Clay Cupcakes (K-5) 

By Melanie Harper, APS Elementary Art

Objectives: The Student will learn about slab construction, scoring and slipping, and forming a pinch pot within a mold.  TSW learn of Wayne Thiebaud and Claus Oldenberg. TSW use the score and slip method of attaching clay to create a ceramic cupcake that holds together adequately. 

Materials:

2- 1.5 inch cubes of clay per student  (Model Magic can be substituted or plaster for bottom)

Silicone cupcake holders (mold) one per student

Water container for slip

Forks, Tongue Depressors, Texture tools, Clay Rollers (optional), Clothe for covering tables

Resources:

Visuals of Artwork by pop artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and/or Claus Oldenburg; “Pinkalicious”; “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake”; “Hello Cupcake!”; Visuals of real cupcakes

Procedure:

Introduce the artwork of Wayne Thiebaud (pronounced Tee' bow), and Claes Oldenburg, or read one of the other books. Discuss the medium clay (or model magic), what it is made of and introduce clay vocabulary words such as fire, kiln, and ceramic. 

Use one of the cubes of clay to demonstrate (students follow along) how to form a ball. Then place the ball into silicone cupcake mold. Press thumb into ball to start a pinch pot. Keep thumb in the middle of the ball and use index and middle fingers to pinch and turn to form a pinch pot with applied cupcake wrapper texture. Peal back silicone mold and pop out cupcake base. (If using model magic wait about 5 minutes before popping it out.) After forming the base of the cupcake sculpture use the other chunk of clay to roll out or flatten a small slab of clay. You can either flip cupcake base over on top of slab and trace to form top or have pre-made templates for tracing. Mark both top and bottom of cupcake with initials and class symbol place a sheet of paper towel in-between bottom and top so pieces do not adhere. 

Demonstrate how to roll out coils, small balls with extra clay. Show how to attach using the score and slip method. Demonstrate how to press texture tools into clay. Show how to add slip to finger to smooth artwork. Have students place artwork on trays or in boxes to store and dry.

When using the clay, the students learned about slab construction, scoring and slipping, and how to form a pinch pot within a mold.

Clean -up.

Assessment: 

Observe students as they work. Ask:

• Who is the artist(s) we talked about today?
• What kind of art does he make?
• What are the two words to describe the processes of attaching clay?
• What is clay made out of? Etc..

Vocabulary:

Clay, Fire, Kiln, Ceramic, Mold, Pinch Pot, Texture, 3- Dimensional, Form, Sculpture, Embellishment

Modifications:

Instead of making a clay cupcake you can pour plaster into the plastic cupcake molds and let dry. Very young students or students needing modifications can then take white model magic and form top of cupcake with decorations then attach to pre-made plaster cupcake base and paint.

Cross-curricular Extensions:

Can be used to talk about the Pop Art Movement (History), Health, 3D Math, Science, LA - have studentys write about their work.

Curriculum:

APS Visual Arts Standards Addressed (pre 2010):

• Standard 1: Learners will enhance artistic perception and visual and tactile awareness.
• Standard 2: Learners will explore a variety of visual arts media.
• Standard 3: Learners will develop critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and artistic perceptions through observing, comparing and contrasting, and discussing a variety of art.
• Standard 4: Learners will use visual art as a means of self-expression
• Standard 5: Learners will develop qualities, attitudes, and behavioral attributes through visual art experiences that contribute to continuous personal growth.

Sources:

Lesson adapted from artsonia.com and schoolarts.com