Elements

Glazes used: C-56

This assignment was to make something functional that was somehow related to one of the elements. The element I chose was water so I decided to make a strainer. This work was made using the pinch pot technique to make the bow itself, after I made the bowl I added two handles on either side so it would be easier to use. I used a coil to make the stand that I then attached to the bottom so the entire strainer was elevated. After that, I waited until it was leather hard to use a tool to make the holes. 

The most significantsegnicanet principle I used was balance, I had to make sure the entire thing sat flat so it wouldn't be wobbly and that it was elevated. At the very start of this project, I used a mold of a bowl to put my clay around to make the shape. But the bowl wasn't turning out how I had hoped, it was too thick and wasn't as tall as I had wanted it. So I scraped that approach and decided to make the bowl using the pinch pot method. This approach worked out much better I was able to make the sides a bit thicker so it wasn't as flimsy and make it the size I wanted. I also added a could to the bottom as a stand which I hadn't originally planned on doing.   

When the project was introduced I already knew I wanted to do water as my element, this is because even though it is winter and summer isn't until a few more months, I'm ready for summer to arrive. So I went into this project with a kind of summer mindset which is why I think I chose a strainer, so I could use it to rinse off my fruit this summer. Overall I am very happy with the way my project turned out, especially since it had a rocky start. I am proudest of the construction of the strainer, I think it is a good size and well-made. The hardest part of this project was my setback in the first attempt at making the body of the strainer and I overcame this by trying a different approach. One thing I would change might be to have done one more coat of glaze, I did 3 but I could have done 4, to make sure it is waterproof and the color a bit darker.