[Unedited translation from the Vietnamese] Ministry of Culture and Information
Dong Nai College of Decorative Arts
Record of the Project for Accomplishment Theme: THE MODERN CERAMICS
Department of Ceramic Art Roll course IV: 2002-2005
Student name: Le Thanh Nguyen Phuong Class: CK4-GA Supervisor: Dinh Cong Lai
July 2005
Preface
Among the three defined themes regarding the Project for Accomplishment from Department of Ceramic Art this year that are:
1- The Ethnical Culture of Champa
2- The Ethnical Culture of The Highland
3- The Modern Ceramics
I chose the third one because I would like to study more on this movement. The Modern Ceramics is a broad field and there has not been yet comprehensible definition. After the review of available documents in the library as well as receiving several opportunities to interview current ceramics artists living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, I decided to explore “The Natural Environment” topic, one of the popular subjects at the present, as a resource for my creation
A-Designing Standpoint
1. IDEA
1.1. Lamp Carp Streamer in a Polluted Environment (Main work)
Pollution in the natural environment is a seriously urgent issue all over the world. Through daily broadcasting, various news are being circulated regarding the ruination on Nature that leads to deluge, drought, desertification, and even our water resource is harmed..
There is an enduring threat regarding massive death of watery creatures due to oil tanker collision and spill or the alarming fact of toxic industrial waste (chemicals) which is being introduced directly into rivers and seas. A scene of the water surface whitened by dead fishes is panic. The more we are exploiting and contaminating our water resource uncontrollably, the more we are destroying the balance of our own living condition.
Is there human insentience against our own ecology? This obsession is reflected by a fish shape with half of its body was deformed to be seen deep down to its bone and it is trying to leave its own living place, the water. This was only one among many maquettes I had created for this topic but it was the most favorite one because it contains various meanings. The Graduation Council approved my “Natural Environment” topic and authorized this fishmaquette. It encouraged me much in an implementation of my fafourite idea.
The fish-motif is a typical symbol of watery creatures in ceramics that has been expressed through various shapes and designs. However; I believe that I should practice basic and traditional principles in school as hard as possible while I still have a chance to receive advices from my supervisors. And after graduating, these valuable experiences will gratefully contribute to my own knowledge that encourages me to create and establish my other work understructurally. In this scene, I do not imply that “breaking rules” by innovative ideas is unnecessary. On the other hand; that risk taking is important to be nurtured by every designer in order to create his/her own style.
I chose a classical “fish-image” to present my concept bases on the methods which I was trained during three years at school such as wheelthrowing, slab building, slip casting, carving, embossing, cutting out, glazing
by brushes, firing technique, and etc…I try my best within my own defined standards in order to accomplish this project at a desirable good level.
The lamp Carp Streamer In A Polluted Environment reflects human insentience against our own ecological condition and thus; the obvious consequence rose up. I expect to be able to reflect successfully through this work.
1.2. Teapot set The Little Sun (Sub-work)
Besides the main work, the request of sub-work functioning as a gift prompted me to make a teapot set decorated by the Sun-motif. The important role of the Sun that is giving energy to our livings is obvious. In Cretaceous Period, an asteroid struck the Earth with great force. Its impact sent a large cloud of hot rock and dust into the atmosphere blocking part of the Sun’s ray for years. With less sunlight, plants and animals would have died according to geologists. In literature, on the other hand:
Every time fresh sunlight is beaming beside the window rattan
Sorrowing over the tumultuous cock-crowing at noon
(Fresh Sunlight, by Vietnamese poet Luu Trong Lu).
Above all, the kid’s paintings drawn with lovely bright and naive colors are those inspired me to create The Little Sun teapot set. Those amusing images of the Sun are appropriate for fulfilling the required gift function of the sub-work.
“The Sun-motif” which is often seen on children’s paintings
Some of my creating sources
In general, I created The Little Sun teapot set to attain my two purposes:
a) The sunlights give energy for all creatures on the Earth. The teapot set is functioned as a gift product. Thus; both the concept and the product’s practical requirement are supposed to each other positively.
b) During almost three years studying in this college, I had not ever made a teapot set which was well-completed from original concept to
blueprint arrangement then processing the real product. Therefore; I took this opportunity in order to practice all of my trained methodologies following various useful advices from the current supervisors in the Department of Ceramic Art.
2. DESIGNING POLICY
2.1. Lamp Carp Streamer in a Polluted Environment (Main work)
Following the concept that is described above, I built a lamp in a vertical fish shape with cut-out decorative pattern. Half of its body is obvious fish bone structure. This is my main work of the Project for Accomplishment because it is fulfill two requirements:
a) The product has to be at minimum height of 50 centimeters. I consider it would look lighter if I employ cut-out methodology to erase some solid parts of the body of work. Additionally, the half portion that is normal fish-body (solid) should be decoratively cut-out in order to maintain a balance with the other half portion of this fish’s bone structure (unsolid, empty). Besides, a vertically slender fish shape will take less space thus, it can be flexibly used as an interior decorative object.
b) I prefer making a functional decorative object. The original concept which was transformed to the fish shape is appropriate for combining to a function of a lamp. When its inside bulb is enlightened, its warm lightings coming through the decorative cut-out patterns will make the Carp becomes livelier.
It would be successful if the work is well accomplished based on these above desires.
According to my experiences during the practice in school years, I consider making artwork that looks beautifully at every viewing angle is a challenge. And I have tried to build this lamp at an acceptable standard seen from six viewing angles. Every detail of the carved decorative wave-pattern seen from the fish tail to its body is expected to make the whole fish look livelier. From a reference of the natural curved lines of a fish body, I modified,
made accents at some details and changed the smooth surface by adding matìere at some spots.
I consider the obvious fish bone structure creates a different impression. This thin and dry appearance of the bones is an accent. The empty spaces between sections of the bones are built in purpose while maintaining its nature by an appropriate arrangement. Modelling methodology employed on this portion of the work is complicately mixed. It is the extreme amount of time to carefully make and attach because the bones are easily broken during the modelling process as well as easily deformed during the firing one Therefore, the gravity of the fish head portion by which the bone structure is impacted as well as a balance of every bone section itself is my extreme concern. This is not only a challenge but also a chance for me to adapt all of my trained skills.
Generally, from a classical fish image, I modify and magnify some details so that the work can reflect my concept appropriately.
Electric wheel-throwing and slab building method are employed to catch up with target agenda of the Project for Accomplishment. In mass production, it is possible to employ casting mold.
2.2. Teapot set The Little Sun (Sub-work)
It is a Western style teapot set that includes a teapot, a milk pitcher, a tea container, a sugar container, and six cups with saucers; there is no saucer for the teapot because it does not match to the concept of the Sun motif; a sweet container is replaced by a small weaving basket with wide rim made by rattan in order to offer a lighter look
There are some adjustments from sketches on paper to clay maquette and finally the real product. During the process, I play with several ideas and modify many details in order to form a final nice shape while maintaining its functional requirement is a must.
The main motif is the Sun image built of spiral lines debossed into the spherical body; it is surrounded by the “sunlights” which are carved onto the product surface.
In order to harmonize with the debossed motifs illustrating the Sun at front and back side of the teapot, I make the inner curved detail at a side where a handle (a ring shape whose diameter is wider than the debossed detail of the Sun motif) and a side where a spout with a spiral smaller than the debossed detail of the Sun motif were attached.
The handle and the spout are a repeat of the Sun-motif. However, they are simplified to a ring shape handle and a single spiral on the spout. A circle rhythm (including the inner curved details at two sides) follows an oblique line which starts at the handle and ends at the spout. Knob of lid has three layers repeating a spiral of the Sun motif but instead of being debossed, it is pulled up vertically in order to balance with the whole teapot body which is being stretched horizontally after the handle and the spout are attached.
Regarding pitcher shape, the spout is an open mouth type. For tea and sugar container; the spout is replaced by another ring which is smaller than the handle one. Thus, the containers have two handles in diffirent sizes that are inclined toward each other and follow an oblique line.
While the teapot, the tea and sugar container, the pitcher are spherical shape, cup is formed by a half spherical shape that has an inner curved detail at one side (a handle is attached at this spot), and a decorative pattern which is half of the Sun-motif on the teapot is at the opposite side due to functional requirement.
On the outside bottom the cup, an embossed spiral motif surrounded by the three legs of the cup creates a rythm when the cup is turned up side down and placed onto its saucer. In this placement, while the cup belly is hiding the Sun-motif of the saucer, this embossed spiral at the outside bottom acts as a replaced Sun-motif as well as a decorative accent. Therefore, a stable synchronization is successfully maintained.
A quarter portion of the saucer is cut off; this cutting line follows the curved line of the Sun-motif. When the cup is being turned up side down, thump and index finger that are holding the cup handle will be more relaxed because they are not colliding with the saucer’s surface.
Generally; this teapot set has several decorative debossed motifs but they are made reasonably so that the washing does not become an issue when in use. Incline but stability is designed purposely. I consider this character make the set a continuous animate rhythm while its synchronization is well maintained.
Employing plaster mold and slip casting methodology so that it is suitable for mass production and for reducing cost.
B- Designing solution and Proceeding methods
1. BLUEPRINTS
Make blueprints of six flat views for each design as well as its perspective review on A3 paper size with text, digits and technical drawing are arranged in a good proportion.
2. PROCEEDING METHODS
2.1. Material
In the research regarding the Modern Ceramics theme, an idea of mixing different materials in clay (for example a mix of clay and fine chopped wood or a mix of clay and glazes) is intended to be used for the lamp Carp Streamer. However, because of the limited time of the Project agenda, a proper formula in which percentages of clay and fine chopped wood as well as glazes have to be in balance to maintain necessary elasticity of the mixture for modelling. After several times of experiment, I decide to use the