Teaching About the Qualities of Clay
Respect for Clay as a Medium and Understanding the Drying Process
Clay is a very versatile medium. When used proprerly, it can be an empowering experience for students. Although the creative potential for clay sculpture and pottery is endless, students either love or hate doing clay work. Negative perceptions of clay as a medium are often based on the levels of sucess students have experienced when working with clay and whether they find it frustrating.
Teachers must take particular care that they have arrange the classroom and the lesson for maximum success by anticipating any possible problems. Here are some of the things that can go wrong when teaching young students to work with clay.
Unworkable Dry Clay
Clay will dry out when it is handled too much. This is because human hands draw the moisture from the clay and as it dries it goes crumbly. Eventually it becomes unworkable.
To avoid this problem, experienced potters learn how to think through the clay working process so that they can shape the material and join shapes and coils quickly. The less clay is touched the longer it will remain workable.
Very small children must be taught how to avoid the temptation to continually pummell and handle the clay. Because they find clay an exciting medium, they want to touch and shape and experiment. But as the clay dries and it no longer responds to their touch, they often turn away from the activity. They are looking for something easier or more fun to take hold of their attention.
Movement As A Part Of Clay Lessons
Teachers can use music and movement as a way to regulate touching of the clay. Clapping games allow the students to gain a feel for making their object to a rhythm. A teacher or well practiced student leads, as students clap and do movements between each practical application of shape. With a sense of fun and good humour it is possible to teach even tiny children appropriate respect for the essential qualities of clay.
Some teachers allow older students to keep dampening the clay with a spray bottle. It is much better if students learn from a young age to be quick and adept, this avoids need for repair or salvage.
Storage of Clay
To avoid drying out, clay must be left wrapped when not in use. So that the clay can be wrapped up quickly, students should be taught to work quickly and efficiently. The more quickly students make their sculptures the more quickly they can wrap them and put the moist clay away.
Uneven Drying Time for Clay Joins
Imagine a very thin and a very thick coil of clay being joined together. Unless these are welded sturdily, they will pull apart. This is because they have dried at different rates due to the thickness of the clay. As they change size at different rates, the places where they join will no longer match, so sections split apart. Especially when beginning, keep the size of shapes or coils being joined consistent.
For the same reason, potters often join slabs by strengthening the joint with a very small coil. This welds the two pieces together. This will support the join, as well as slow the drying rate at the join. If you have to have two non matching thicknesses joined, coat the thinnest shape of clay and the join with melted wax to slow down the drying time. This gives the sculptor more control over the evenness and drying time.
Drying Space For Clay Sculptures
A drying space can be created by using an old fridge as a drying cupboard. You can vary the drying time within this sealable space by
- placing the sculpture in plastic
- leaving the door open or partially opened
- or closing it so that the work is sealed from the air
Or you could create another type of drying space by using a polystyrene box lining it with plastic and sealing the artwork from the air.
Follow these simple instructions about handling, joining and storing clay and you will be on the right path towards planning for success in the pottery classroom.
Clay Sculptures
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Education & Career
Latest Articles