Sunday, November 18, 2012

NYSATA Conference: Clay Slab Sushi Dish

The second workshop I attended on Friday was one where we got to make a project to take home...slab sushi dishes!  The presenter showed us how to create the dishes and also had information on Sumi-e.  Last year I did Sumi-e with my 3rd graders and they LOVED it!  This year in my new 6th grade curriculum, I was planning on doing a Sumi-e project.  It's taking longer to get through my units than anticipated, so instead of doing a Sumi-e teacup set, I think I am going to do the Sumi-e plates.  My students should be able to finish them in one class period, take 2 classes to learn and practice Sumi-e techniques while firing, and then take a day to underglaze the Sumi-e designs on and clear glaze for the glaze firing!  Here are the pictures of mine!


 1.  Roll out the clay slab.  We used a pre-cut square, about 6"x 6", to cut out the dish.  Then, we lightly pressed a smaller square into the center of the dish to mark off the flat surface for the Sumi-e.
2. Add flutes/patterns/curls/etc. to the edges of the plate.  We rolled newspaper to help prop up the edges of the plate.

This is one of the examples the presenter had for us to look at.  I love the bamboo Sumi-e, so that's what I plan to put on mine!

One of my art teacher friends, Ashley, and my sushi dishes!

Two more things I want to share in this post: My friend Ashley started her first art teaching job this year as a half-time K-2 art teacher.  She has a blog as well that she started in college and is continuing into her teaching career!  Please check it out at Miss Eipp's Blog!  

The other thing that came out of this particular workshop, and another I attended about clay ideas, is that I decided, yet again, to change the project I am doing with my 5th graders to review complementary colors!  This conference was very inspiring to me in that the presenters really encouraged getting back to making art projects to create art...not necessarily to just push the principles and elements and that's it (I will probably get into this in a future post...it will be a good discussion!).  So, I am going to have the kids create their own complementary colored checkerboards out of clay!  Monday I am going to have them design their board and two sets of checker pieces.  Then, we will create the board out of a slab of clay.  Then I will give them 2-3 class periods to sculpt 24 total checker pieces!  Can't wait!



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