Ceramics Materials Research & Experimentation

Prerequisites: ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: ARTDES 202: Intro to Ceramics, RCARTS 290: Ceramics.

Description: This course is designed to give students the tools to develop an independent ceramic studio practice. In this course students will gain a good foundation in materials science through a series of recorded lectures. We will use this knowledge to create a series of group glaze testing experiments to help students begin to understand the role of the materials in the formulation of glazes. Students will learn different strategies for manipulating glazes and organizational systems for documenting their research. We will experiment with glaze application techniques including layering and resists. With the help of the instructor, students will develop a glaze research project of their choosing to be used in an independent body of work that they develop over the course of the semester. Instruction will also cover the basic procedures for operating a ceramics studio including clay-making, kiln loading and the firing of oxidation and reduction kilns.

Frequency: This course is typically offered in the fall term of every academic year, though scheduling may vary according to future term circumstances.