Every ceramic program has their own way of making test tiles of their glazes to share with their students. Some are very elaborate systems that give you all the information you could ever need to know about a glaze but with my students in a classroom setting, just knowing what color it will be seems to be enough information. I will never forget the look on a students face when I handed him his green penguin. He just didn’t believe me that the seeming black goop in the jar would magically turn green in the kiln- surprised to say the least!
I like to make tags that can be attached to the jar so that as they move around the classroom, the correct tag stays with the correct jar. I use the same clay we are building with and make small pancake shapes that are about 1 1/2″ across. I texture half of the tag and put a hole in the top to eventually hang it by. If you know what glazes you are using, you might want to write the name with a sharp tool onto the back of the tag while the clay is wet. If you want to make a bunch and label them later, you can do that too. Then bisque fire them.
I label mine with an underglaze pencil made by Amaco, they write just like a pencil but are fired onto the clay permanently. I include the temperature, the brand name and the color by name and number. Then paint on your glaze to the front of the test tag. I like to do an area with one coat, two coats and three coats so you can see how the glaze changes in translucency or richness of color. Some glazes will look very different when they pool in the textured area of the test tile too. Once they are painted, glaze fire them to the appropriate temperature for the glaze you are testing.
When you have your tiles done, loop and elastic band through the hole at the top and then around the neck of the glaze bottle. When you run out of glaze, you can easily take off the label and place it on the new bottle. My new students always have a hard time believing that this rusty red glaze will turn to leaf green with just a little help from the kiln. Happy Glazing!
Tag: Classes & Workshops
Summer Classes are Filling Up!
Time is running out to sign up for a
Summer Sculpting Workshop!
Here’s the schedule and number of spots left:
Session 1: June 6 – 10 (Ages 7+) FIVE SPOTS LEFT
Session 2: June 13 – 17 (Ages 7+) TWO SPOTS LEFT
Session 3: June 20 – 24 (Ages 9+) SIX SPOTS LEFT
Session 4: June 27 – July 1 (Ages 11+) FULL
Session 5: July 5 – 8 (Ages 7+) FULL
Session 6: July 11 – 15 (Ages 7+) FOUR SPOTS LEFT
Session 7: July 18 – 22 (Ages 9+) SIX SPOTS LEFT
Session 8: July 25 – 29 (Ages 11+) ONE SPOT LEFT
Learn more…
If you missed the Studio Sale…
If you missed our Spring Studio Sale, here are a few pics to tease you with!
New Create with Clay PDF book
I’ve teamed up with my friend and art teacher extraordinaire Kathy Barbro of Art Projects for Kids for Book 2 of Create with Clay!
We’re sharing five more ceramic art projects that are creative and classroom tested. If you like to work with clay, but need some new ideas with clear visual instructions, then this is the book for you.
PDF FILE INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR:
• 3D Shape People
• Pinch Pot Monster
• Mug with Mugs
• Fishie
• Textured Frame
5 STEP BY STEP PROJECTS FOR $5
ORDER YOURS TODAY!
Last Reminder: Spring Studio Sale this Saturday!
JOIN US:
EARTH ART STUDIO | Saturday April 30th 11 – 4
767 Cathedral Dr | one mile from the Aptos PO
Looking forward to seeing you there!
JENNI WARD’S NEW WORK & RAFFLE:
Did you miss visiting Jenni’s studio during Open Studios this past fall? No worries, new work by owner & artist Jenni Ward will on display. And we will raffle off a hardcover copy of Jenni’s first book ‘a relationship with earth’ and one small sculpture to two lucky winners!
CHECK OUT THE STUDIO:
Interested in Summer Classes for kids or Adult Clay Classes for yourself? Come by and check out the studio…
EARTH ART STUDIO’S STUDENT WORK:
Talented students from Earth Art Studio will be displaying work for sale, with a special ‘yummy’ theme to this years group project. You can buy art from these budding artists!
BUY ART and SHARE THE LOVE:
We donate 10% of all art sales at this event to The Homeless Garden Project of Santa Cruz!
TAG THE TABLE:
As a special event this year, we will celebrating by signing the studio table! If you’ve ever taken a class at this table, made a pinch pot or have been cr8iv here, you’ll be able to leave your mark and tag the table. Help us fill the sides with student names!
Student Work for Sale
Talented students from Earth Art Studio will be displaying work for sale at this year’s Spring Studio Sale! Here are just a few things starting to come out of the kiln this week. We also have a special ‘yummy’ theme to this years group project, which I’m keeping a secret for now but you’ll definitely want to come check it out! You can buy art at very affordable prices from these budding artists and 10% of all art sales will be donated to the Homeless Garden Project.
Click the link to see the creative projects we’ve done with them in the past!
Join Us
Saturday April 30th 11 – 4
earth art studio
767 Cathedral Dr Aptos
one mile from the Aptos PO
Students at Work
Our Spring Create with Clay Workshop for kids is in its final weeks, but that just means that we are gearing up for our student exhibit at the Spring Studio Sale. My students have sold there work at this exhibit for years and they are always so excited to set their prices and invite their families to come. We talk about the business of art, how to set fair prices, and I charge them a small commission to show their work (which I then donate to a local organization).
The students can show and/or sell a few select pieces that they’ve made and then we do a group project for a larger display. Last year we made Van Gogh Sunflowers and then recreated a 3-D version of his famous painting on the wall of the studio. This photo was taken as we were setting up before I got their name tags on each flower which of course were in the shape of leaves. I love how unique each flower is and yet how well they work in this grouping.
I’m not revealing what our group project is this year, but I promise that you’ll want to take a bite out of it!
Join us at the studio to see this years group project and other talented student work at the Spring Studio Sale!
APRIL 30th 11 – 4 | earth art studio | 767 Cathedral Dr | one mile from the Aptos PO
Last Week for Discounts on Summer Workshops!
This is it! You have until Friday April 15th to take advantage of early bird discounts on Summer Workshops for Kids!
Join us at the studio this summer and B CR8IV!!!
Waves of clay, plaster play and wire wiggling is a part of life at Earth Art Studio! Express your creativity in sculpting workshops for children ages 7 and up. We will build with clay, paper mache, work with wire and experiment with a variety of other materials to create unique sculptures. Every year we have an end of summer art show!
8 One-Week Workshops Available:
Mon – Fri, 12:30 – 4, starting June 6th thru July 29th
Healthy snacks and all materials are included in class fees.
SIGN UP TODAY
Only 2 Weeks Left for Early Bird Discounts!
There are only 2 weeks left to take advantage of early bird prices for
Summer Workshops at Earth Art Studio!
Earth Art Studio offers small class sizes (6-8) for our student artists. We focus on process vs product, honing skills and experiencing the world of art and artists through a variety of materials. We will build with clay, paper mache, work with wire and experiment with a variety of other materials to create unique sculptures. New projects are offered each session, so you can join us for multiple sessions with no repeats. Every year we have an end of summer art show!
8 One-Week Workshops Available:
Mon – Fri, 12:30 – 4, starting June 6th thru July 29th
Healthy snacks and all materials are included in class fees.
Summer Workshop Schedule Is Up!
Thinking about what to do this summer?
The Earth Art Studio Summer Sculpting Workshop schedule is up! Week long sessions for kids age 7 and up are available and if you sign up before April 15th you get 10% off of workshop fees! B CR8IV at the studio this summer!