Ceramics Class Descriptions
Check out all of these great classes in Ceramics. The schedule and sign up for each class can be obtained by clicking on the Name of the Class. See the California Arts and Education (CAE) course catalog for price and schedule information. Or, sign up for classes using EZReg!
Standard Classes Offered by CAE
Ceramics
Learn to wheel throw or handbuild basic ceramic forms. Decorating, glazing and firing techniques will be covered. Emphasis on developing a personal sense of form using sound fundamental skills. Prerequisites: For all Int-Adv classes student must be able to center and throw a simple cylinder and bowl form.
Intro Sculpture (Beg/Adv)
More fully understand the process of working with clay and constructing ceramic objects. Then move on to broader artistic concepts--abstraction, content/narrative and presentation. Techniques include surface treatments, traditional and non-traditional including encaustic finishes.
Open Studio Ceramics
Open Studio provides 30 hours per week of supervised studio time open to all enrolled ceramics and sculpture students to enhance skills learned and knowledge of the ceramics craft and to share this interest. No instruction is provided. Student must purchase clay in the studio and provide own tools. Glazes, firing and use of studio equipment are included in the fee. Clay Arts Guild membership qualifies students for discounted open studio fee and other benefits (see above). Use of the ceramics studio is strictly for non-commercial learning purposes and work produced may be sold only through authorized sales or donated to support the program.
Special Interest Classes (Check for Availability)
Sodium Vapor
Emphasis on ceramic work for high-fire salt kiln, to be stacked with shelves. Kiln stacking and firing included. Students participate in loading and unloading of kilns. Enrollment limited to 20.
Pottery Making for Raku Firing (Int/Adv)
Raku is a low-firing process. Preheated ware is put into a hot kiln with tongs, then withdrawn and usually heavily smoked. Focus on forms and techniques that work well with Raku firing process. First half of class will include an overview of Raku and methods of making both hand built and wheel thrown objects that work well with the colors and character of Raku glazes. Demos of glaze application, use of resists, terra sigillata and other techniques. Second half of class focuses on learning how to fire work that has been made. Note: Students participate in the firing process and must be physically able to pull their own work from kiln. It is advisable students provide their own gloves and tongs which are also available in the studio for purchase. Prerequisite: One quarter of ceramics. No clay beginners. All clay must be purchased in the studio. Enrollment limited to 18 students.
Handbuilding with Soft Slabs (Beg/Adv)
Explore a broad variety of techniques and ideas for creating works with soft slabs of clay! Garden Vessels, dinnerware and Wall Reliefs will be among the projects in this course. A variety of surface treatments will be used. Bring your imagination and a sketchbook to the first class.
Handmade Art Tiles & Wall Reliefs
Explore a variety of methods for making art tiles and wall reliefs. Emphasis on decorative techniques with underglazes, slips and glazes to enhance your work. Mold making techniques and use of extruded forms will be included. Surface decoration with carving, stamp images, and relied designs.
Functional Pottery with Emphases on Lidded Containers
Come explore the world of pots with a purpose, the usual plates, bowls, cups, vases, but with a focus on different types of lids. Examine what type of lid is most appropriate with which pot, how to measure, fire and glaze pots with lids and how to prepare a vessel to accept a lid, covering both thrown and handbuilt containers.
Techniques and Design in Slip and Glaze
Learn all there is to know about decorating the surface of your ceramic forms. The full range of slip and glaze decorating techniques will be covered, from slip trailing to inlay and stenciling. Learn the basics of design as well as explore design using historical and cultural examples. Basic handbuilding and throwing techniques will also be explored.
Other Past Classes Offered
Alternative Firing Techniques (Int-Adv)
Exploration of sagger, raku, sawdust and pit firing. Decorating and forming techniques for each process will be covered, including both hand building and wheel throwing techniques. Also included is a historical reference to Native American Indian and Mexican pottery. One class session will be a full day at the beach doing a pit firing. Prerequisites: At least one quarter of ceramics.
Surface Decoration for Thrown and Handbuilt Pottery
A range of decorating techniques will be addressed at all levels of pottery development, from the wet clay forming process using colored clays and slips and texturing with tools or chemicals, through various methods for decorating in the leather hard and bone dry stages, on to glazing bisqued pieces and finally using china paints or luster on already high fired glazed pieces.
The Human Figure: From Any Angle
Approach any aspect of the human figure in any style. Realistic heads, abstracted torsos, anatomical hands, cartoon figurines: the options are limited only by our imagination. Be exposed to multiple approaches to the human form through image presentations, building demonstrations and our own research and ideas as we explore the topics of our interests be they pose, narrative, color, anatomy, stylization, etc. No model, so our own concepts and self-supplied reference materials will inform our work. Qualifies as a required ceramics class for open studio enrollment.
Want to Know More?
See the California Arts and Education (CAE) course catalog for price and schedule information.
Ready to Sign Up?
Sign up for classes using EZReg!