Metallic Coil Pottery Success

We are winding down to the last 12 days of school and I have run short of time to glaze fire.

Our state STAAR tests were moved to May this year so my schedule changed.

 Sometime the oppsies

turn out to be good problems. 

I am cleaning out my cabinets since I have to downsize and move into a smaller room next door, 

and I forgot that I ordered these amazing Sargent metallic paints in the fall. 

They go on smooth and you don't need much when painting.
They also dry super fast. 

My 4th graders painted their bisque ware coil pottery in one class time and took it home today. 

We actually did this project in two class periods using zip lock bags. 

In class one, I introduced 

Coil pottery and we looked at the work of Maria Martinez and her beautiful coil pottery. 

The  4th graders cut a slab for the base and began rolling coils. 

We slipped and scored but left the coil texture unlike the smooth finish that

Maria Martinez created.  I required them to do at least two rows of coils for stability. 

On the second day we further explored fancy coils. 

I love this one! I just took them out of the kiln this morning. 

Eeek!

I originally thought we would paint first then use watered down india ink, 

but I reflected on my way way back previous career as a decorative painter. 

We would always paint in black first. 

That's what they did, painted the whole thing inside and outside in watered down india ink. 

They followed up with a small amount of the metallic paint on the "hills" of the coils. 

Stunning. The Bronze was the favorite and according to one math geek in the class, 

" 2/3 of the class picked bronze."

This goes into the Keeper File!