Ceramics I
Jacob Whitley 6th Period
Brick Tower
voluminous, adding height and width to it.
Description - The piece is 6" tall, and approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. The surface is a rough, brick texture. The shape is cylindrical. It's has rough actual texture. The glaze makes it look smooth, but there are a lot of imperfections in it - like real brick, so it is an illusion. It is hollow and glazed on the inside and out.
Analysis - The tower's color is a brownish red. The value of the color is very consistent because there is only one layer of glaze. There is a pattern in the bricks. There is symmetrical balance, the emphasis is placed on the pattern. The lines make the tower have mortar in between the bricks.
Interpretation - The brick tower is about old brick buildings in downtown areas in cities. The time period of those buildings can be very old, or contemporary depending on the buildings in the downtown area. Originally the tower was going to be a well, but the bucket and wood frame were difficult to make with coils. It is still about old structures. The tower doesn't invoke many emotions - the color and pattern are very neutral.
Judgement - The artwork is successful. It accomplished the theme I was going for. The tower would have been better if I would have made the coils better. There are lumps on it where the coils settled. The colors and patterns that make the brick look as realistic as I could possibly have gotten them.
Upside-Down Japanese Coffee Cup
Description - "いれたてのコーヒー" is Japanese, written with both Hiragana and Katakana, it means "Fresh Coffee". The color is a uniform brown. There are variations in the shading because some areas were saturated with the glaze more than others. The mug is curved, and the handle is upside down. The body of the cup is smooth and contains two layers of brown glaze.
Analysis - The mug is asymmetrical, because the handle throws it off-balance. There is emphasis placed on the Japanese. There is also emphasis on the handle. The Japanese keeps the mug from looking boring, while the handle creates the upside-down effect. The lines in the mug create the Japanese. There is a smooth texture, with no patterns.
Interpretation - The mug is about standing out, being upside-down and having Japanese on it make it stick out from a normal, American coffee mug. It looks almost ancient with the Japanese lettering and minimalistic design. It communicates a simple and basic design. In Japan there is saying, "The stake that sticks up gets hammered down.". This piece does stick out, as it deviates from both Western and Eastern traditional coffee mugs.
Judgement - It is successful in what I was trying to get across. The cup would have been of a higher quality with better glazing skills and if I would have made the drinking part at the base, so it would have been "functionally upside-down". The elements are used well. It is shaped well. It's texture is very smooth. The coloring is uniform. All of these elements make it simple and accomplish the goal of the piece.
Photography of "Free"
Description - This is a picture of a sculpture of a man with his hands tied to a post. The title of the photograph is "Free" so the man in the picture is either a prisoner or a slave. His head is pointed down. The clothes he is wearing and his appearance dehumanizes him. It is painted in a uniform burnt-orange color.
Analysis - The color element of this piece stands out because there is only one color. The lines make the clothes he is wearing look realistic, and give it a realistic texture. The artwork is asymmetrical. The emphasis is placed on the person, who is tied down to a stand on a platform.
Interpretation - The artwork communicates a dark mood and submissive emotions. The sculpture is about being in binds, either as a slave or a prisoner.
Judgement - Based on that interpretation the artwork is successful. The idea of being a prisoner is displayed well with a minimalist, and realistic design. The person looks real, with correct textures and the color adds to the simplicity. His attitude, and outfit adds to the situation.
John Deweese Pottery
Description - This piece is a jug with an abstract handle. The colors are dark, shades of black and silver.
Analysis - The balance is asymmetrical, and the actual texture is rough, it appears to be wood and metal. It is a 3-D shape, being a ceramics piece. There are lines in the body of the jug to make it look like it's made of wood, and to add other texture marks like wear and tear.
Interpretation - The mood that this jug gives off is a cool attitude, slightly depressed. The wood and metal textures make it appear calm.
Judgement - This is good artwork. The sculpture is balanced well, the textures look realistic. There are no serious visible imperfections in the shape of the jug. The colors were added well, there aren't any spots on the pottery that make the texture look unrealistic or unprofessional.