Combined

What design and technical considerations are necessary for successful work with clay, and other sculpting materials?

To reach this point, I first had to throw each layer of cake on the wheel. To achieve the cylindrical shape, I used my wooden rib tool to straighten out the walls. While throwing, I also had to be mindful of the amount of clay I was using, the thickness of the walls, and its diameter to ensure each following layer was smaller. I used my pin tool to create the holes at the top, and cut in between each layer to make the whole piece hollow. I scored and slipped each layer and made sure it was conjoined from the inside. To pipe the designs, I made a thicker slips using clay and water, and then piped it on using a cut ziplock bag. Some issues I ran into were making sure the layers were smooth and cylindrical, that they they were attached properly, and working with three different layers made on different days, and thus in different stages of the drying process.

Artistic Intention:

My inspiration was to recreate a piece I had seen online of a ceramic cake with holes on the top to create a functional vase. I wanted the cake to be large and have contrasting textures (smooth sides versus piped on frosting.) If my piece had made it to the glazing stage, I would have painted the cake pink, and the frosting white. I enjoy drying and collecting flowers, so having a vase to display them in would have been perfect for my room.