure would always be evident to the trained eye. Artists still may choose to use the coiling method in making some pottery today. |
The swirling, dynamic appearance of the rim of this deep bowl is one of the most recognizable characteristics of wares made during Japan's oldest known civilization, the Jomon. Forming a dramatic contrast to the flamboyant ornamentation along the top is the relatively simple cord-marked lower portion of the vessel. Although most of the pottery containers made during this period were cooking vessels, the eccentric, irregular shape of the rim on bowls of this kind does not appear to be suitable for practical use and may have served a ritual function.
This deep bowl was built up with coils of clay that were then smoothed by hand and with paddles. Clay coils and the movement of the potter's fingers formed the undulating "fire-flame" design that decorates the rim. The lower portion of the bowl was impressed while still soft with a length of rough cord wrapped around a stick to create the textured pattern. After the bowl was fully formed, it was fired in an open pit. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1992.252.1 |
The Project
Prep – 2 hours (includes time to make sample, have parents come help)
Print – Mimbre Tribe, Bowl
Materials
Blocks of white clay
1 clay ball for each student (size of baseball)
Roll out 6 slabs of clay that you can cut up to give each student a small slab for their base of pot
Wire clay cutter
Clay cloths
Dixie cups
Plastic knives for students
Parent Prep
-pass out ball of clay, rolled out slab for base, and paper plate to work on for each student
-pass out plastic knives
-pass out Dixie cups half full and have them all make slip
-have students start by cutting their base into the shape they want their pot
-have students start making snakes to coil around pot
-remind them to score and use slip to glue coils onto pot
-repeat until they are done
-students can get creative and add extra design coils to pot (see pics above)
-have parent volunteers put students numbers on bottom of pot with toothpicks, collect extra clay in bag they can seal shut to return to Art Room.
-with a class roster, ask students what color they want their pots glazed. I usually give them a choice of 3 colors – look at color samples in clay cabinet before.
-put pots in cardboard boxes to dry for a minimum of 2 weeks
Print – Mimbre Tribe, Bowl
Materials
Blocks of white clay
1 clay ball for each student (size of baseball)
Roll out 6 slabs of clay that you can cut up to give each student a small slab for their base of pot
Wire clay cutter
Clay cloths
Dixie cups
Plastic knives for students
Parent Prep
- Break clay block down into balls of clay about the size of a baseball for each student. Use the wire cutter to cut off portions of clay and roll into balls. Clay prep needs to be done 2-3 days before or day of project, if time permits.
- Put clay balls in Ziploc bags, about 5 or 6 will fit in a bag.
- Roll out slabs of clay that can be cut into pieces with a plastic knife when in class for project. This rolled out piece will be the base of their pot.
- When rolling out clay, moisten a clay cloth and roll clay on cloth with another cloth on top. Keep clay with a bottom cloth in Ziploc bag until ready to use. This will keep clay from sticking to surface and to student’s desk.
- Make 2-3 samples to show students and also in case some break in kiln.
- Cut slab into small base shape you want. Can be round, square, heart, oval, etc.
- Take some clay from ball and roll it into a snake. Score – make lines with plastic knives, on base of pot and snake, use slip – Dixie cup half full of water with a small dime size piece of clay mashed into water to make a clay/water mixture, on scored area of pot and snake and glue (slip is glue) pieces together as you wrap snake around top of pot to make sides. Continue this process until your pot has the wall sides the height you want.
- Look at glaze samples in clay cabinet and choose 3 or 4 to show students to let them pick their color. Parent volunteers will glaze clay after first firing.
- Show students print. Ask them how they think this was made? Explain clay they will be using comes from the earth. Different colors of clay come from different parts of the world.
- Show students your sample clay pot and the samples from the Art Room.
- Explain how they will make their pot today using a base, rolling snakes, scoring, and using slip (students should be aware of score and slip from previous grades)
-pass out ball of clay, rolled out slab for base, and paper plate to work on for each student
-pass out plastic knives
-pass out Dixie cups half full and have them all make slip
-have students start by cutting their base into the shape they want their pot
-have students start making snakes to coil around pot
-remind them to score and use slip to glue coils onto pot
-repeat until they are done
-students can get creative and add extra design coils to pot (see pics above)
-have parent volunteers put students numbers on bottom of pot with toothpicks, collect extra clay in bag they can seal shut to return to Art Room.
-with a class roster, ask students what color they want their pots glazed. I usually give them a choice of 3 colors – look at color samples in clay cabinet before.
-put pots in cardboard boxes to dry for a minimum of 2 weeks
WARNING: DO NOT ALLOW CLAY TO GO DOWN YOUR DRAIN!
Not even the left over slip.
For more information on working with clay, see our media page on clay.
Not even the left over slip.
For more information on working with clay, see our media page on clay.
Firing and Glazing
-when the clay projects are dry you can schedule a date and contact the kiln helper to turn on the kiln for you once you have loaded it.
-it takes about 2 days for the kiln to run and cool, then you will unload it.
-glaze is kept in the clay cabinet with samples. You may glaze in whatever color you like, we usually do clear with this project. You may want to give the kids options of colors. It is up to you!
-make sure you don’t get any glaze on the bottom when painting on.
-glaze your clay projects and set them to fire again in the kiln by contacting a kiln helper and loading the kiln.
-when the clay projects are dry you can schedule a date and contact the kiln helper to turn on the kiln for you once you have loaded it.
-it takes about 2 days for the kiln to run and cool, then you will unload it.
-glaze is kept in the clay cabinet with samples. You may glaze in whatever color you like, we usually do clear with this project. You may want to give the kids options of colors. It is up to you!
-make sure you don’t get any glaze on the bottom when painting on.
-glaze your clay projects and set them to fire again in the kiln by contacting a kiln helper and loading the kiln.