Pumpkins

Smoothed coil pot Jack-o-lantern

Objective:

To create a functional Halloween Jack-o-lantern.

Build two coil pots inside a bowl or other form. Connect the forms to make a hallow ball. Pierce a Jack-O-Lantern from the form. Include a stem with a hole in it as a chimney.

Supplies:

Clay, bowl, paper towels, paddle, knife, spoon, and paint.

Requirements:

- 7 inch minimum height.

- The Jack-O-Lantern should be realistic pumpkin.

- Fettle the form- no coils should be exposed

- A hole must be placed in the stem.

- Walls- no more than a half inch thick

Terms:

Craftsmanship-A person who practices a craft with great skill; The technique, style, and quality of working. 
 

Decoration-The act, process, technique, or art of decorating. Something that decorates or adorns; an embellishment.

Coil: a rope of clay or pottery which is made by layering ropes of clay one on top of each other.

Paddling: using a paddle to smooth or shape the surface of a pot.

Score: to rough-up the clay surface for joining to pieces of clay.

Texture: the roughness or smoothness of a surface.

Slip: liquid clay for: decoration, casting, and joining clay.

Target skills:

Craftsmanship

Painting techniques

Cutting skills

Patience

Rubric: Microsoft Word format

Step #1

Place wet paper towels inside a bowl. Make sure that the entire surface is covered. Make a clay ball about the size of a golf ball. Smash it down so it is about 3/8 of an inch thick and place it in the bowl.

Step #2

Make some coils about 3/8 of an inch thick. Start wrapping the coils around the smashed ball of clay. Keep the coils intact with the surface of the bowl. Keep coiling until you reach the top of the bowl.

Step #3

Smooth the coils inside of the bowl and remove the clay form from the bowl. Create a second coil bowl.

Step #4

Score and slip the edges of the clay bowls and join them together. Start smoothin the coils. Use a paddle to shape and smooth the form.

Step #5

Press the pumpkin lines into the form. Don't carve lines. 

Step #6

Make a stem and attach it.

Step #7

Draw ideas for jack-o-lantern face on a piece of paper. When you have a good, idea, lightly draw the face onto the clay. Use a knife to cut out the face. Be careful not to damage the face.  

Step #8

Make a small hole in the top to vent the smoke. Cut a 2 1/2 inch hole in the bottom for the candle. Paint or glaze the the work and you are done.

Samples