Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today about ceramics through cake culture.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking, and exploring together in this lesson.

So, shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to add finishing details to your cake-inspired clay sculpture and you'll be able to evaluate your work.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some keywords.

We'll be using these keywords during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these down.

The keywords we'll be using today are ceramics, glazing, texture, evaluation.

I'm going to say those again and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Ceramics.

Glazing.

Texture.

Evaluation.

Good job, now let's think in more detail what these keywords mean by taking a look at their definitions.

Ceramics are objects made from clay, often fired in a kiln to harden and set.

Glazing is the process of applying a liquid coating to clay objects that, when fired, forms a smooth, shiny surface.

Texture is the surface quality or feel of a material created through techniques like carving, smoothing, or adding elements to clay.

And evaluation is the process of reviewing and reflecting on the artwork to assess its strengths and areas for improvement.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords and when you're ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles that we'll be working through together in today's lesson, "Decorating and finalising your cake sculpture" and "Evaluating the cake-inspired clay sculpture." So in this first learning cycle, we're going to look into decorating and finalising your clay sculpture.

Now you may remember creating a cake-inspired clay sculpture.

Let's add those finishing touches.

So maybe your clay sculpture looks like this image here.

Not quite finished, so let's add those finishing touches.

If your clay is still wet, you may be able to carve into the surface of it using tools like forks or modelling tools, and texture can be added using stamps or even your fingers.

So you could have a go at adding that if your clay is still wet.

As the clay dries out, it will become hard, which makes it harder to carve onto the surface, but it will make it suitable for glazing or painting.

Now, depending on the type of clay and the materials available, you will have used either air dry or kiln-fired clay.

Now there are different steps involved depending on which type of clay you are using, so be sure to check first.

Clay sculptures are referred to as ceramics when they are fired in a kiln to harden and set.

Remember that only certain types of clay are suitable for kiln firing.

You can see here this image of ceramic plates in a kiln.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

What technique can you use to add texture to your clay piece? Mixing the clay with water until it is smooth, pressing tools or items like forks, sponges, or stamps onto the clay's surface, or baking the clay for a longer time.

Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that pressing tools or items like forks, sponges, or stamps onto the clay's surface, you're absolutely right.

That's how you can add texture to your clay piece.

If your clay is suitable for kiln firing, you'll be using glazes.

A glaze is a certain type of paint that can be applied to clay objects.

You can see here an artist applying a glaze through a stencil onto the clay.

Glazes can withstand very high temperatures within a kiln, and when they are used, they create shiny surfaces on the clay.

So this is an artist applying the glaze but it's not yet being fired.

If you are using air-dried clay, then the clay will naturally harden over time as it reacts with the air.

This type of clay will not be used in a kiln, but you should wait for it to be completely dry before painting it.

Whichever type of clay you are using, think about how you can bring your sculpture to life through paint.

Now, bright colours, icing-like textures, and toppings can all be used to help make your clay sculpture look more like a cake.

Now, paint the larger sections first, like icing and sponge.

Then paint the smaller details like the sprinkles, fruits, or flowers.

So can you see in that first picture we're focusing on that larger section of the cake and then painting the smaller details like the fruit in the second image.

Now take your time and include any final details that will help bring your cake-inspired clay sculpture to life.

You can see here how the artist has spent a lot of time painting the different elements to really make them stand out.

Now, if you are not using glazing or firing methods, you might choose to add a layer of varnish to your painted cake.

A thin layer of PVA glue on a painted, dry clay sculpture will give it a more glossy finish and protect it from minor scratches.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

What can you add to your cake-inspired clay piece to make it look more like a cake or dessert? Avoid adding details.

Use only one texture.

Use bright colours, icing-like textures, and decorative toppings.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said use bright colours, icing-like textures, and decorative toppings, you are absolutely right.

That's what's going to make your cake look more like a real one.

This brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to add the finishing touches to your cake sculpture.

So you might consider painting using acrylic paint or glazes with sponges, different-sized brushes to add colour, pattern, and textures.

And then consider using decorative elements, patterns or symbols to reflect cultural significance.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to add your finishing touches, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did that go? Did you add acrylic paint or did you use a glaze? Well, let's take a look at this example here.

You might have considered painting using acrylic paint or maybe you used glazes with sponges.

Maybe you tried out some different-sized brushes to add that colour or pattern and texture.

And maybe you've considered using decorative elements, patterns or symbols to reflect that cultural significance.

Now, this cake here was painted using different brush sizes for the larger areas and then the finer details, and then creating texture for the sponge of the cake.

And here there is a symbolic choice of flower and a decorative candle to finish the cake off.

So well done if you were able to decorate and finalise your cake sculpture.

This now brings us to the second part of our lesson.

We're going to evaluate your cake-inspired clay sculpture.

After finishing your sculpture, it's useful to pause, reflect, and evaluate it.

Evaluating your artwork helps you reflect on what went well, what could be improved, and how you feel about your final piece.

It's an important step to understand your artistic choices and grow as an artist.

As you evaluate your work, you might ask yourself, what textures or details did I enjoy adding the most? And like Lucas, you might say, "I enjoyed making toppings and decorations out of clay using my hands and carving tools." Maybe, like Andeep, you might ask the question, "How do the colours I choose enhance my piece?" And Laura, she says, "I chose realistic colours for my clay sculpture, and this helps it look true to life and convincingly like a cake." Maybe you agree with her in terms of your cake that you created and painted.

Izzy says, "If I could change something, what would it be?" And Sam responds, "I might make more layers to make the cake taller, or include more symbols, toppings, and decorations for another effect." What would you maybe change on yours? Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Why is it important to evaluate your artwork after finishing it? To determine how quickly you can finish the project, to think about what went well and what could be improved, or to show others how big your project is.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question.

Press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that evaluating your artwork is important because you need to think about what went well and what could be improved, you're absolutely right, well done.

As part of your evaluation, you can also think about the tools and techniques you used.

Were any of the clay hand-building techniques your favourite, and why? And how did you find adding texture with the tools you used? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the different tools and techniques you used, evaluating them, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What were you thinking? What clay hand-building technique was your favourite? Did you enjoy coiling, or maybe slabbing? And creating the texture, did you enjoy using different modelling tools or did you prefer pinching with your fingers? Well, looking at the finished piece, I want you to reflect on if it fits within the theme of cake culture as well.

Alex is wondering, "Does it tell a story or represent any cultural themes?" And Jacob has simply asked, "Does my piece look like a cake?" You can think about these questions too and that can help you evaluate your finished piece.

You can also show your work to others and ask for feedback.

Evaluating and discussing works with others allows us to see things from a new perspective, learn something new, and helps you improve on future creations.

You can incorporate the feedback from others with your own to help articulate your artistic journey and discover where your strengths are and how you might improve in future artworks.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Is this statement true or false? All clays can be fired in a kiln to harden and set.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that's false, you're absolutely right.

But why is that false? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you discuss? If you said something like, "Only certain types of clay can be fired in a kiln, painted with glazes and turned into ceramics.

Other types of clay can be air dry or oven-baked, and you need to check what type of clay you are using before drying or firing," then well done.

This brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to evaluate your artwork and reflect on the creative process.

What techniques did you use to finalise your creation? How does your cake-inspired piece make you feel? What part of the piece are you most proud of and why? How does your work represent the concept of cake culture? And if you could change anything, what would it be and why? Pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at evaluating your artwork, reflecting on the creative process, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did that go? Were you able to reflect on these different questions? Well, maybe, like Lucas, you reflected on your creation and said something like, "I used acrylic paint on my clay cake and PVA glue to varnish it, as it was not going to be kiln fired.

I like how realistic the berries and flowers look, like a birthday cake that I would enjoy eating.

I might add more layers of sponge and icing to make it taller, as this could make it more of a celebration cake." Well done for having a go at evaluating your cake-inspired sculpture.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about finalising a cake-inspired creation.

Finishing touches can be applied to clay sculptures through textures, colours, decorations, and painting.

Different types of clay are treated differently for drying, firing, glazing, and painting methods to make ceramics.

Evaluating an artwork critically helps us to understand the creative process better and what we can improve on in the future projects.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson.

I hope you enjoyed learning about ceramics through cake culture.

I certainly did.

I hope to see you for another unit of learning soon.

See you then.