Ceramics for the Intermediate with Kevin Andrew Morris

This 9-week evening course has been designed to allow participants to develop projects with guidance and demonstration from the tutor. Throughout the duration of the course, you will be introduced to several different techniques used to create ceramics. Techniques include hand building, mould making, casting and a variety of finishing techniques including raku firing.

At the start of this 9-week course you will be taught the foundations of clay, clay bodies and clay preparation.

You will explore a series of hand building techniques such as pinching, coiling, slab building and carving.

Through these techniques you will experiment with shaping, building, and adapting different forms whilst developing your understanding of clay. In addition, you will be taught how to make clay stamps by carving plaster, a process that will allow you to test indenting different designs or textures into clay.

Following this you will be introduced to a variety of mould making techniques.

Firstly, you will be invited to create a one-piece plaster mould in the form of a simple ‘drop out mould’. This can be achieved using a simple found object, sourced independently.
Secondly, you will be invited to learn two separate techniques called ‘Press Moulding’ and ‘Hump Moulding’ both of which will be introduced via demonstration.

Thirdly, you will be introduced to slip casting, a technique whereby a mixture of clay and water is poured into a mould made of plaster.

Furthermore, you are invited to learn how to decorate your work using finishing techniques such as inlay, incising, sgraffito stencils, slip trailing, combing, marbling or agateware and glazing. 

Lastly, you are invited to learn alternative finishing techniques via the process of ‘Raku Firing’; a low temperature earthenware firing which involves a rapid firing cycle. Through this process you can learn how to treat your bisque fired work by plunging pieces into sawdust or by quenching work directly into water.