Amazon Rainforest Vessel

For this project, a large three part stacked form was made and then the surface was altered to follow an Amazon Rainforest theme. First additive sculptural techniques were used to render the Amazonian Ceiber tree growing up the side of the pot. After that, imagery of flora native to the Amazon Rainforest was carved in lightly using a ballpoint carving tool. Once all the scenery was marked out and defined, negative pockets were carved away around the positive surfaces of the Ceiber tree to add another layer of depth. The edges and joints around all the carvings were rounded and defined to prevent strain and to reduce the probability of cracks forming in delicately carved areas. 

  Great examples of these carving techniques for surface texture on ceramic vessels can be seen in ancient Qin Dynasty pottery. Successful approaches to renderings include rounding the entire surface of the carved imagery to give it a three-dimensionality, continuity of carving all around to pot, and rhythm in symmetry. The subject matter of a large amount of Chinese ceramics includes nature scenes of landscapes or animals, similarly to the subject matter of my concentration pieces.  The low relief subtractive line carving within the imagery gives it an even more intricately detailed appearance and creates texture