What is the course about?
This specialist short course focuses on the ceramic surface, with a specific attention given to working on your very own series of decorated tiles.You will be guided through a range of processes exploring repeated patterns and experimental printing techniques for your own tile designs. You will learn how to effectively apply your designs, illustrations or painterly surfaces to your tile forms using techniques such as mono-printing with clay slips, paper and fabric stencilling. You will also learn various techniques in refining and finishing your work.
By the end of the course learners will have the skills and knowledge to work independently and effectively with clay slips and oxides. Learners will have gained a good understanding of the importance of timing when working with clay/clay slips, how to use ceramic pigment effectively and how to finish and refine work to a high standard. The course is taught over 2 weeks. Learners will attend over 3 days in the first week - 22nd - 24th July and return on 29th July, last day. This is to allow for work to dry and the last day will be used for glazing and firing.
The course is led by Ella Porter, a ceramic artist whose work displays a strong relationship between surface and form informed by a background in painting and printmaking at Glasgow school of art and an MA in ceramics from The Royal College of Art.
This course is suitable for both beginners and more advanced ceramic makers who have some experience of working with clay and would like to expand their skill set. It is perfect for those who are excited by painting, drawing and printmaking and want to apply these qualities to their ceramic surfaces and forms.
The course will focus on specialist printing and painting techniques. It will cover cloth mono-printing with clay slips, paper and fabric stencilling, resists, slip application, sgraffito and inlay as well as clay preparation, refining and slab-building techniques. All learners will have the opportunity to make a series of decorative tiles which will explore these techniques. Your tutor Ella, will start the course with a brief introduction into tile design and the various approaches you may wish to take.
At the end of the course learners will assess their individual progress and progression with the tutor, reflecting on their progress each day.
All equipment, decoration and glaze materials are included, we do make a small charge (priced per kilo) for the clay used before the first firing only.
All learners will have made a series of 4 individually designed and decorated tiles and 1 set of 6, 8 or 9 tiles which will bring together different elements of their learning over the course in one larger tile design.
You can develop your skills further on one of our other specialist Ceramics short courses, or take an accredited course starting in April or September.
