Ceramics 1 Blog Post - Box

Slab Construction
Construction
Reflection:   Describe what you enjoyed about the construction- I really enjoyed working with a unique shape. In my construction, I made a shape of two hexagons together to create a honeycomb figure. I also really enjoyed making the honey spoon handle because this was beyond what we were taught in class. Describe what you found difficult or needed more instruction- I think making the slabs fit together properly and making both halves equal in size was a struggle because there are always little errors with measurements and working with clay. However, this was a very valuable learning process, and with Mr. P's help, I was able to understand how to fix that difficulty using a ruler for shaping. What do you think about the final outcome of your construction?- I think the final outcome of my piece very unique. I like it because it demonstrates a special part of me through the honey theme (how my mom and I stayed up till 2 am once being very fascinated watching the process of honey on T.V). I also like the hexagonal engravings I made on the surface to create some design and texture. I don't know how others will interpret my box, but to me, it's a personal piece that stands out from other standard boxes.
Glaze Record and Technique
Glazes and Underglazes used: I used the tawny color for my glaze. I used a little bit of opalescent on top (but then covered it back with tawny). Technique: I just used the tawny color all over and covered the opalescent coat I had made because I didn't want to take a risk with how different colors would interact with each other.
Pre Fire Glaze Photo	Post Fire Glaze Photo
Final Reflection
Describe the overall final result of your piece. The overall result of my piece looked glossy and had a nice finish with the glaze. I was glad that the engraving of the hexagons I had made was still there and that my box didn't have any cracks. What was your biggest surprise? My biggest surprise was how the color of glazing turned out. To my surprise, the different amounts of glazing produced a darker color in some areas that gave a really cool scratched or antique look. What would you change for your construction technique? For my construction, I would change the angles at which I arranged my individual slabs. The angles I cut the slabs made it more time consuming to give a neat finish. What would you change for your glazing technique? With more knowledge of glazing, I would definitely like to try overlapping more than one color. I used opalescent but wasn't sure about the color product, so I covered tawny back on top.