Revised 8/2025

ART 236 - Ceramics - Wheel Throwing II (3 CR.)

Course Description

Introduces advanced techniques utilized in ceramics to design and produce wheel-thrown ceramics. Provides lecture and hands-on studio instruction building on the experience obtained in ART 154 – Ceramics - Wheel Throwing 1, including glazing and firing. Lecture 1 hour. Studio instruction 4 hours. Total 5 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of the ceramic course is to study the various techniques utilized in studio ceramics, to make the student aware of relationships between the artist potter and ceramic industry. Emphasis will be on craftsmanship and creativity with special attention given to total concept from idea to finished product. This is a studio option under the AFA in Visual Arts. It is the second-year course of Ceramics - Wheel Throwing I-II.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisite: ART 154.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

Communication/Critical Thinking

  • Use media-specific terminology to critique and evaluate both the form and function of

completed works.

  • Demonstrate ability to use medium to reflect their artistic

Composition

  • Demonstrate ability to personalize class project for portfolio
  • Explore the balance between functionality and

Technique

  • Demonstrate effective use of the wheel for intermediate level works with an emphasis on craftsmanship and creativity.
  • Demonstrate ability to bisque and glaze fire

Cultural Understanding

  • Identify the traditional, historical, and contemporary ceramics that influence their current studio explorations.

 Advanced Wheel Throwing

  • Investigate a variety of forms such as:
    • Cylinders
    • Bowls/Half-spheres
    • Spheres
    • Bottles
    • Large forms
  • Investigate a variety of techniques such as:
    • Hand-built additions to wheel-thrown forms
    • Trimming
    • Altering thrown forms
    • Combining thrown forms

Composition

  • Explore traditional and contemporary throwing and thrown-and-altered methods to begin to form a cohesive body of work.

Critique

  • Utilize media-specific terminology to critique and evaluate

Conceptual Intent

  • Identify the traditional, historical, and contemporary ceramics that influence their current studio explorations.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Altering and combining wheel-thrown
  • Combining hand-built and wheel-thrown

Optional Topics

  • Functional ceramics
  • Sculptural ceramics