Art 2613 Ceramics I

Course Details

Course Number: Art 2613  Section Number: 1

Spring 2012

Location: Fain Fine Arts Center

Classroom Number: C119

Days & Times:

Tuesday and Thursday: 9:20 AM to 12:30 PM

Course Attachments

Textbooks
MSU Faculty Member
Steve Hilton   
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Course Objectives
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of equipment safety and possible health hazards associated with ceramics
  2. Maintain a clean working environment
  3. Describe, recognize and utilize ceramic tools
  4. Use surface treatment and decoration on ceramic surfaces
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of kiln firings to include oxidation and reduction (atmospheric) methods
  6. Demonstrate skill on working select hand building techniques
  7. Demonstrate the procedure for loading kilns: glaze and bisque
  8. Demonstrate basic wheel techniques
  9. Demonstrate basic glazing and surface decorating methods

Course Expectations

Textbook: The Craft and Art of Clay, by Susan Peterson

 

Clay and Glaze Fee: Buy clay at the bookstore. Bring your receipt to class by the end of the first week. $50

 

Respirator: Buy at Lowes, Home Depot, or Granger – make sure it is good for dust (they usually have some magenta color on the filter with a designation of P100)

 

Materials (not optional):

  1. pottery tool kit (wire, needle tool, wooden rib, metal rib, trimming tool, sponge) available at the bookstore. (Due next class period)
  2. rubber rib: available in the book store (Due next class period)
  3. loop tool kit: available in the book store (Due next class period)
  4. small bucket: less than a gallon (Due next class period)
  5. combination lock
  6. large sponge for clean-up (Due next class period)
  7. assortment of inexpensive brushes (1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, 1 inch)
  8. green scrubby
  9. respirator (Due next class period)
  10. sketchbook (at least 8.5” by 11”) (Due next class period)

Grading Standards

Final Exam5/7/2012  9:30 AM

Submission Format Policy


Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Late Paper Policy

Assignments are due at the start of the class period on the due date. Any assignment submitted after that time will receive a penalty of 10% per day, with the total penalty not to exceed 50% of the points available for the assignment. The only accepted excuses for late work or missing a test/quiz/critique/class are requests from an academic dean, or a documented medical situation. There will be no exceptions, so please do not ask.

Electronic Work:

• save your work often

• back it up often (in two places)

• save it with a different name periodically (with the date in the name)

• email it to yourself after making large changes


Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception. Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters. We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student. We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed. Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Students with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, 397-4140.

Safe Zones Statement The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

Contacting your Instructor All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MWSU e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Attendance Requirements

Attendance Policy:

You are expected to attend and participate in every class. If you miss two or more classes you may be dropped from the course, or by the discretion of the instructor, your final grade will be lowered one letter grade for each subsequent absence after the second absence. Two tardies or leaving early two times could count as an absence. Please speak to me about any extenuating circumstance.


Other Policies

Homework:

You will have homework in this class . . . except you will be doing most of it in the studio. You should spend a minimum of 6 hours in the studio outside class time to be successful. The more time you spend in the studio the more successful you will be. If you make more . . . You will learn more!

Grading Policy:

Each assignment should be evaluated and graded as it is completed. It is your responsibility to show me each assignment as it is completed.

Since ceramic work has two stages of completion, you will be graded on turning your completed greenware in on time, and you will be graded on your glazed work at the end of the semester.

As art is subjective, I will be grading your assignments with the following criteria:

  1. Is it innovative/experimental
  2. Does it accomplish the assignment
  3. Does it communicate your intention/content
  4. Is it aesthetically pleasing . . . and is it designed well
  5. Craftspersonship
  6. Attention to detail(s)
  7. Technical elements and mastery
  8. Growth of your work
  9. Sketchbook

Your final grade will be determined by a formula similar to the one below:

Points earned divided by points possible (approximately 1125 points)

Assignments 900 points

Critique (4 critiques minimum) 60 points

Participation (clean-up, helping out) 40 points

Quizzes 75 points

Sketchbook 50 Points

 

As art is subjective, I will be grading your assignments with the following criteria:

  1. Is it innovative/experimental
  2. Does it accomplish the assignment
  3. Does it communicate your intention/content
  4. Is it aesthetically pleasing . . . and is it designed well
  5. Craftspersonship
  6. Attention to detail(s)
  7. Technical elements and mastery
  8. Growth of your work
  9. Sketchbook

 

Decorum:

Students will abide by all MSU rules, regulations including the “Student Honor Creed,” and will thereby earn all the student’s rights as noted in the MSU catalog.

 

Plagiarism:

Academic Dishonesty: Cheating, collusion, and plagiarism (the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work not the individual’s to whom credit is given). Additional guidelines on procedures in these matters may be found in the Student Handbook and the Dean of Students’ Office.

Safety:

  1. Some materials in the studio are toxic. If you are uncertain of the nature of a material, PLEASE SEE ME!
  2. Students are expected to take the utmost care in working with kilns and all power equipment.  Do not use any equipment, including kilns, without being properly trained and signing a training document.
  3. Alwayswear a respirator and rubber gloves when working with any toxic materials.
  4. Always wear a respirator when sanding ceramic material and spraying glaze.
  5. A list of hazardous materials is available in the yellow folder next to the front door.
  6. TAKING THIS COURSE IN THE ART DEPARTMENT AT MSU MEANS THAT YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY to use all equipment, tools, and materials related to the course in a safe manner.  If you have any health-related problems that would be adversely affected by taking the course, you should consult with me at the end of the first day of the class.
  7. Please tell me about any accidents, no matter how small.

 

Communication:

If you have a question/problem with the material or a technique, please see me as soon as possible. If you wait until the last week of the semester, I might not be able to help you.

If you have a documented disability, please speak directly to the Disability Resource Center and myself as early as possible so accommodations can be made.

 

Studio Etiquette:

It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep the studio clean. Do not leave without making sure all materials, tools, and artwork are properly stored. Your grade will be lowered if you do not clean up after yourself.

• the last 12.498 minutes of class is devoted to cleaning up, with everyone assisting.

• the floors need to be mopped every class period and every time you throw on the wheel

• there will be one mandatory all studio clean-up in the middle of the semester and the final clean-up on May 6 (first day of finals)

• during the semester, everyone will be asked to help maintain the studio

 

Return and Retention Of Student Work

If work is left in the studio longer than (1) one week after the end of the semester the department has the right to dispose of or use the unclaimed work for any purpose.  The department also reserves the right to retain student work as desired for reference or exhibition purposes. 

 

Special Needs:

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information that needs sharing, or if you need special accommodations in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

 

Student Privacy:

Federal privacy law prohibits the instructor from releasing information about students to certain parties outside of the university without the signed consent of the student. This includes a student’ parents.

 

** This syllabus may be changed to best meet your needs, or for other reasons as I see fit. This includes the changing or deleting of assignments. If for some reason this syllabus is changed, the method of obtaining the final grade will remain essentially the same: the total points achieved will be divided by the total points possible to obtain a percentage and a grade will be assigned according to the percentage scale outlined above.

 

*** By staying enrolled in this course, you are indicating you understand and accept the terms of ART 2613 and this syllabus


Writing Proficiency Requirement All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed English 1113 and English 1123 and 2) earned 60 hours. You may meet this requirement by passing either the Writing Proficiency Exam or English 2113. Please keep in mind that, once you've earned over 90 hours, you lose the opportunity to take the $25 exam and have no option but to enroll in the three-credit hour course. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at http://academics.mwsu.edu/wpr, or call 397-4131.