Pottery/Sculpture

E-Learning Assignments

Minnesota 9-12 Visual Art Standards

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.
  • 1A. Analyze how the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space; and principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1b. Evaluate how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1c. Analyze how the characteristics of Western and non-Western styles, movements, and genres in art contribute to the creation of, presentation of, or response to artworks.

  • 1d. Apply understanding of the health and safety issues related to creating in art.

  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.
  • 2a. Integrate the characteristics of the tools, materials and techniques of a selected media in original artworks to support artistic purposes.

  • 3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.
  • 3a. Analyze how visual artworks influence and are influenced by personal, social, cultural or historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meaning and functions of visual art.
  • 4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 4a. Create a single, complex artwork or multiple artworks to express ideas.

  • 4b. Revise artworks based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 4c. Justify an artistic statement, including how audience and occasion influence creative choices.
  • 5. Perform or present in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 5a. Present, exhibit, publish or demonstrate collections of artworks for different audiences and occasions.

  • 5b.Revise presentation based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 5c. Justify artistic intent, including how audience and occasion influence presentation choices.
  • 6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.
  • 6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate works of visual art by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

  • 6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.
  • 1) Video Reaction: Watch this video about Minnesota Potters: (Click here) and write a couple sentences about each Potter and their work. You could talk about what impressed you in their work, their ideas, their history, or their working methods, etc.

    Email a nicely formatted text document to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org). Due 3/28

  • 2) Wishful Pot: Use the Chavant NSP clay and tool provided (or other tools you may have at home) to form a pot that you'd like to make on the potter's wheel. This does not have to reflect your actual skills on the wheel. Show me what you'd like to make; What you dream of making; What you'd make if you could do anything.

    Think about the shape, decoration/carved designs, handles, spout, what it would be used for, etc.

    -- ! Be careful, oil-based clay will leave oil marks on wood furniture if left for a prolonged time !--

    Email a 2 or3 photos of your pot to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org). Due 4/3

  • 3) Texture: Look at different surface textures, study them and try to duplicate 3 in Chavant NSP clay.

    • Walk outside and study tree bark and various rocks. Study fish scales. Study fur. Look at photos of cliff walls. Look at cobblestone sidewalks. Feel different cloth pieces.

    Look at and feel and study any texture you can think of, then break your clay into 3 equal pieces flatten them and try to make 3 different textures. One of these will be used on a future assignment so make sure you are happy enough with one to do it again soon.

    Email one photo (with all three texture pieces showing) to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org).

    Example here -- Another Example here

    Due 4/7
  • Pieta Extra Credit Click here 4/7 -- No points will be given for the Pieta past this date.


  • 4) Don Reitz: Students should study the images of Don Reitz's work that I've set up here, then...

    Students can write a one page paper about Don Reitz that tells about his history, where he lived, worked, what he's known for, etc. The final paragraph should be your reaction to his work. Do you like it, dislike it, why... And what pieces make you like/dislike his work? (Include images of any pieces you talk about in your paper.)

    Or students can use the clay given to them to make a pot inspired by Don Reitz's work. Taking note of the proportions of the foot to the body and neck of his vases. Note handles that he includes. Note the separations between parts like the collar of the pot, etc.

    Email the essay with images or a photo of the clay pot to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org).

    Due 4/17

  • 5) Jingdezhen Pottery: The potters of Jingdezhen China have a tradition of excellence and utilize amazing skills to create a variety of porcelain pieces. Watch this 15 minute video on Youtube (Or download it here) and either answer the questions below or make a pot with your clay that is inspired by one of the pots you saw in the video. You may have to pause the video at times to read the subtitles.

    Written questions:
  • 1. What is the American's name?
  • 2. How tall did Guoxiaoming say the large pot would be (the one where we see the base being made)?
  • 3. What tool does the "young master" use when trimming the bottom of a small white pot?
  • 4. I thought it was interesting that they are silent while working on the little white cups. What was the implied reason behind this silence?
  • 5. What birds were painted in blue on the side of the bowl?
  • 6. How long is the kiln fired?
  • 7. What was most impressive to you and why?

    • Email a photo of your clay pot or the answers to questions 1-7 above to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org).

    Due 4/24

  • 6) Jewelry: Imagine a piece or two of jewelry you could make with clay. Earrings, a medallion necklace, a belt buckle, anything jewelry related. Find something to embed or add to your jewelry piece and carve the clay around that object (or those objects) to make a piece that could be molded and cast in silver or gold.

    Here are some examples of jewelry pieces.

    Email a photo of your clay jewelry to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org).

    Due 4/30

  • 7) Show Me, Tell Me: Imagine yourself in class. Mr. Kulzer gives you a project where you can do anything you want. What would you do?

    Students should either write a paragraph describing what you wish you could do in Art class OR draw/paint/sculpt something showing me what you would do.

    Paste your paragraph into an email, or email a picture of your artwork to Mr. Kulzer (gkulzer@htwinsted.org)
    Due 5/8

  • 8) Famous Artwork as a Relief Sculpture: Research famous artwork (A painting or drawing) then recreate it as a relief sculpture in clay.

    A relief sculpture is a carving that is flat or sort of flat and usually hung on a wall. Stations of the Cross often are examples of relief sculptures. High Relief uses deeper carving and more rounded shapes while Low Relief uses flatter slaps layered on top of eachother.

    Students can make a high or low relief sculpture for this project. A while ago I made an example of VanGogh's "Starry Night" done as a relief sculpture. In that example all the parts stand on their own and I placed them a little bit away from each other. Students can just carve, indent, impress, or add clay to a flat slab to make a relief sculpture.

    *(Seniors may skip this project and do the final project, below, instead.) (Or do this one and skip the final.)

    Please tell me the famous artwork you chose and Email me (gkulzer@htwinsted.org) a picture of your relief sculpture.
    Due 5/15

  • 9) Final: One of three things can be done for this project:

  • Students can make anything they want with the clay they have
    • --OR--
  • Write a paragraph essay reacting to my video below
    • --OR--
  • Submit a short video of yourself responding to my video.

    • Youtube version of my vid here

    Downloadable version of my vid

    ALL PROJECTS MUST BE TURNED IN BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, 5/21/2020 OR THEY WILL BE COUNTED AS ZERO. NO INCOMPLETES WILL BE GIVEN.

    Email me (gkulzer@htwinsted.org) with your essay, a picture of your artwork, or your short video.
    Due 5/21