Ugly Mug Making Essay

Art is a way of expressing one’s emotions. There are many forms of art that someone can use to help relieve stressful emotions. Clay molding is one of those forms people can use their hands to make a piece of art that shows a person’s character. The process of making what is known as an ugly mug is a way of letting the creative side of a person flow. Ugly mugs showcase a variety of colors and designs. As a result, the mug can show what one is feeling while going through the molding process. There are many tools used when it comes to mug making. The tools that will be used are a wooden scoring tool, a sponge, a cup of water, a spray bottle filled with water, a medium sized plastic bag, and a kiln. The materials used to mold and color the mug is going to be clay and glaze. These components will be used to make an ugly mug.
Once all of the tools have been collected, it is time to start constructing the mug. The first step is deciding how tall and wide the mug should be. The height of the mug should be around six inches, and the opening of the mug should be …show more content…
Be extremely careful when putting the mug in the kiln because it can reach a temperature of 3000 degrees. Because it gets so hot, it only needs about thirty minutes in the kiln; however, It would be best to let the kiln cool down for a couple of hours until it safe enough to remove the mug. When ready, the glazing process can begin. Glazing is when color can be added to the inside and outside of the mug. A glaze is a liquid glass, so it is very important that one’s hands are clean after using the glaze. When glazing the mug, it is best to apply around three coats of glaze, but there can be more if one chooses to do so. Different parts of the mug can be different colors, or the mug can be made all one color. When satisfied with the mug, fire it in the kiln for the last time, and wait around thirty minutes. Let the mug cool for a few hours then the mug is