Ceramic pattern making – surface colour and decorative plaster relief

About

Aim To introduce students to working with ceramic surfaces using colour with underglazes and application techniques. The workshop will begin with the planning of a design or pattern to be replicated in various ways using clay, plaster, and various tools and materials. Students will experience the step-by-step processes involved in a ceramic studio, including a visit to the tutor's studio at nearby Cockpit Bloomsbury, where you will have the opportunity to fire and glaze your work, learn how to pack a kiln, and understand the settings required for firing.

Objectives Provide hands-on experience with clay and plaster, practicing a range of drawing, painting, and texture-making skills using tools and equipment. Develop an understanding of the qualities and application of underglazes on bisque ceramics, working into clay surfaces, and mixing and casting plaster. Explore ways to use colour and texture for decoration, as well as techniques for casting. Equip students with skills in ceramics and plaster while encouraging ideas for further possibilities with the techniques and materials demonstrated.

Learning Outcomes By the end of the two-day workshop, students will have created and completed two pieces of work. Two tiles each will be fired on the first evening of the course, with the aim of taking it home at the end of the second day. The plaster cast can be used for further texture or decorative work in clay or displayed as an original work. Students will be encouraged to bring their own ideas into the workshop on the first day through drawings or imagery. All students will gain experience with patterns and colour in ceramics, whether they are beginners or building on previous knowledge of creating positive and negative relief textures. The skills learned can be applied to other surface decoration methods, as well as modelling and moulding materials.