高中陶艺课程实践

In 2018, during my final semester of high school, I decided to take a pottery class. Although I wasn’t necessarily passionate about pottery, it offered a hands-on experience with materials that I hadn’t worked with before. This class helped me develop an understanding of form, structure, and the process of taking an idea from concept to finished product.

I started with basic techniques like coil pinching, creating an incense bowl as my first project. Later, I moved on to the wheel, where I made my first cylinder and my fist attempt at making a simple bowl. Working with clay taught me a lot about material properties—how clay responds to pressure, how it can be shaped, and the challenges of controlling the process. Even though I wasn’t trying to become a pottery artist, the experience helped me understand how to manipulate materials to create functional objects.

Though my focus is industrial design, I see how working with clay helped me understand key concepts that are critical to design, like form, functionality, and the importance of the material itself. The process of shaping clay required me to think carefully about both aesthetics and practicality—whether it was creating a bowl that was structurally sound or experimenting with the best way to apply glaze. The hands-on nature of pottery also helped me develop a problem-solving mindset, adjusting and refining each piece as I went along, which is essential in design.

What I Learned

Working with clay gave me a tactile understanding of how materials can be manipulated, helping me approach design with a better awareness of material properties.

Pottery is all about trial and error. The process of refining and improving my pieces through multiple attempts mirrors the iterative process of industrial design, where feedback and revision are key.

Whether working on aesthetic details or ensuring a piece was functional, the experience helped me balance form and function—something I apply in my design thinking today.

Coil pinch

First cylinder on the wheel

Getting the feel for the clay on the wheel

Starting to make bowls

Last bowl of the semester

Coil pinch with flower impression