Community
The IUS Ceramics studio is a community of people working to become better artists and better people. If you enrolled in a ceramics course, you are a member of that community and therefore, it is your responsibility to help maintain and support a positive working environment.
A group clay studio is much different from many other art studios. Nearly everything is shared – we all use the same kilns, the same kiln shelves, the same glazes and materials, the same wedging tables, even the clay itself is recycled between many people. Because of this, we are all collaborators – someone else may load your piece in the kiln, someone else probably made the glaze you applied to your piece, someone else might have made the clay you are using, and someone else might fire your work for you.
And this is a great thing actually – isn’t it inspiring knowing that you are a part of something much bigger than yourself?! It’s pretty cool! And it is something we will value and support because this community of people helps support each of us in our search to achieve our creative goals!
While the faculty will certainly help foster a supportive creative environment, it is ultimately the responsibility of the students to create and maintain a supportive work environment for the WHOLE group.
The culture of the ceramics studio is yours and it’s easy to take part in building and maintaining it.
Find more:
INSPIRATIONAL GOODNESS
Here’s what you can do:
- Be curious and enthusiastic about learning things! Not only for yourself, but for your classmates.
- Contribute to the dialogue! Whether you are in a formal critique or informal discussions in the studio, contribute by offering thoughtful perspectives and constructive criticism.
- Be an active learner and researcher! Seek out information that will help your work technically AND conceptually.
- Commit yourself to personal improvement! Always strive to make yourself a better person.
- Be proactive in soliciting feedback from others! You and your work will be better for it.
Handbook pages:
Clay Equipment
Clay Extruder
Soldner Clay Mixer
Slab Roller
Clay working
Wedging clay
Pinch pots
Colored slips & sgraffito
Rolling slabs
Finishing the surface
Using the extruder
Using a damp box
Coil warm-up vessel
Slab warm-up vessel
Shellac Resist
Centering & Throwing Cylinders
Other Equipment
Sandblaster
Wood splitter
Kilns
Loading Electic Kilns
Programing (Skutt)
Programming (L & L)
ConeArt oval electric
Wood Kiln
How to fire Wood kiln
Soda Kiln
Raku Kiln
Bailey Kiln
Lil’ Eddie Gas Kiln
Cress Test Kiln (Dr. Fauci)
Pit Firing Kiln
Mixing Kiln Wash
Making Cone Packs
3D Printing
3D Printing Terms
Creating a File to 3D Print
Using Cura
Monoprice Mini 3D Printer
Monoprice MP10 3D Printer
Creality CR-10S Pro V2
Misc 3D Printing Resources
Cool 3D Printing Projects
Using Tinkercad
3D Printed Stamps
3D Printed Texture Rollers
3D Printed Extruder Dies
3D Printed and Cast Cups
3D Printed Throwing Rib
Glazing
Glaze Manual
Spray Gun
Mixing a Glaze
Applying Glaze
Recipes
Glaze Testing
Using a Hydrometer
Troubleshooting Mixed Glazes
Plaster
Mixing Plaster
Casting Slip Recipes
Two-part plaster molds
Misc
Starting a Blog
Toolkit for Beg. Ceramics
Working from Home
Asking for a letter of recommendation
Applying for Grad School
Grad School Eval. Form from Jenny Reed
Writing a letter of intent
Mixing epoxy
Notes about Sketchbooks
How to write an artist statement
Writing an Artist’s Statement (by V. Pitelka)
Documenting artwork
Safety
Dust Masks
MSDS Sheets
First Aid Kit
Electric Kiln Safety
Misc Tools
Circular Saw
4 1/2″ Grinder
Bench Grinder
Air Grinder
Orbital Sander
Handheld Drill
Drill Press
Dremel Tool
Jigsaw
Forms and docs
Clean up list
Gas Kiln Log
Electric Kiln Log
Clay Mixing Log
Clay Barrel Log
Outside of Class Worktime Log
Written crit exercise form