Production Ceramics, Spring 2017, Instructors: Kate Blacklock, Michael Lamar
Geometric Cup
A slipcast cup utilizing geometric shapes to inform ergonomics.
Prompt | Timeline: 3 Weeks
Design the drinking vessel that you have always wanted to drink out of. It should hold at least 8 oz. of hot liquid, have a handle, and sit well on the table. It should be comfortable to drink out of, and most importantly, enhance the experience of drinking.
Process
Analyzing my own drinking experiences, I enjoy being able to feel the warmth of the liquid inside a mug, and being able to fit most of my fingers in the handle. I thought about how I hold mugs, and realized the shape could be informed by circles and squares.
To achieve a cup that would end up at the correct size after firing, I created a scaled model based off a to-scale model. I created a three-part mold in order to have a foot at the bottom of my mug.
After casting, I trimmed the pour gate to form the lip of the cup. I also experimented with carving into the mold to create surface texture.
I explored with different glaze treatments: glaze dipping and hand-painting.
The shape of the cups allows them to nestle together in order to reduce shelf space.