Animating Functional Ware (Session 5.5)

Service Description

Creature Comforts: Animating Functional Ware Monday August 10th-24th 6-8:30PM In this 3-week intermediate functional sculpture class, students will learn techniques for sculpting a variety of animal features to incorporate onto functional pieces such as goblets, mugs, and vases. Students will explore how sculptural aspects can enhance both the aesthetic and tactile experience of functional ware, experimenting with form, texture, and proportion to bring personality and movement to their creations. By the end of the course, each student will have completed a small series of functional objects that combine practicality with playful, animal-inspired embellishments. **This class is designed for students who have taken 1-2 wheel/handbuilding class or equivalent. This focus of this class will pertain more to sculpting embellishments rather than techniques in building functional objects** Week 1: Students choose an animal feature to focus on (feet, beaks, claws, ears) and begin making small maquettes of these features. These maquettes serve as studies for sculptural form, proportion, and surface texture, and can also be used as test tiles for glazing techniques before applying glazes to final pieces. Demo: Sculpting bird feet; discussion of form, anatomy, and how animal features can interact with functional surfaces. Week 2: Students bring a cup form (thrown or handbuilt) and continue sculpting the chosen animal feature. Students may attach features developed in Week 1 or explore sculpting new complementary features that respond to the geometry of the cup. Emphasis is placed on integrating sculptural elements without compromising functionality. Demo: Sculpting an eye; techniques for attaching features to functional pieces; managing weight distribution; creating seamless transitions between sculptural features and the functional form using texture. Week 3: Students bring a second functional piece (cup, box, serving dish, planter, or vase) and attach similar features developed in Week 2, culminating in a cohesive two-piece series of animal-inspired functional ware. The final session emphasizes glazing techniques and exploring subtle variations between similar features, such as eyelid closure, toe orientation, or mouth opening, to give each piece its own character. Demo:Glazing with test tiles from Week 1; demonstrating small adjustments for expressive variation; discussion of series cohesion and finishing touches.