Required skills
communication skills to liaise with others about handbuilding practice and challenges
critical thinking and analytical skills to:
evaluate the needs of particular work projects, including design briefs for work
research and evaluate historical and contemporary trends to inform ideas
literacy skills to read specifications and requirements
problem-solving skills to identify and resolve technical handbuilding problems
numeracy skills to work with numerical features of ceramics processes (e.g. measurements of materials)
self-management, planning and organising skills to:
evaluate handbuilding opportunities in own practice
set up a handbuilding work space
technology skills to safely use handbuilding equipment
technical skills to produce:
single forms
larger forms
sets or families of forms, such as multiples, related series, modular forms and assembled sectional forms.
Required knowledge
features of advanced handbuilding techniques, including:
structural support for large scale work
making and joining modules
making multiple units, such as tiles or components
making moulds and formers
combining throwing and slipcasting with handbuilding
adding appropriate materials to clay for forming strength and for fired strength
elements and principles of design and their specific application to the production of ceramic work
physical properties and capabilities of the range of materials, tools and equipment used in handbuilding work
handbuilding techniques, including coil building, slab building, press moulding, pinching, modelling and extruding
handbuilding techniques appropriate for life modelling
work space requirements for ceramic work, including ways of organising and maintaining space
ways of exploring, adapting and extending techniques and materials to achieve different effects in handbuilding
cleaning and maintenance techniques for tools and equipment used in ceramic work
intellectual property issues and legislation associated with ceramics as a professional practice
sustainability considerations for handbuilt ceramics work
OHS for the production of handbuilt ceramics.