Lesson by: Judy Decker
Grade Level: 8th
Unit: Ceramics - Renaissance Art
Project: Ceramic Relief Portrait
See Woody Duncan's Rosedale Middle School Students' Work

                   
Choice of metallic patina                        verdigris finish      underglazes           glazes

Objectives:

1. Students will use draped slab and slab method to create a relief sculpture - adding coil and slab decoration. Students will exhibit craftsmanship in handling clay. 

2. Students will study facial features and form them in clay

3. Symbolism in Renaissance relief terra cottas will be studied.

Resources:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/ceramics.htm 

Philippe Faraut PCF Studios. Portraits and figurative sculpture. Excellent instructional book - Portrait Sculpting Anatomy & Expression in Clay by Philippe & Charisse Faraut

See contemporary work by Anne Roper "Heart of my Heart"

Ceramic Relief Sculpture (teacher made PowerPoint)

Preparation:                                                               

Make sketch of idea for relief portrait.  Are you going to present a self-portrait?  Are you going to present a mood? Belief? Feeling?  What might your sculpture sculpture say about our culture?

Procedures:

1.      Roll slab of clay between guide sticks.  Slabs should be 3/8” thick. Cut slab to desired shape for sculpture base.  Maximum size of base 9"x 14" -- most should be no larger than 9"x12".

2.      Press a slab of clay into face mold.  Force a little extra clay into nose and chin.  Put newspaper inside face for support -- un-mold. (Note: the molds for the face were made by pressing plastic mask forms into plaster. I had one mold for each table)

3.      Position face onto base -- cut out extra clay behind face. Secure face to base shape by scoring and applying slip.

4.      Add border design to base --carve, incise, or stamp additional textures to border.  Add on relief coils, slab decorations as desired.

5.      Add features to face.  Make a self-portrait if desired (see examples). Study proportions of the face.  The eyes should be the same width as the nose.  The inside corners of the eyes should line up with the crease of the nostrils.  The corners of the mouth will line up with the center (pupils) of the eye.  Add thin coils for eyelids and lips.  Press in iris and pupils.  Make slight impression under nose for filtrim.

6.      Add additional relief elements to express your mood or feeling (jewelry, hair, plants, animals, textures).  Remember to score and slip both surfaces.

7.      Underglaze and glaze after bisque firing.  You may choose a bronze patina - or aluminum (silver) patina

Note: Bronze patina