seals

Y4 have painted their clay sculptures. We used a 'splodge' technique to achieve the colouration found on grey seals!

mugs (2)

And they're out of the kiln - not cracked! But yet to test if they leak!!

City blocks

Our james Rizzi inspired, slab-clay built containers are finished. The children added details, using sharpies, around the windows, eyes etc. Now deciding whether to seal with a coat of neat PVA or not. They are going to be used as pencil pots and such like so won't need to be waterproof or anything.

ceramics

Our y2's are in the throes of making rice bowls (to tie with their studies about China). They've been bisque fired and are awaiting glazing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, we've got some new ceramics pens in school so I thought I'd try them out on an old IKEA plate. Just got to put them in the kiln when it's on a 'drying' program to fix them.

drawing

FS2 children did some observational drawing yesterday.  We kept it simple (basic shape, surface texture/detail) as their attention spans and concentration are still developing! 

 

Strawberries....

And pineapples!

Finally, a couple of pics of my completed ceramic roadster.

cars

Some vehicle based pieces that I've been doing of late. The first is a ceramic bodied old-style racing car. Am really pleased with the deep red colour of the body - I used a terracotta clay. Am just painting up the wooden wheels and axles that will finish it off. I decided not to have a 'driver'.

 

These are a couple of acrylic on paper paintings of one of my all-time favourite cars - a 2CV - pottering through picturesque landscapes. I constantly regret the day I parted with mine!

more clay stuff

One Y2 class created dinosaurs yesterday. They pushed, pulled and generally bullied the clay into a shape resembling a stegosaurus. Broken lollipop and cocktail sticks were then added for the plates and tail spikes. We'll paint them once they're dry.

 

 

Meanwhile the other Y2 class have been working on an island theme. We painted our clay thumbpot islands and added a card 'house'. When put together en masse they look a bit like the British gas advert on telly, except that ours are on 'water' and not in the air!

potty

Coil pots with Y3 yesterday to tie in with their Greek project. We used a tube as a former and found it much easier than just trying to coil the  clay 'sausages' free-style as we have done in the past.

 

 

Here they are in the kiln prior to going through a drying and then a firing programme. Some of the children managed to add rims to their pots.

 

 

We won't glaze them as we are after a matt finish and our glazes are all gloss. (Note to self - order some matt glazes!) We'll probably use poster paints to add decoration or even just sharpie pens. The latter might be better to achieve a finer line.

'River'

Y6 have completed their river piece.

 

 

We decided to hang the fish with wire instead of thread as some of them are quite heavy.

 

Not sure whether it looks better with the added blue wool or not (?). I might put a blue sheet against the wall behind it 'under' the table and a simple riverbank above.

fishcakes

Fresh from the kiln, some of our y6 fish.

 

 

 And one of the completed papier mache celebration cakes. We obtained the colouring by applying coloured tissue paper as the final layer rather than use paint. A card crown and a bit of fancy ribbon finish it off perfectly.

beach huts

I've been playing around with more clay and came up with a simple wooden plaque that features 3 ceramic beach huts. It measures around 15 by 10cm.

 

Quite pleased with how it turned out. Am thinking that I could repeat it using canvas board.

lots!

This was our art room the other day as y5 finished off their papier mache, tiered, celebration 'cakes'! The children did tidy it up at the end. When they are dry I'll post some pics.

 

Meanwhile in y6, we glazed our (slab) fish sculptures. They are designed to be suspended, hence the hole in the top!

And finally, today in y4 we went a long way to completing our felt hats. This is the back view of one - on the front is a happy face!

spoon

Yay! My first ceramic spoon! It's about 10cm long and sports a sgraffito design on the handle.

 

Really pleased with how it turned out but not sure what to use it for!

yesterday

Confident that none of our mums read this blog, here is a sneak preview of the cards our y1's & 2's made this year for Mother's day. We hope to see them out and about on Sunday proudly wearing their badges!

 

Meanwhile in art club we glazed our eggcups - a simple double thumbpot design. Here they are prior to their final firing.

recent stuff

Last week the art club members finished off their ceramic jewellery pieces. These are some of the pendants that they made. Destined to be mothers day presents methinks!

 

In y5 we papier mached our 'tiered celebration cakes'.

And finally, spotted this car on our pottery buying trip to Poland this weekend. An old Skoda painted up in a 'classic' design.

jewellery and tapestries

In art club we've been making ceramic jewellery. The children created pendants, brooches and rings.

 

In y3 our tapestries are continuing apace. The children were tasked with creating a symmetrical design and have been busily stitching their patterns onto hessian backings. We hope to further embellish them with beads and buttons.

recent stuff

A few recent pieces. First up a ceramic abstract figure designed to sit on a shelf. My wife sells Polish pottery so I painted it to tie in with a blue/white colour scheme. The hair is handmade twine tied with a ribbon. The spots are painted on after firing as they have previously 'run' when I've tried to do them with glazes.

 

 
Next, a painting (acrylic on paper, roughly A4 size) with a similar theme. This will hopefully, once framed, end up on the 'shop' wall - maybe even with a very modest price tab!

Finally, another footy piece - 'Off to the Match'. Again acrylics on heavyweight paper.

hotch potch

In preparation for a 'Great Fire of London' collage the children painted 'flames'. It was a good opportunity to revisit colour mixing/primary/secondary colours etc.

 

Meanwhile fresh from the kiln, some plaques of footy supporters. These are designed to be either hung on a wall or propped on a shelf. Not sure whether to add them to my Folksy shop - your views would be greatly appreciated as to whether they would sell.

Finally, a painting that I started today. It's on canvas and measures about 60x50cm.

monarch of the glen

When y4 made polar bears some children also made other 'cold land' animals.  Once it had been fired, this girl went away and found the perfect twigs to complete her stag!

 

today

I've recently had a go at a few bits and pieces clay-wise and here they are on opening the kiln after their final firing. You should be able to spot the footy supporter from last week (quite pleased with him), some small pendants (an experiment that I might pursue with members of my weekly art club) and various parts of a bird (pigeon?) that I've got a crazy idea to make into an automaton piece!

 

Meanwhile in Y4 we glazed our polar bears and carefully added basic facial details.

For those who had finished we then went on to imagine that there was a polar bear who was not like other polar bears - essentially the 'Elmer the elephant' story by David McKee, but obviously altered. We drew and coloured them. The class teacher became very enthusiastic at the writing possibilities that this threw up and is keen to explore the theme with the children - altered stories, shaped books etc.