Teapot Project

This project will give students an introduction to the basic hand-building techniques (pinch pots, coil building and slab building) as well as an introduction to the development of aesthetic content. 

Each student will build two teapots.

For each of these two teapots you will:

1. choose a theme. This theme can be a person, i.e. contemporary, historical or fictional, a style i.e. Art Deco, Steam Punk, Anime, Impressionist, Post Modern, a time period i.e. Neolithic, Victorian, Futuristic, or another kind of theme of your choosing (animal, vegetable, mineral, etc.)

2. Your two teapots should be significantly different from one another in theme and in building method. 

3. Collect images that you will use as source material for each teapot. These will be your guide to developing the form and the surface imagery of this teapot.

4. Do several drawings or maquettes (small, solid clay models) of possible teapots based on you theme and your collected images.

Form: Use slabs, pinch pots or coils or any combination of these three techniques to build a teapot. Required components include a spout, a handle and a “lid solution” (this means developing a strategy for the lid to fit into the opening of the teapot without falling out)

Surface: Using the available surface materials (white, black, and blue slips, and clear glaze) create a surface for your teapot that reinforces your chosen theme.