Professional Crafts: Clay

Intro to Pottery

This course introduces pottery making for potters, including clay preparation, wheel throwing and trimming, surface decoration, and glazing and firing techniques. Topics include clay bodies and the mixing process, potter's wheel basics, glazing, kiln loading and firing, and safety issues. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare clay; center and throw basic forms; trim, mix, and apply basic glazes; and load and fire bisque kilns.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
3	15	0	8

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

Functional Pottery I

This course covers the important elements of designing and producing utilitarian pottery, including wall thickness, balance and proportion, surface decoration, and glazing and firing techniques. Topics include bowls, mugs, plates, casseroles, stemware, and bottles, with emphasis on safe glazing and supervised firing. Upon completion, students should be able to produce a variety of functional pots, apply a glaze, and load and assist firing a kiln.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
3	15	0	8

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

History of Pottery

This course examines the historical development of ceramics and the contributions made by specific cultures or countries. Topics include potters from early societies, including the Mediterranean countries, China, Cyprus, and Crete with emphasis on design, technique, and firing methods. Upon completion, students should be able to identify numerous historical pottery types, discuss the societies which produced them, and demonstrate knowledge of their production methods.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
1	0	0	1

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

Contemporary Pottery

This course surveys numerous 19th- and 20th-century potters and artists who have contributed to the contemporary ceramics movement. Topics include artists such as Leach, Cardew, and Hamada and the important design and technical contributions these potters have made to the ceramics movement. Upon completion, students should be able to identify numerous contemporary potters and their work.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
1	0	0	1

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

Glaze Testing

This course provides the opportunity to identify and test numerous glazes for a personal glaze inventory. Topics include firing temperature, color, texture, methods of adjustment, and methods of testing on sample tiles. Upon completion, students should be able to select glaze recipes; weigh out test batches; apply glazes to tile; and fire, adjust results, and refire.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
1	3	0	2

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

Handbuilding I

This course introduces students to the basic handbuilding processes of creating three-dimensional functional and sculptural vessels in clay. Emphasis is placed on using design elements and principles for the purpose of forming and decorating ceramic vessels. Upon completion students should be able to demonstrate skills in pinch, coil, and slab methods as well as function and creative expression.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
2	3	0	3

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

None

Functional Pottery II

This course expands previous wheel throwing skills and involves larger, more complicated forms, production skills, slip and glaze theory, kiln theory, and glaze firing. Topics include centering and throwing larger amounts of clay, production techniques, record keeping, studio layout, kiln design, and fuel systems. Upon completion, students should be able to produce pots with competent handles, proper lids, and matching multiple forms and identify kiln properties and burner types.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
3	15	0	8

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

PCC-111

Decorative Pottery

This course continues previous functional skill development, including limited production and one-of-a-kind pieces with emphasis on forming techniques. Topics include multiple cylinder forms, thrown additions, production skills, glaze testing, surface decoration, and firing techniques. Upon completion, students should be able to produce entry-level professional work for show and sale using a variety of forming and finishing techniques.

Lec	Lab	Clinic	Credit
3	15	0	8

Co-Requisites

None

Pre-Requisites

PCC-111