Ceramics

This is a Visual Art course. The medium is clay.

The objectives of the Ceramics course are for students to:

• Develop visual perception
• Learn how artists work with materials and ideas
• Acquire technical skills
• Become familiar with the elements of design
• Learn to make and articulate aesthetic judgements
• Understand art in a cultural context
• Communicate with others through art works
• Demonstrate personal thoughts and feelings in art works.

The Year 9 & 10 Ceramics courses is divided into four sequential units. The course is designed to build technical skills and confidence in using the medium of clay in a variety of ways to express ideas and explore concepts. All units require students to record their ideas, plans and influences in an ‘art journal’. All practical work requires the study and appreciation of relevant artists, and art/ceramic work. Drawing and design skills will be developed throughout all units and active participation in the maintenance of the Ceramics area is expected.

Unit One – This unit concentrates on developing fundamental hand-building skills. Each student has the opportunity to apply these techniques to functional work and sculptural projects.

Unit Two – Hand-building and sculptural skills will continue to be developed.  An emphasis on designing through drawing prefaces each piece of work. Development of this skill is vital for all Ceramics students.

Units Three and Four – These units emphasise the development of creative ideas and concepts. Students will apply the design process when planning functional and sculptural works. Students will refine their handbuilding skills, experiment with combining various techniques, and develop the ability to choose the most suitable approach for each project. Using the pottery wheel and slip casting techniques will also be introduced.

Students wishing to study Ceramics are encouraged to undertake all four units. However, it is also possible to enrol in single semester units. Students enrolling in single units, particularly in Year 10 and without the experience and skills provided by Year 9 Ceramics, may find the work more challenging than would have otherwise been the case.

Assessment

Assessment is based on both practical work and journal documentation, aligned to the achievement standards of ACARA Visual Arts v9.0. Tasks are scaffolded and broken into clear components. Students are assessed on their ability to:

• Follow instructions and apply techniques appropriately
• Explore materials, processes, and ideas with increasing independence
• Research and analyse artworks and contexts
• Reflect on their progress and artistic decisions
• Develop and present resolved artworks that communicate meaning