Final Photos
Photos in Context
Display of Mugs
Mugs In Nature
Using the mugs as a wearable, I liked the idea that you can attach the mug to you and go outdoors and enjoy nature; the long handles are accentuated and can be threaded with a belt or clipped on, making it a portable, accessible mug.
Final Price
I will be selling my ceramics in sets. One set consists of one mug and its matching saucer priced at £47.50, or the whole set will be available to buy, which is four mugs with the matching saucer priced at £163
Reflection
During this project, my main aim has been to develop my technique and skill set, enabling me to create a refined and aesthetic final piece. I could improve my standards by throwing, experimenting with various techniques, and looking into how I felt most comfortable with throwing clay on the wheel. Throughout this project, my confidence increased by constantly throwing over and over; I wanted to be able to throw consistently in my mugs, aiming to have them all the same shape and size. After lots of throwing, I finally created the consistency I wanted, which raised my confidence and the quality of my products.
I researched and developed a lot into coloured clay, fascinated by the inconsistency that creates its colours playing around with measurements and firings, which had a significant impact on the samples; throughout this product, my understanding of colours and clays grew and allowed me to find a combination of oxides that I was happy with incorporating this into my work.
Overall, I'm very happy with my mug and saucer sets. They capture my interest in nature through colour very well and have a playful element with their long handles and accents of orange, reflecting my personality in my products. I wanted to create a set that works well individually but also created a complete set, aiming for them to have different patterns and designs.
The set of four saucers had a poor outcome. I was too constrained on the development of my mugs, not constraining on all elements of the project. I like the off-centred design, allowing the handle to be accentuated; however, I didn’t investigate the design of colour. Placing the coloured clay so it was on the surface doesn't follow the design of the mugs. I should have considered that having the coloured clay would be too overpowering, taking away from the mugs being so maximalist with their designs. I also was disappointed with the colouring of the orange accents, although it was the same slip I used throughout. Small changes can change the colouring or stains massively; perhaps it was placed lower in the kiln or placed at the back, not allowing it to be the bold orange I was expecting, for further projects being more involved with the setting up of kilns will allow me to have more control.
In the future, I would like to focus more on colour play, experimenting with both oxidised slips and coloured clay. Although I didn't like the outcome of my saucers, reflecting on it sparked an interest in me, how different elements, although very small, can create such big differences in colour.