Production Ceramics, Spring 2017, Instructors: Kate Blacklock, Michael Lamar
Textured Plate and Bowl Set
A slipcast tabletop set exploring the visual and tactile qualities of texture.
Prompt | Timeline: 4 Weeks
Design and produce a pair of inter-related pieces that have a structural, utilitarian, and conceptual relationship to one another.The finished pieces must reflect a thorough understanding of process, technical skills, and design language as they relate to ceramic production.
Process
I wanted to push the boundaries of the process of slipcasting. I decided to design a textured slipcast bowl and solidcast plate. I looked for inspiration in natural forms.
I decided to create negatives for the bowl, and positives for the plate. For the bowl, I divided it into three parts, carving the negative spaces at angles in order to prevent undercuts in the mold.
From left to right: Carving and shaping the texture, pouring the first part of four mold pieces, building up the clay body for the second mold pour.
By casting thin enough, I wanted to create a positive echo of the texture on the interior of the bowl, which would be reflected by the texture of the plate.
In order to create my plate, I had to create the plate positive, then carve into the mold after had made it.
I picked a few different glazes I thought would accentuate the texture of the bowls due to the inherent properties of glaze firing, such as the moving of the glaze away from sharper edges and the pooling of the glaze in recesses.
