Week 1
September 7, 2022
Today we are starting with Edublog tests
Inquiry Term-Long Project
What would you like to investigate/make as a term-long project?
What do you need to get started?
I wanted to make something that had meaning and would bring joy. So I decided to make a watermelon made with clay because when my mother was pregnant with me she had a craving for watermelon. Mainly because it was summer and she wanted something sweet and cold, now I love watermelon so that could’ve caused it! Others have used these ideas to make cups, bowls and decoration pieces.
How will you begin the project?
The challenge that I will face will be painting/detailing. Some resources I could use to resolve my challenges are asking the teacher and watching tutorial videos.
Self-Assessment and Reflection :
My goal for this week is to sketch out a plan and research some challenges I may have while creating my artwork. My success this week has been learning new and creative ways I can work with clay that will help me in the future. My goal next week is to make notes of the material I need and sketch my design.
December 7, 2022
I started my watermelon bowl today. I started by getting a big piece of clay and started using the ‘pinch pot’ technique by pinching the middle of the play and turning the clay to create even sides.
December 8, 2022
Now that it’s been dried and bisqued I could paint it with a colour glaze. Once it has been painted I will place it on the bisque tray again to clear the glaze after.
December 9, 2022
It’s been fired and now I have to cover it with a clear glaze. Then put in bisque fire 05 to finalize it.
Product
Title: Watermelon Bowl
Medium: Clay, Colour & Clear Glaze
Date: December 12, 2022
Artist Name: Karla Flamenco
My initial idea was to make a cup or decoration piece but I’m glad I decided to make a bowl. I had some struggles with the shape of the bowl so I re-did it multiple times to get a favourable shape. Overall things turned out great and it’s a very meaningful piece for me to make which made it enjoyable to make.
Sgraffito Tile
Week 2
September 12, 2022
My partner (Kelsey Gr.10) and I’s inspiration was to create a butterfly to symbolize change, hope, and life. By connecting our tiles together it will look like one full butterfly. We also started sketching out the butterfly shown in the attached pdf below and the inspirational photo.
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Open in new tab September 13, 2022
Today I started making my sgraffito by wedging my clay. Then by pin rolling the clay to cut out the shape of the square. Now I need to wait for the clay to be leather dry.
September 15, 2022
Since my clay is now leather-hard, I can apply 3 layers of black underglaze. Once it is dry I use chalk to copy my design from the paper.
September 16, 2022
Today I started carving out my design from the chalk trace I did yesterday. By using the carving tools provided I started making headway.
Week 3
September 20, 2022
I finished carving my tile and finalized the details on the side of the butterfly. Now it’s ready to bisque!
Week 4
September 27, 2022
Now that it is bisqued it has to be glazed. I put 2-3 layers of clear glaze on the tile. Once I was done I put it on the tray where it will be fired at 05 – medium. Once that is done I will have finished my tile.
September 29, 2022
This is my final result after glazing and firing my sgraffito tile. A mistake that I made while making my sgraffito tile is that I carved a line where the tile is supposed to connect with my partner’s tile. Although I made that mistake I still proceeded to complete my sgraffito tile with perfection!
Coil Pot
Week 5
October 3, 2022
Today I started my coil pot by wedging clay and carving out a circle for the base of the coil pot. I also started adding coils by rolling out the leftover clay that I used for the base.
October 4, 2022
I rolled clay into a ball form to portray rocks I used this as another layer of the coil to rap around. I scored, slipped and, blended each ball as part of joining clay pieces together.
October 6, 2022
I added a coil called the foldy-fence technique (vertical). After creating the fence I scored, slipped and, blended the wall that I created to make sure it was attached to the other coil.
October 7, 2022
Today, I added another coil and mini rainbows on top. I rolled the clay to make a circular shape and then I trimmed off the ends to make the rainbow. Then I used scored the top of the previous coil to slip and attach each mini rainbow to the top.
Week 6
October 11, 2022
I underglazed my coil pot today but it needs a few more coats of underglaze to be fully coated and ready to bisque.
October 12, 2022
Today I added a few more coats of under graze to my coil pot. Once it was finalized and the clay is bone dry I put it on the tray to be bisqued.
October 13, 2022
Now that it is bisqued the coil pot the final step is to clear the glaze coat and then to glaze fire the coil pot. Once that is done I will have finished my coil pot.
October 14, 2022
Today I finalized my coil pot after bisque and glaze. Adding coloured underglaze has added coloured patterns to the clay and is more decorative.
Life Below Water
Week 7
October 17, 2022
Research :
Giant pacific octopus
How is this creature affected by threats to the Ocean/ Rivers (Acidification/ Waste/ Overfishing/ Dead Zones)?
Overfishing is the current greatest threat to the Giant Pacific Octopus. This species is prone to be captured in industrial fishing pots as it attempts to take advantage of already-caught fish.
What are the solutions to the problems of this threat?
To avoid predators, giant pacific octopuses use a variety of strategies. They camouflage themselves by rapidly changing their skin colour, they make colourful displays or eject ink to startle or confuse potential predators, they squeeze into small crevices to escape, and they quickly propel themselves through the water.
Week 8
October 26, 2022
Today, I started making my giant pacific octopus. By using clay and shaping the octopus’s body shape. I will be working on it more in the next upcoming days.
October 27, 2022
I’ve added more tentacles to the octopus and smoothed the clay out for there not be any bumps. I will be adding more details to my octopus tomorrow.
October 28, 2022
I’ve added more tentacles to the octopus as well as an eye. By adding more water I moistened the clay to add more details to my octopus after coming back from the weekend.
Week 9
November 1, 2022
Today I added octopus suckers by getting the end of a paintbrush and iserting it on the bottom of the tenticales. I also added eyes by rolling clay into a ball and placing it in the hole of the eye socket. Now that I’m done with my octopus it will need to slow dry.
November 2, 2022
I checked on the octopus to see if it was fully leather dry but it wasn’t. Then when checking if it was dry the tentacles broke, but thankfully I fixed it using the score and slip method. Hopefully, it will be fully dry tomorrow.
November 17, 2022, *trail in error in scoring and slipping which took some days*
My octopus’s tentacles finally stayed together it took me a lot of trial and error which was one of the challenges that I faced but I managed to get them put back together in order to get fired. After it had been fired I checked if everything stayed intact which it did. I will be painting my octopus in the following days.
November 18, 2022
I started painting my octopus by mixing some acrylic paints together to match the reference photo. I left the tentacles without paint because I’ll paint them a beige colour. In the following days, I will be adding more additional colours to the octopus.
November 21, 2022
I’ve reapplied the red acrylic paint to cover all the white gaps on the octopus. I also started painting the tentacles and will be going around them with a finer-point brush of red paint to better define the colour of the tentacles and to not overlay the colours. In the upcoming days, I will be working on the eyes and any other things that need to be revised.
November 22, 2022
I’ve painted around some of the tentacles on the octopus. I will work on the other tentacles tomorrow. In the upcoming days, I will start painting the eyes and start making sure there are no white parts on the octopus left.
November 23, 2022
I have finalized painting my octopus by painting the tentacles and the eyes. I will be putting on the final coat on my octopus tomorrow for it to be finalized by that time.
November 24, 2022
I finalized my octopus. One of the challenges I had while creating the octopus was the tentacles it took some days to fix but in the end, I ended up fixing them and firing them. When I overcame those challenges everything else went smoothly.
Life Below Water – Product
Giant Pacific Octopus
November 24, 2022, Acrylic on ceramic
Karla Flamenco
The Life Below Water project aims to raise awareness for the animals who live in our local waters yet are in threat of extinction.
Overfishing is the current greatest threat to the Giant Pacific Octopus. This species is prone to be captured in industrial fishing pots as it attempts to take advantage of already-caught fish.
We need to take care of the environment we share with creatures such as the Giant Pacific Octopus. They, along with many other species, are highly dependent on having an acceptable range of conditions in which to live. The energy we use, the waste we create, and many more of our day-to-day activities are directly correlated with the quality of the environment that we share with other species. This means that being conscious of how we treat the earth is essential to our longevity, the longevity of the BC coast, and the longevity of animals like the Giant Pacific Octopus.
Paper Mache – Animal Mask
Research:
Inspiring animals: Lion
Find source images:
Meaning of the animal: Majesty, strength, courage, justice, and military might. It can be both solar and lunar. Commonly referred to as “the KING of the beasts,” it is a symbol of Kingly power and might, but as the lioness, it is commonly related to the Great Mother and protection.
What elements would you emphasize or include in your mask?
I would emphasize the lion’s mane and the eyes. Lion’s mane would be: fierce, proud, and fearless. The eyes would be: bold, loud, and big.
Sketch:
November 25, 2022
I’ve made traces for the base of the mask to then transfer some onto cardboard. I’ll also be adding texture to the lion by using tin foil. I will be working on it more after the weekend.
November 28, 2022
Now I have to tape the pieces together to form the mask. Once the mask is formed I will paper machée.
November 29, 2022
Today I paper machéed my mask. Tomorrow I will start painting the mask.
November 30, 2022
I’ve started painting my mask with some brown, dark brown, yellow, and orange to blend. Tommorow I will be painting more.
December 1, 2022
I’ve added more orange accents to the mask to make the eyes and forehead stand out/pop out. I will be working on it more tomorrow.
December 2, 2022/Decmber 5, 2022
I have started to glue the fur on my mask to give more definition/3d effect. Tommorow I will be finalizing the mask.
Paper mache – Product
Lion Mask
January 2023
Paper Mache
Karla Flamenco
I decided to do a lion because of the fierce presentation they have.
Lions are known for being strong, brave, protective, and energetic. They respect other’s strengths and are the hunters of the wild. For my mask, I started with a rough design with cardboard and added paper mache and acrylic paint shortly afterwards. I finished my mask by adding fur.