Contact: jjohns3527@gmail.com

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Slide show of work before and after being fired:

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Schedule

 

Class Time: Friday 1-2pm

Week 1:

April 9

Intro

1. Drop offed: Sketch Book, pencils and pastels

 

 

Week 2:

April 16

Sketching

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Think about what it is that you want to contribute to this project?

 

We're each making some drawings about a memory or a set of memories. That's the work we're doing right now. It might seem thin or not much, but we'll build on it, and we'll share our memories with each other.   This work will become the visual foundation of the tiles we make. It can be abstract or representational and figurative. We will also pull out elements to form designs and patterns.

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April 23 Week 3:

Drawing and adding color

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2. Drop off plastic boxes with wet clay tiles in ziplock bags, with tools for working clay

April 30 Weeks 4 & 5: Wet clay DOUBLE CLASS 1-3

 

Note: We can arrange a second time if some people can't make this class.

 

3. Pick up wet clay work BISQUE

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May 7  Week 6 Firing Break

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4. Drop off bisqued tiles with clay paints

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You will have 18 colors from:

Velvet Underglazes Color Chart

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May 14  Week 7:

Painting the tiles.

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Tips on painting the tiles:

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• To mark the lines, in fill with color (usually something darker like black, brown or blue-green) on the dry tile.

• Use a brush or sponge to get the color in all the lines. Start with color and then use a wet brush as needed to spread it evenly.

• Wash off the extra with a wet sponge.

• If there is a residue on the tile, use the sand paper to sand off the fine texture which is holding some color.

• Wet the sand paper and then sand. It will make a little gritty sludge, and wash that away with a sponge.

• Let the tile dry before adding more color. You can use a little fan to dry more quickly if needed.

• Experiment with using more or less water on the brush and sponge to get the results you want.

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Other things to try:

• Use a sponge with a little color and dab all over. Do this with a second and third color to create a sponge effect.

• Paint an even coat all over the tile and let it dry.  Then lightly sand to remove a little bit of the color.

• Build up color on the tile. Start with a few brush strokes of one color, and add another color and mix in place. 

• After everything dries, use a damp sponge to clean up your edges and remove paint anywhere you don't want it.

• Rinse out your sponge in a bowl of water and then squeeze it dry so it is just damp.

• If you don't like what you've done, wash it off in the sink, let it dry and then start over again.

• At the end, you can add tiny spots of color to add make it more interesting.

• Take your time and enjoy what you're doing.

• If you run out of ideas, look at some artwork online like:

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https://www.moma.org/collection/works/67005

https://www.georgiaokeeffe.net/lake-george-autumn.jsp

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/78548

https://www.belvedere.at/en/klimt-collection-belvedere

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May 21 Week 8:

Painting the tiles week two.

 

5. Pick up painted tiles: CONE 6 FIRE

 

May 28 Week 9:

Looking at the finished work together through zoom.

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Week 10:

Arranging the final work for the wall mosaics. We will schedule this outdoors at the Senior Center as soon as possible this summer or fall. This way we can all make the decisions together and choose which tiles to be part of the final piece.