7th Grade Ceramic Invented Creatures

7th grade art students were asked to consider how artists and scientists are alike. they were able to generate a long list of similarities: both invent, both draw, both observe, both experiment, both record, both ask questions about how things work and why and both are creative when looking for solutions to such questions. Students were asked to imagine that they had just discovered a brand new creature that no one had EVER seen before!

Starting with drawing, students were required to illustrate their idea from three different viewpoints to encourage three-dimensional thinking. They combined at least three different creatures and/or plants, three textures and three colors. Each part of the drawing was labeled like a scientific illustration. Once in clay, anything thicker than their thumb had to be constructed as a hollow form, working with slab or coil construction and using newspaper for an armature. (Large solid lumps of clay often crack or explode in the kiln.) Creating a hollow vertical form is one of the very first challenges of ceramic sculpture. An additive sculptural process, all pieces of clay had to be scored, slipped and blended together for strength.

Once the sculptures were air dried (“greenware“) students applied ceramic gloss glaze (3 layers of each color for opacity), being careful not to glaze the bottom so it would not weld to the floor of the kiln! After being fired, the newspaper armature was burned out leaving the hollow sculptural form.

Students then invented specific characteristics for their creatures: a name, their diet, family life, special physical abilities, weaknesses, habitat, size, weight and whatever else they could imagine. These statistics were recorded in ink on parchment to lend some visual “credibility” to their amazing discovery.

We hope you enjoy these fun and inventive new creations!