While making my projects, I tried to keep my projects simple and obvious so the glazing could stand out. The first project I made that represented my theme, was a lidded vase. The lidded vase has a very simple lid. I tried to make it as simple as possible. I glazed it using only a brown glaze. The vase is simple and had a wide lip for the lid to fit. The vase was glazed with dark orange on the bottom that faded as it went up the vase. The brown glaze from the lid was used on the top of the vase to create an image of the lids color dripping down the vase. This glaze job would not have the same effect as it does if the project itself was complicated. On my first theme project, I aimed to make an even more simple project then before. I created a simple, small plat with a rounded lip. I glazed with a clear glaze and a black stain. The clear and black contrasted, drawing the eye to the designs and pattern of the stain. I kept the pattern to only one third of the plate to create a more dramatic affect than if it were on the whole project making it busy. My third project that follows my theme was a bowl. I tried to keep the form perfect and simple. I tried to make it as flawless as possible. When I glazed it, I used the clear glaze to keep the natural color of the clay, and then I used a colored stain to add a dramatic design that stood out from the piece. The goal of this design was to make the bowl appear to have a type of movement that it doesn't naturally have. This bowl relates to my theme because the project was simple, but the glazing added a new affect that would not have been there without it.
While making my projects, I focused a lot on having clear shapes. I didn't want the project itself to be messy or confusing or else the designs would not have the affect I want. While throwing I tried to improve my technique of pulling walls and creating smooth and level surfaces. I tried to make my projects as close to perfect as possible so my glazing would be able to be used in a meaningful way that would properly accent the art. I tried many new techniques of glazing including color blocking, dripping, running, and fading colors in and out. I really wanted to learn how to spay glaze but i wasn't able to get anyone to teach me, so that made me resort to trying out other methods that i would not have done before hand. The dripping glaze worked the easiest, but i liked how the pieces looked when they were faded. My favorite, though, was using stain to paint patterns on the pieces. This added a simple, yet pleasing aspect to the project.
The goal of this theme was to be able to create something simple, pure, and average and then use glazes to make it more unique and have more movement and emotion. This theme would not work if both the glazes and projects were complex, it would be too busy and distracting. I was not able to make as many projects that I really wanted to make, mostly because i still didn't know what I wanted to do until the semester was almost over. This theme did help me expand my learning of glazing techniques. Also this theme helped me focus of making really good and simple projects.
In the end, my theme was successful because I was able to make projects far more interesting than using previous techniques that i had learned. I was also able to work a lot on making better projects. This semester i have greatly progressed my skills, and this theme has helped me progress as an artist. I definitely think that the complex glazes made the simple projects more interesting.