Ceramic Desserts Presentation

Ceramic DessertsClay and Acrylic Paint

TASK

You will create a realistic replica of a favorite dessert using clay and acrylic paints.

Your clay sculpture will be a hollow form that is cut and made into a lidded container.

Inspiration - Wayne Thiebaud

American painter

Most famous works are of cakes, pastries, boots, toilets, toys and lipsticks.

Associated with the Pop art movement because of his interest in objects of mass culture.

Uses heavy pigment and exaggerated colors to depict his subjects.

Inspiration - Anna Barlow

Working Ceramic Artist known for her clay sculptures of ice cream cones and sundaes.

“The beauty of food left to melt and ooze holds a fascination for me. It is something that is usually overlooked and temporary but this can be captured and frozen in time with clay and glaze.”

Anna Barlow - Artist Statement

What are your initial thoughts about Barlow’s work?

Now let’s read her statement and an article about her work.

Highlight or underline as you read….

Anna Barlow - Artist Statement

Now let’s look back to Barlow’s work again.

What do you notice now?

What inspiration can you take from her?

Project Brainstorming

List at least 10 different desserts…

think cakes, cupcakes, pies, etc.

Think about Barlow’s artist statement

and where she draws her inspiration -

family traditions, holidays,

celebrations, childhood memories...

Choose one final dessert to use for

your project.

Find reference images and print them in color.

● Multiple viewpoints & components

● Close-ups, frostings, decorations, crusts...

● Be sure images have details to sculpt from

● Images should be at least 4”x6” each

What you will do

Draw color sketches for how your ceramic

dessert will look from 4 viewpoints

Think about:

● Details, textures and embellishments

● Handle for the lid on your dessert

container

● Colors and ‘flavors’

Conference with teacher to choose final

direction

Drawings - Different Viewpoints

What you will do

Participate in demonstration and experiment with

various clay hand-building techniques (pinch, coil, slab,

score/slip, additive and subtractive).

What you will do

Build your ceramic dessert using

one (or a combination) of the

methods demonstrated.

Use your Ceramics Reference

Sheets for guidelines on each

technique and proper storage

and handling.

What you will do

While your ceramic dessert is

drying and being fired,

participate in demonstration

and experiment with acrylic

painting techniques.

Once your ceramic dessert has

been fired, you will paint it

using acrylic paints.

Acrylic Painting

Acrylic is an opaque medium. When water is added the

color will lose intensity, not lighten.

Acrylic Painting

You should always

mix colors - never use

paint straight from

the bottle.

See the difference

between pure color

on the left and mixed

color on the right.

Acrylic Painting

For a more realistic

look, you will blend

colors together to

transition values.

See the difference

between flat color on

the left and blended

color on the right.

Set up your space!

Water

Brushes

Paper towels

Pallet

Set up your space!

Wait for paint to dry to add

contrasting details

Set up your space!

Use dry brush

and scumbling

techniques to

add texture.

Student Examples

QUESTIONS?