A mug for a Second Time

Not happy with the way the first two mugs came out I tried again. I'm not sure about this one but at least it didn't have a hole in it! Although it is not glazed in this picture, I did glaze it. I mixed vivid orange and a red! I think it turned out pretty well!

Mugs times two!

At first I was only going to make one mug, but after a sad incident lead to a hole in the bottom of they first one that I loved I made a second one. I think both but I think they could be better I may try it again!  

Reflection

This year has flown by, I can't believe how many project as a class we have gotten through. I have improved my painting skills, and have learned a few new tricks for wheel throwing from watching You Tube videos. My favorite project from the second semester would be my water color painting. I really loved how that one turned out and I enjoyed using the technique with the salt and blending the blues in the background. My least favorite project was probably my oil pastel drawling of the flowers in a granden. It just didn't turn out as well as I was hoping. Next time I might try the blending differently, like instead of using my fingers use a white pastel. I think throughout this year I got pretty darn good at blending colors.  What could maybe use some more work is my wheel throwing skills. I did learn things from watching those You Tube videos but I'm still not very good. Although I tried multiply times to make a good mug, none of them really turned out as well as I was hoping. There was one mug that I really liked and the bottom ended up being to thin and getting a whole in it. Bummer. Anyways, my plan for next year is that even though I am not taking any art classes is to stop in when I can and do some wheel throwing, and maybe even some ink, and water color paintings. Hopefully I'll be able to send some thing to the art fair.

Ink Painting

For my last project I wanted to do a painting because of the lack of time. I choose an ink painting because I had already done a watercolor and an blickrylic painting. I think it turn out really well. I would like to do more ink paintings.

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh is a well known great artist. Known to many as the guy that went crazy and cut off his ear, but there is much more to it. First, he did not cut off his ear, he only cut off a small portion of his ear lobe. Vincent Van Gogh did not live a happy life. In a short period of ten years Van Gogh made approximately 900 paintings and solid exactly one when he was alive. Van Gogh did not become famous until after his death... To see some of his work click here...

Scrapbook

For my last project I did some scrapbooking. I didn't get as much as I wanted done, but what I get done was Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. I wanted to get more done like, wrestling, and my birthday. I will probably do more scrapbooking here and there before they year is over but I think it will just be for extra credit.

Wheel Throwing

For my up coming project my Dad asked me if I would make him a mug. I said sure, bu the only problem is I haven't wheel throw since last year! So on You Tube I looked up some techniques to help refresh my mind. Here one video I found helpful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kapm9e6y2hA  In this video he using a technique that I have never used, he only uses the top part of the clay and removes the bottle from it when he is done wheel throwing.

Water Color Painting

For my second project of quater three, I wanted to something I haven't done it awhile, a painting, a water color painting! I really love some this one turned out! The background looks really cool in person, I would paint a little then put salt on it. The effect turned out really cool I think. I also like how the fall leaf colors just really pop out.

Oil Pastel Project

I did an oil pastel drawing like a picture I posted early on my blog. I think it turned out really good. You can't see the full thing because I cropped out my fingers. For my next project I think I'm going to switch things up a little and do a water color painting of a leaf and practice blending!

What my passion...

My Dad is who got me into art. Both my parents always encouraged me to explore and try new things, but my Dad always was the one giving me new ideas on what to do. I've tried a bit of everything in art. I've done pottery with and without the wheel, I've done painting, drawling, and oil pastels. I really like all of it. Whenever I'm working on a project it usually takes me quite a but of time, especially any clay projects I do. I think clay projects take me the longest because after they are fired I know I can't make anymore changes to the form. Also, with glazing you can never be sure what color it's going to be after it is fired, especially if you glaze two colors on top of each other. BUT that can also be part of the fun! Most recently I've been doing a lot of scrape booking. I find scrape booking really relaxing and fun. I enjoy cutting out pieces, photos ans more to moving them around in order to find just the right spot. My sister Kate and my Mom have neem really helping me a lot! They just give me suggestions and good ideas. Here is some of what I've done... 

Inspiration...

When I did my oil pastel drawing I found a website that was really helpful. I found the flower like the one I did on it. http://www.penstrokestudio.newenglandsimpleliving.com/oilpastelpaintings.htm  It had a lot of great objects that would be cool to try to do myself. I really like how they blend colors, and use texture. I think I'll be doing more second semester.

First Semester Done!

With my first semester or art done, my top their favorite projects would have to be 1. Slab Pottery Project 2. The Van Meter Bulldog 3. Oil pastel Flower Drawing. I like them all for different reasons and with each one learned a new skill. With my slab project I learned how to merry edges. The Van Meter Bulldog, was probably the project that took me the longest, from getting it down to the art room to wanting for each layer of paint to dry before the next one can be applied.  The bulldog taught me to have steady hands. The oil pastel flower was the only drawing project I did this semester. It took me the shortest amount of time, but I really enjoy doing it. I like learning how to blend the colors, I think I'll do more pastels second semester. I think next semester I'll also do another salb project.

Oil Pastel, Drawing

For my last project I choose to do an oil pastel drawing. I did it of a flower. I wanted to use oil pastels after releasing I didn't have enough time to do another clay project. Although I didn't want to do an drawing at first I'm glade I did. I think it trued out really nice.

Slab Built Pottery

I did a slab project. I really love doing slab built projects, but there is a lot of work that goes into doing one. First you have to roll out clay to all the same thickness, then cut into the desired sized, mine was 7 inches by 11 inches. Next I put them on a board and slightly covered them with a plastic bag, so that it can dry out for a few days so it becomes more solid, and less flimsy when I stand then up to merry the edges together to make my form. After that's was done I put another plastic bag over it to dry out slowly so it doesn't crack. The using a needle tool I craved in the leaf. Finally it gets a bisque fired.
After the bisque I glazed it with the body in a neutral color, it reminds be of a pie crust once it goes though a glaze fire. For the leaf I glazed it base off of fall leaves. I used vivid orange, orange, red, and mulberry red. Hopefully it will look really cool once the klim get fixed and it get a glaze fire.