Soooo happy with my ceramics workshop catch up morning today! Love how this is turning out and i will adding designs/decorations of the camellia tea plant. Now im ready to tackle spouts and handles next week. #strodecollegeartdepartment #maturestudent #artcollege #strodeartfad #ceramics #teapot #camelia #teaplant (at Street, Somerset) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHyQ4aclF6L/?igshid=1ll20u1uq8tej
PRIMARY: There were endless examples of previous students teapots to explore and look at along with a stunning wall mounted board of all the different glazes and finishes and how they looked on different clays after being kiln fired.
SECONDARY: I created a Pinterest board specifically for my teapot workshop and searched and collected loads of inspiration.
PROCESS: I enjoyed this process almost too much! I started by deciding what sort of shape and style of teapot I wanted and looked through many moulds and random objects in the workshop that could be used as the body. I opted for a slightly tilted cone that was available to me. To avoid sticking I needed to cover the cone in clingfilm and also wrap paper around it, mark and cut out to form my template.
Onto to the clay! I used a white clay and started with a good sized lump. a cloth was put down first onto the desk to avoid sticking accidents and to make sure the clay was the exact same thickness, 2 pieces of wood of the same size were placed either side of my clay so that when I was rolling it out it would stop once the rolling pin hot the wood.
I then cut out my template and wrapped it around my clingfilmed cone. To make sure the clay adhered to itself strong enough to withstand the heat of the kiln and the subsequent contents of liquid refreshments, I needed to score a crosshatch pattern to both ends that would stick together and apply slip. Slip has the consistency of thick paint and is basically a ceramic glue. Once both sides had slip and were put together, all it needed was some pressing and smoothing out to make he join seamless. I then added a thin sausage strip of clay to the bottom inside join of the teapot body and smoothed out along with creating the same seamless look on the outside bottom join to the base.
The same process and principle went into creating the lid using another object that fitted into the top of the teapot as a mould.
Our next lesson was then focusing on the handle and spout of our teapots. Here is where I learned something very crucial and as simple as it sounds does not escape the mistakes that can be regularly made by not keeping this in mind. The spouts opening should be at the same level, if not higher, than the top of the teapot (without the lid). If its lower then when you go to fill your teapot with liquid it will start to pour out before you get to fill it to the top (which would actually never happen as it would always pour out of the spout first and therefor all space above that in the teapot is wasted space and clay)
Once the style of the spout is decided you then needed to create the tunnel through it, making sure it was big enough to allow for shrinkage in the kiln. you then marked the spot you want it to go and cut an opening into the teapots body and attached via the crosshatch and slip method. Apart from the creating an opening part, the same process is applied when attaching the handle. Add any embellishments you wish and you’re ready for the kiln.
it is then all put into the kiln for a bisque firing which comes out a beautiful matte white colour and you can start with the glazing.
Oh the glazing!! So much to choose from. I watered down the one I used to create a more delicate colour. Once I had finished adding in the colours I wanted, I needed to completely dry the glaze with a hairdryer and then, using special tongs and my fingers, dip the entirety of the teapot inside and out into the top coat glaze, covering the whole thing in what I could only describe as a cream like consistency. Another session in the kiln and hey presto!
