10 days hands-on porcelain workshop
Press molded and altered porcelain sculpture.
Western porcelain is man-made. With it came characteristics that need specific understanding in order to be successful as a porcelain artist. Once potters understand that they are working with a different medium, everything becomes easier.
During a 2-week workshop, we will work simultaneously on 3-5 clay objects: a combination of hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques. Potters will learn to control the drying phases of the porcelain. They will also learn to work with porcelain beyond the wheel. It is possible to alter the clay at a stage when most potters think the clay is too dry to do anything else to it.
There are ample opportunity to practice wheel throwing porcelain and hand building techniques under the watchful eye of Antoinette in 2 weeks.
The schedule below is a general idea of how I present a workshop. It can be changed according to the needs of the students.
There are ample opportunity to practice wheel throwing porcelain and hand building techniques under the watchful eye of Antoinette in 2 weeks.
The schedule below is a general idea of how I present a workshop. It can be changed according to the needs of the students.
The next 2-week hands-on workshop is planned for 2025 at LaMeridiana in Tuscany Italy.
Wheel thrown altered, carved porcelain sculpted bowl.
My classes are for both wheel-throwing and hand-building potters.
Since we cover the basics before pushing into advanced work, the classes are suitable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.
Since we cover the basics before pushing into advanced work, the classes are suitable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.
Day 1:
Instructor discussion:
Instructor discussion:
- Instructor discuss the schedule with students and make sure they understand the full procedure
- History and Character of porcelain
- Demonstration on the wheel for V-bowl
- Demonstration hand built V-bowl
- Pinching clay - We will use pinching techniques for the altering of the wheel thrown and press molded pieces.
- Start wedging, preparing clay for next day activities.
- Start planning and pinching bowls.
- Wheel throwing or hand building - V Bowl
Day 2:
Instructor Demonstration:
Porcelain Wheel throwing/ Hand-building:
Instructor Demonstration:
Porcelain Wheel throwing/ Hand-building:
- U-bowl form
- Discuss tools for trimming
- Finish pinching process
- U-bowl form
- Discuss tools for trimming
- Finish pinching process
- U-bowl form
- Dis cuss tools for trimming
- Finish pinching process
- Porcelain Wheel throwing/ Hand building U- bowl.
- Continue with pinch bowls: specific attention to drying stages
- Make tools
Day 3:
Instructor Demonstration:
Trimming Bowls
Instructor Demonstration:
Trimming Bowls
- Preparing (Throwing) Slabs
- Press molding (to prepare shells for envelopes
- Make molds versatile, build a vessel (envelope)
- Prepare slabs, press molded form and basis for envelope – put shells together
- Continue with bowl throwing/ trimming
- Practice bowl forms: learn to control the drying process between rim and base
- Continue with finishing of pinching
Press molded altered porcelain sculpted bowl. Mississippi Museum of Art Collection.
Wheel thrown,altered carved translucent porcelain
Day 4:
Instructor Demonstration:
Instructor Demonstration:
- Begin to alter envelope
- Continue to throw bowls – re enforce techniques
- Begin to alter bowls
- Begin to alter envelope
- Continue with wheel thrown bowls – start altering process if possible
- Continue with pinch bowls
Day 5
Instructor Demonstration:
Instructor Demonstration:
- Reinforcement if needed
- Decorating demonstration:
- Water etching
- Carving
- Continue to alter envelope
- Continue trimming and altering process and start to finish objects.
- Finish pinch bowls.
Day 6
Instructor:
Instructor:
- Finish objects
- Observe and lend support where needed
- Continue to alter and finish envelope.
- Continue with wheel thrown bowls – continue trimming and altering process and start to finish objects.
- Finish pinch bowls.
Day 7
Instructor:
Finish Work and prepare for kiln
Instructor:
- Discussion: Firing and glazing (students must understand how porcelain behave in the kiln)
- Question and Answer session
Finish Work and prepare for kiln
Day 8
Everybody:
Everybody:
- Assist in securing their finished work for the kiln.
- Prepare glazes.
- Bisque fire
- Slide show
Day 9
Instructor:
Instructor:
- Demonstrate glazing process
- Decorating and Glazing
Day 10
- Open kiln, final discussion/ question answer session and wrap up of class.
- Clean work space.
