Coil building
Choice project
sgraffito/slump mold
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relief carving
For this piece, I created a small beehive sculpture using the coil-building method. I rolled long, even coils of clay and stacked them in a tight spiral to form the rounded hive shape, leaving most of the coil texture visible so it would have that classic beehive look. After shaping the form, I added a small bee near the top to give the piece personality and a playful, storybook feel. While working on it, I found the repetitive coil-building really calming, and I enjoyed watching the hive slowly take shape layer by layer. Glazing it in warm yellow tones brought the whole design together, and adding the little bee made it feel complete. In the end, I’m genuinely proud of this sculpture. I love how it turned out and how much character it has.
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plan
wedge clay
role coils
aatach coils together with slip
build up and size down on rings of coil
add bee with slip
glaze
For this piece, I created a small elephant to serve as a ring holder. After forming the shape, I smoothed the surface and refined details like the trunk, ears, and legs to give it a clear, simple form. I designed the trunk to be raised so it could hold rings effectively.
Once the clay reached the right stage, I applied a layer of purple underglaze. The color highlighted the shape and details well, and the glaze gave the piece a smooth, finished surface. During firing, I watched the glaze develop, which added to the overall quality of the piece. In the end, the elephant met the functional and stylistic goals I set for it.
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plan
wedge clay
shape elephant body
attach trunk, ears, and legs
smooth and refine details
apply purple glaze
fire
For this piece, I created a small bowl and decorated it using the sgraffito technique. After forming and smoothing the bowl, I coated the inside with a layer of underglaze and let it reach the right stage for carving. Then I carefully scratched away the surface to reveal the clay underneath, creating a pattern of cute, simple characters all over the inside of the bowl. I wanted the design to feel playful and lively, so I repeated the little figures in different directions to fill the space and make it fun to look at. While carving, I found the process really satisfying the contrast between the underglaze and clay made every line pop instantly. Seeing the pattern come together made me excited to keep going, and by the end I really loved how the bowl turned out. It feels personal, cheerful, and exactly the style I was hoping for.
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plan
wedge clay
use slab roller to flatten clay
use bowl to form bowl shape
let dry
underglaze
let dry
carve out lady bugs
fire
glaze
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For this project, I made a round clay tile and created a relief design based on natural shapes. I added small rounded forms in the center to look like berries and placed leaf shapes around them. Then I carved lines that reach outward so the piece feels like it’s growing from the middle. I used soft, earthy colors because I wanted the tile to look natural and calm. Working in relief was fun because I could see shadows and shapes change as I carved. In the end, I like how the piece turned out because it feels simple, natural, and close to what I pictured.
Plan:
wedge clay
roll out a slab
cut a circle for the tile
add the berries and leaves in the center
carve the lines going outward ( maple syrup)
let dry to leatherhard
paint with underglaze
let dry
bisque fire
add glaze
glaze fire
Slab with darts
For this piece, I created a small form using a slab with darts. After wedging the clay, I rolled out a slab and cut darts into it so I could shape it into a more rounded, vase like form. Once it was assembled, I smoothed the seams and let it firm up. As it dried, though, I realized I wasn’t really satisfied with how it was turning out the proportions felt off, and the final shape didn’t match what I had envisioned. It also didn’t have much use or purpose for me, and I didn’t feel inspired to decorate or refine it further.
Because of that, I decided not to fire it. Since I wasn’t happy with the overall form and didn’t see it becoming a piece I would want to keep, it didn’t make sense to take it through the whole firing and glazing process. Even though I chose not to finish it, making this slab with darts piece still helped me understand more about shaping, structure, and what kinds of forms I want to pursue in the future.
Plan
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wedge clay
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roll out slab
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cut and join darts
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shape and smooth form
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let dry
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evaluate design
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decide not to fire