Personal Project: Earthenware Vessels

Criterion A: Planning

i. states a learning goal and explains the connection between personal interest(s) and that goal
Learning Goal
My interest in pottery dates back to when I was eight years old and went to my grandma’s house in Nuzvid,
South India. My grandma wanted me to try pottery; I wasn’t taking it seriously, but the moment I touched the
pottery wheel, I felt a connection—an emotion I had never experienced before. I have always loved doing
creative things and enjoyed challenging activities outside my comfort zone. Pottery was difficult and
innovative, intriguing and drawing me towards it. That was the first time I understood what pottery was, as I
stomped on the clay before shaping it; this was part of the preparation for pottery. Around June 2024, I
visited the Bangalore Art of Living campus. The Art of Living is an organisation founded by Baba
Ravishankar that teaches different arts to students across the nation. One of the arts taught there is pottery. I
was briefly introduced to pottery one day. I loved the way my fingers glided along the surface of the clay,
gracefully forming a shape—even though it was deformed—the feeling of creating something wonderful
from something as simple as clay ignited my interest in pottery. Even though I attended workshops in my
leisure time in Vijayawada, India, I never quite got it right. This laid the foundation for my passion towards
pottery, making me take this as an option for my personal project, and eventually making it my personal
project.

Even academic subjects in my school like design and arts take place when shaping clay as there are crucial
aspects of pots like material or cross-section, helping me apply these aspects from arts and design to my
project and make it easier for me to achieve my learning goal. This can be used as a sustainable practice in
our household and community. I researched earthenware products that were being used in households and I
have found out that they have several healthy properties. Even Ayurvedic practices mention that pottery is
preferable for cooking. Some of the healthy properties of earthenware products include:
-​ Taste
-​ Neutralising properties
-​ Reducing the need for oil
-​ Heat distribution along the surface of the vessel while cooking
Clay also has environmental benefits helping us all fight the world crisis of ubiquitous global warming
together because clay is bio-degradable meaning that compared to cast iron or steel, clay can decompose
faster into the ground leaving the soil healthy, unlike cast iron or steel where the soil will become unhealthy.
If the whole community starts using earthenware vessels for cooking or other household purposes, we all can
take small steps towards fighting global warming by practising sustainable practices ourselves.

I want to understand the material needed for pottery and I also want to learn the techniques needed for
making my final product. I want to learn the best materials professional potters use to make their pots. I also
want to learn the basics of wheel-thrown pottery like shaping the vessel while it is on the wheel, and the
expected finger position on the clay I also want to learn the method that professional potters use to make
their final product strong and durable after making the shape on the wheel. My prior knowledge is that I
know that the pots will get baked for them to get together.

Product Goal
To understand the results of my learning over the months, I will make a professional-level pot for drinking
water and a dish for cooking curries in. Making a pot for drinking water will be practical because
according to my background research for my product and learning goal, earthenware products work as
natural coolers for the contained water and they are comparably healthier due to properties of clay that
neutralize any acidic nature present in water, making these pots useful in urban and sub-urban areas where
water contamination is present. The pot must be aesthetically pleasing and functional to the users and they
should not be brittle for the pot to be near perfect. I will be making a dish for cooking curries for cooking
purposes (curries mainly) because food feels fresher when compared to products made with other materials
such as steel. After all, the moisture of the food is maintained and pottery will give noticeable flavour,
earthenware vessels will make the need for having more oil lesser and it will maintain the nutrients needed
and heat will get spread out through the vessel uniformly which will make all parts of the dish cooked the
same.

ii. states their intended product and presents multiple appropriate, detailed success criteria for the
product
Success Criteria
My success criteria will help me set my expectations for my final products. They will also help me have a
brief idea about what I am expecting from myself in the end. My success criteria will give me the highest
expectations to give myself high standards to maintain high quality for my dish and pot. My pot has 2 main
objectives/standards: Functionality and Aesthetics. Aesthetics are for the mental pleasure whilst looking at
the vessel whereas functionality is the actual working of the product and the assessment of the working of
the product, if this was not there, we wouldn’t doubt the product for not serving its purpose and aesthetics are
also important due to the existing necessity to identify the product. In functionality, there are different
aspects like a sound test which tests for cracks in an earthenware product, durability and sturdiness are
needed for the pot especially as there is always water in a pot, making it so that the vessel can withstand
water for a long periods and heat resistibility is important for the cooking utensil as it is exposed to heat for
long periods making it necessary for it to be able to withstand heat and there are no paints needed for any of
my products and they should be identifiable and the shape to be even without cracks on the surface or colour
changes.

Functionality Aesthetics

Durability &
Heat Resistibility Sound Test Physical Aspects
Sturdiness

The utensil will not When submerged in When tapped on its The object is very
withstand the heat, water for 24 hours, bottom, the utensil deformed and does not
will come apart, and the utensil absorbs produces a dull thud look aesthetically pleasing
will disintegrate at too much water and with no resonance, at all with many cracks and
75oC or less for 4 the weight of the or it will make a is fully coming apart. It is
hours when bisque utensil will increase “shack” sound not identifiable at all.
1-2
firing and change more than 40%, and instead of a “ring”
colour when put on the top layer of the sound. The sound
fire before fully clay easily chips off will not last for
disintegrating. when scratched more than 0.5
gently with seconds.
sandpaper.

The utensil will have When submerged in The utensil will The utensil will be
a lot of major cracks water for 24 hours, make a somewhat identifiable with the shape
that will not be the utensil will clear thud with a not being too deformed
reliable for absorb most of the low hollow sound and some cracks but it will
continuous cooking water, but not too but it will still lack still not be fully
3-4
under heat for much increasing the resonance. The aesthetically pleasing due
multiple uses and will weight of the utensil sound will not last to the uneven surface and
have a colour change. by more than 20%. for more than 1 the mishaps in the shape.
The utensil will be It will just have second
able to withstand some cracks. A little
 150oC for 4 hours bit of the top layer
when bisque firing. of the clay will chip
off, not easily, when
scratched gently
with sandpaper.

The utensil will be The utensil will The utensil will The utensil will be
able to withstand the absorb some water make a good clear identifiable, with its shape
heat and will just when submerged in ring which will not deformed at all, with
have some minor water for 24 hours, sound somewhat very few cracks, and
cracks and no colour the weight of the crisp and will have somewhat aesthetically
change when put on utensil will increase resonance. The pleasing.
5-6 fire. more than 10% and sound lasts for less
it will have very few than 2 seconds and
cracks and the top more than 1.
layer will not be
chipped off when
scratched gently
with sandpaper.

The utensil will Utensil absorbs only The utensil will The utensil will have the
withstand the heat a little water when make a perfectly perfect shape, no
without any problem, submerged in water clear and crip ring deformity, and no cracks
with no cracks and for 24 hours, and will have and will be aesthetically
colour changes when increasing weight by excellent resonance. pleasing.
put on fire. not more than 10% The sound will last
7-8
and it will have 1 or for more than 2
2 small cracks. The seconds. (including
top layer won’t chip the echo)
off easily when
scratched gently
with sandpaper.

iii. presents a detailed plan for achieving the product and

all of its associated success criteria.
Action Plan/Timeline
Making a plan for my initiatives towards the product helps me
organise my tasks concerning priority, due dates and the type of
task in a certain amount of time. 2 action plans helped organize
my plans. One is a short-term action plan which shows
week-wise tasks that are due that week. The long-term action
plan helps me organise my tasks month-wise. This action plan
helped me organise the tasks crucial for my personal project
and week-wise and not get too stressed with the myriad amount
of tasks I have to get occasional free time to. On the right is my
long-term action plan.

Short Term Action

August (4 Weeks)
Week What To Do Delayed? Done Done Reason For
On Before Not Being
Time? Time? Done On
 Time (Before
or After)
(Doesn’t
apply to
being done
on time)

Week 1 (1st-10th) Think Of Ideas ✓

Explain a clear and

focused personal interest
learning goal and possible
end products.

Week 2 (10th-17th) Get an idea approved ✓

Start doing background

research on that idea.

Make a well-defined
learning goal for that idea.

Week 3 (17th-24th) Make success criteria ✓

Week 4 (24th-31st) Use the background ✓

research and do some
more in-depth research
about pottery.

September (4 Weeks)
Week What To Do Delayed? Done Done Reason For
On Before Not Being
Time? Time? Done On Time
(Before or
After)
(Doesn’t apply
to being done
on time)

Week 1 Research about each end product ✓

(1st-7th) that I am making in detail
(making the dish for cooking
curries)

Week 2 Introduction To Wheel-Thrown ✓ Due to rain, my

(7th-14th) Pottery teacher was not
Learn a few basics of throwing, doing pottery
that week
like how the wheel works where
because pottery
needs sunny
 to throw the lump of clay and weather.
how to make the product's base.

Week 3 Learn to make the dish for ✓

(14th-21st) cooking curries

Week 4 Learn to make a pot for drinking ✓ Due to the rains

(21st-30th) water the whole
week, I did the
introduction,
basics, AND
the learning to
make the dish
for cooking
curries. Before
time, I stayed
overtime
because I didn’t
want to take
any chances to
delay the whole
project and the
timeline.

October (5 Weeks)
Week What To Do Delayed Done Done Reason For Not
? On Before Being Done On
Time Time? Time (Before or
? After) (Doesn’t
apply to being done
on time)

Week 1 Make the clay dish for cooking ✓

(1st-5th) curries

Week 2 Do bisque firing to the product and ✓ This happened

(5th-12th) make it stronger (if the product because of the
meets the standards) (this is for its environmental
conditions because
functionality and
bisque firing cannot
durability/sturdiness as shown in be done in the rain as
the success criteria. (this helps me it is an outdoor
do the testing for heat resistance) baking process and
getting a setup for
bisque firing myself
was too difficult so I
was using my
mentor’s set for
bisque firing and
usually potters do
bisque firing for 100
products at the same
 time so if I missed
one opportunity, it
would take a lot of
time for the next one.

Week 4 Evaluate the final products and get ✓ This happened due to
(19th-26th) some feedback. (This process the delay in bisque
includes the testing for the product firing
aesthetics, the water test and the
sound test)

Week 5 Submit the final products ✓ I was able to

(26th-31st) evaluate the products
quickly and on time
even though it was
delayed.

November to December
Week What To Do Delayed? Done Done Reason For Not
On Before Being Done On
Time? Time? Time (Before or
After) (Doesn’t
apply to being done
on time)

Week 1 (1st-9th) Finish The Report ✓

Week 2 (9th-16th) Finish The Report ✓

Week 3 Make the final few ✓ There were a lot of

(16th-23rd) changes and finalise holes in my report
the report and a lot of edits to
make in the report
because, once I
started analysing, I
started realising
things like
“measurable”
success criteria.

Week 4 Submit the report ✓ I did not have

(23rd-30th) enough time to make
the edits in time,
hence delaying the
submission

Criterion B: Applying Skills

i. explains how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their learning goal, supported with
detailed examples or evidence
Self-management: Organisation
I have made a timeline combining both the short-term action plan and the long-term action plan so that the
timeline would be flexible for any delays or adjustments as they are set out in a week-wise manner,
contributing towards my product, mental health, learning goal, and academic performance. This timeline has
also helped me become responsible because whenever a task gets delayed, the person who is affected is me,
and the rationale aspect of the timeline encourages me to take responsibility for my actions. I have also
created a checklist listing all my goals for the tasks that my personal project requires.

Making a timeline to organise the tasks that I need to complete for my personal project has helped me avoid
feeling overwhelmed by the numerous tasks necessary to achieve my learning goal as an end product. This
timeline has also enabled me to prioritise tasks and allocate time for my other portfolio subjects, such as
design. Furthermore, the checklist has assisted me in visualising what I need to accomplish and clarifying
and organising my goals. My checklist includes elements required for my learning goal, contributing towards
it by systematically organising the necessary tasks. My learning goal was to learn the necessary skills needed
for making a water pot and a curry dish and being able to make them on my own, so my action plan, timeline
and checklist helped me visualise the tasks I needed to do to achieve my learning goal. For example, my
checklist mentions the brief stages of making my product so that I can organise those tasks into a timeline to
follow so that I will not keep procrastinating (some stages are “Start focusing on how to make…” and “Do
bisque firing”, giving evidence) and mostly, the same stages are in the action plan but with dates and weeks
in which I am meant to do each task that helps me learn the skills needed for my products.

​ Make the success criteria.

​ Find the course for going.
​ Start the online course
​ Go there and get the introduction
​ Learn the basics and how to make the base
​ Start focusing on how to make the dish for cooking curries in detail (what should the shape look like,
what should I do to make it stronger)
​ Make the product
​ Do bisque firing to the product
​ Compare it to a professionally made clay dish for cooking curries and see if it matches or if it needs
any improvements or remaking.
​ (if necessary) If the dish for cooking curries needs remaking, remake it in the buffer time that I have
allotted for myself if not start with the next stage
​ Evaluate the final products according to the success criteria
​ Submit the final products to the teacher
​ Finally, finish the report, make any final changes and have it ready for submission.

New Date
Expected (only if not
Month Task Rationale
Date done on
time)

Week 1 Think Of Ideas

(1st-10th)
Explain a clear and focused personal
August interest learning goal and possible end
products.
 Week 2 Get an idea approved 19th August I struggled to finalise
(10th-17th) my idea as my ideas
were too simple and I
had to brainstorm and
look for more ideas.

Start doing background research on 19th August Due to the finalisation

that idea. of my idea getting
delayed, my research
also got delayed.

Make a well-defined learning goal for

that idea.

Week 3 Make success criteria

(17th-24th)

Week 4 Use the background research and do

(24th-31st) some more in-depth research about
pottery.

Week 1 Research about each end product that I

(1st-7th) am making in detail (making the dish
for cooking curries)

Week 2 Introduction To Wheel-Thrown Pottery 20th Due to rain, my

(7th-14th) Learn a few basics of throwing, like teacher was not doing
how the wheel works where to throw pottery that week
because pottery needs
the lump of clay and how to make the
sunny weather.
product's base.
Septem
Week 3 Learn to make the dish for cooking 20th Due to the rains the
ber
(14th-21st) curries whole week, I did the
introduction, basics,
AND the learning to
make the dish for
cooking curries.
Week 4 Learn to make a pot for drinking water 20th Before time, I stayed
(21st-30th) overtime because I
didn’t want to take
any chances to delay
the whole project and
the timeline.

Week 1 Make the clay dish for cooking curries

(1st-5th)

Week 2 Do bisque firing to the product and 20th This happened

(5th-12th) make it stronger (if the product meets because of the
October the standards) (this is for its environmental
conditions because
functionality and durability/sturdiness
bisque firing cannot
as shown in the success criteria. be done in the rain as
it is an outdoor baking
process and getting a
 setup for bisque firing
myself was too
difficult so I was
using my mentor’s set
for bisque firing and
usually potters do
bisque firing for 100
products at the same
time so if I missed
one opportunity, it
would take a lot of
time for the next one.

Week 3 Evaluate the final products and get January 5th This happened due to
(12th-26th) some feedback. (This process includes the delay in bisque
the testing for the product aesthetics, firing.
the water test and the sound test)

Week 5 Submit the final products January 7th This happened

(26th-31st) because of the other
delays.

Research Skills: Information Literacy

I interviewed 2 professionals in the pottery field who were also my mentors for doing pottery and gave me
critical information about material and techniques. Mr Vekateshwara Rao has helped me comprehend the
ideal material required for pottery and the preparation process and laying the foundation for further shaping.
Mr Veerabadhar Rao has helped me by teaching me the foundation and the techniques that are required to
make my products.

The interviews helped me understand that the ideal type of clay and the most commonly used type of clay is
Red Clay, and there is a preparation process involved that makes it proper for pottery. The interviews also
helped me grasp the techniques, steps, and methods to follow to achieve the final products that I need.
Certain techniques, such as pulling up the clay with our fingers and spreading the clay into a bowl-like
structure, provided me with a brief understanding before engaging in hands-on pottery. Another technique I
learnt from them was that whenever we shape the edges and refine the shape on the wheel, we should always
keep our middle finger in the pot and our index finger on the edge to ensure the edge is right and even. This
was a fine detail that was crucial to achieving my product goal. The bisque firing should be done at 600°C
for 4 hours to achieve the ideal consistency of the pot, and before bisque firing, the product should be
exposed to sunlight for 5 days, and then 5 days without sunlight.

Mr Venkateshwara Rao:
1.​ Question: What clay is the ideal clay for doing pottery?
Answer: The most commonly used clay is Red Clay, which is ideal because of its properties like
plasticity (changing shape without cracking) or porosity (having small spaces between the material
that allow air to pass through).
2.​ Question: How to prepare that clay for pottery?
Answer: We get the clay from Atmakuru River, we dry the clay under the sun first then we soak it
and mix it with ash and sand and use it little by little whenever.
3.​ Question: What tools are used for fine-refining the pot?
Answer: We use a soaked cloth to get the shine on the pot (glossiness) and a metal sheet to make the
edges even.
 4.​ Question: How do you lay the foundation for each pot and how do you start with the shape?
Answer: First, we spread the clay on the wheel so the product does not stick to it. After that, with
our fingers in the middle, we start widening the clay in the middle to make a bowl-like structure,
which we then pull up, making the foundation for pottery. Then, we progress from there to make the
shapes we want.

Mr Veerabadhar Rao:
1.​ Question: After doing the foundation, how do I get the shape of a dish?
Answer: After laying the foundation, you should start by widening the top of the foundation to start
with the base of the dish as the dish’s base is always wide. Then you should start with that structure
and thin it by pulling the structure up forming a wider cylindrical shape and while pulling it up, by
pushing it together and widening it, we will get the needed shape. In this case, the dish should be
round-wide on the bottom and at an angle which then gets the cylinder back closer towards the rim.
Now to even it out, you should keep your middle finger on the inner surface of the dish whereas your
index finger would be on the outer surface, making an even surface on the dish and filling up any
cracks present. Then to refine the surface to make it more even and also even out the bottom part of
the dish which your fingers cannot reach keep your hand and keep your palm towards the bottom
inner surface of the dish and keep a thin metal sheet parallel to that on the outer surface and as the
wheel spins add very slight pressure as nimbly as possible to even out the surface without thinning
out the dish more. Then you should take a thin metal wire/string to cut the separate the dish from the
foundation cylinder to dry it. Do not dry it entirely as we will have to use it again to finish the
bottom of the dish. Now that the first part of our dish is completed, we can start with the second part.
After the dish is partially dry, keep the dish upside down on a different foundation. To make this
foundation, there should be an even layer of dried clay on the wheel about 3/4th an inch thick. Once
the dish is placed, start pulling the wide base together and up little by little by making sure not to
thin the surface even more. Once the base comes together (not fully) keep a finger in the centre of
the hole and start pulling the surface together to surround the finger using the other hand. Once your
finger is closely surrounded by the clay remove your finger and gently push the un-closed clay with
2 fingers to close it fully. Now make the surface flat by gently applying pressure on the close base.
Once it is finished, we should dry the dish in the sun for 5 days and then in the shade for 5 days and
then we should start bisque firing the product. Making the whole setup yourselves is difficult and
impractical so I will give you the setup and wherever I am bisque firing my other products you also
come with your product. We usually bisque fire around 100 products at the same time so doing it
separately will not work. Bisque firing is done at 600oC for 4 hours.
2.​ Question: Now how do I make the pot?
Answer: It is all almost the same process as the dish but only the amount of clay needed and the
cross-section of the pot is what changes. Here we will need more clay and the the first bottom part
should be wide and it should keep getting wider until around 3/4ths of the pot and then it should get
thinner and then comes the rim. The rim should be wider than one of the pots but not too wide so it
can’t fall apart before drying. The process after that is the same but one more thing that will change
is that the flat part on the bottom of the pot is comparably larger than the one on the dish.

Thinking Skills: Creative Thinking

Making these sketches helped me understand the shape of earthenware vessels before
any hands-on experiments that were being done. Making these sketches also helped
me visualise and have a brief idea of what types of techniques I need to use to
achieve my product. Techniques were explicitly mentioned as a part of my learning
goal. My learning goal was to learn the necessary skills needed for making a water
pot and a curry dish and being able to make them on my own, so making rough
sketches of them helped me understand the major parts of creating them like the rim
and the curve of the shape. Understanding these major elements is crucial
for me to achieve my learning goal because, without learning how to make
the rims, or how much curve there should be, I would not have been able to
understand the techniques fully. While doing this, thinking a lot about the
elements helped me get an image in my head and when finally making the
product, I used that image in my head to find the exact curvature and the rim
length.

ii. explains how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product, supported with
detailed examples or evidence.

Self-Management Skills: Organisation

This approach has allowed me to focus my learning on specific days, ensuring that I would still have time to
make final adjustments or redo the product if necessary, as well as attend to any fine detailing. If I hadn’t
organised my time and my calendar, I would have struggled to produce my product correctly.
I have made a timeline combining both the short-term action plan and the long-term action plan so that the
timeline would be flexible for any delays or adjustments, as they are set out in a week-wise manner,
contributing towards my product, mental health, and academic performance. I used this to give myself a
timeline to finish my product and my learning promptly, ensuring my learning is a process rather than
something completed overnight, which prevents me from feeling stressed right before exams and adversely
affects my other academic performance. This skill has aided me in enhancing my academic performance. For
example, without this timeline, it would have been difficult to allocate time for studying and for my projects
and PCUP portfolio. So making a timeline helped me organise the specific tasks that are crucial for achieving
my final goal such as “bisque firing” and “making the products”. Creating these tasks and adding them in my
timeline helped me not procrastinate my tasks, and not keep thinking “Ah! I will go tomorrow I am lazy
today” and finally stress about making my products in the end and doing everything in an unprofessional
manner, affecting my product’s performance and its grade according to my success criteria like for example,
if the bisque firing was not done with a proper amount of time exposed to heat, that would mean that the
product will disintegrate when submerged in water and that will overall affect the quality of my product to go
down, so, in conclusion, this organisation helped me organise my tasks so that the quality of my product can
be at a professional level.

Research Skills: Information Literacy

The research was important for me to understand the materials and techniques that were needed for pottery,
providing me a foundation for making my final product too.

This research helped me with my product. Without these people as my mentors, I would have struggled with
making my product. An example is when Mr Veerabadhar provided me with the required equipment for
bisque firing and both of them helped me with the wheel as buying a brand new wheel might be very
expensive and not financially ideal. Mentors guided me to understand the shape, material and techniques
which contributed towards my product too because whenever something went wrong like if I was applying
too much pressure onto the surface of the vessel while making it, my mentors helped me understand what
was going wrong and told me to decrease the pressure there and other things like that which helped me
maintain my products’ high quality.
Thinking Skills: Creative-thinking
I have used this skill to make some sketches of my final products so that I can get a brief perspective of what
I am making as my product and for some prior goals and specifications for my product.

This skill helped me shape my product in a focused and planned manner instead of randomly and unevenly
so that it would be considered professional.

This skill helped me shape my product in a focused and planned manner instead of randomly and unevenly
so that it would be considered professional. Doing rough sketches for identifying and finalising the shape of
my product helped me understand the requirements of physical aspects of the vessels like the shape, form or
rimming of the vessel. For example, the vessels that I have made have rimmings that match the shape shown
in these sketches.

While making this pot on the potter’s wheel, the cross-sectional lines shown in the sketch helped me interpret
the sides of the pot that are flat and the sides that should be curved. The sketches of the rim helped me create
the length of the rims. Rims in pottery are very important aesthetically for any vessel, making it a major
aspect that is needed for my sketch, providing me with the aesthetically ideal rim size, space and position in
the vessel. (the shading was something I did extra, it does not explicitly serve any purpose.)

Criterion C: Reflecting
i. explains the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
Project’s Impact On Me
This project was focused on creating earthenware vessels, specifically a pot for drinking water and a dish for
cooking. This experience was highly rewarding to me and it was also considerably challenging. Other than
making a pot for drinking water and a curry dish, this experience was a journey where I discovered new
skills and learnt more about myself. I learnt many skills and I also started appreciating traditional and
sustainable practices. My personal project helped me connect childhood interests with my academics and
hopefully help me achieve a good level of success. This project not only taught me new pottery skills but this
project also helped me learn the importance of patience, resilience and satisfaction in overcoming challenges.

My personal project helped me beyond only pottery. I learnt many skills like time management and
organisation because balancing my tasks for personal project and my other academic tasks like preparing for
formative assessments, summative assessments, half-yearly examinations and simultaneously doing portfolio
tasks was no easy task for me, so learning these time management and organisation skills by making
timelines and checklists in my personal project helped me improve my academic performance too. Another
valuable takeaway was my research skills, specifically primary research, while interviewing the
professionals I learnt to talk confidently to people I do not know much and other than that, I realised how
beneficial primary research can be. Before, I used to think that doing only secondary research by searching
resources was simpler and would give much more information but I didn’t realise the accuracy and reliability
of information that results from primary research. My entire project and school time also helped me realise
the significance of mentorship and made me appreciate it. Organisation, time management and my research
skills are sure to support me in the future for an enhancement in my academic performance and my other
personal objectives too.

My personal project also had a significant impact on my community as showing my personal project to our
neighbours we were able to convince them to at least start using one earthenware vessel at their home as clay
products offer healthier water, naturally cool and also healthier and better cooking. Earthenware vessels are
also environmentally friendly as clay is bio-degradable unlike plastic and using clay products instead of
using mass-produced and non-biodegradable materials will be considered a traditional and sustainable
practice. I want to take small but effective steps towards addressing global warming by first starting with
using earthenware products regularly in our households contributing even a little bit towards decreasing our
carbon footprint on the long shot. Practising this widely can lead to a more sustainable and healthy future for
all of us.
ii. evaluates the product based on the success criteria, fully supported with specific evidence or
detailed examples.
Product Evaluation
Evaluating my product is critical for me especially if I am considering doing an iterative process where if my
product isn’t right I cannot modify it but I should start the making process all over. Even if I am not
considering an iterative process, getting this feedback is essential as it helps me reflect on my skill
development over the months. I want to know if the skills I learnt till now are adequate for me to create
products myself with comparably minimal assistance. I took a survey of around 30 people. I interviewed Mr
Veerabadhar and Mr Venkateswara, professionals in pottery, about the evaluation of my product compared to
a professionally made product. I categorised both of them according to my success criteria to conclude.

Success lvl Justification Reflection What could have been done

Criteria better?

Heat 7 My dish and pot both were I think that if the dish I feel like making the surface
Resistability able to resist the bisque was able to sustain more even would have made
firing process where the that much heat for the products a little more heat
products are exposed to heat that much time it resistant making the products
of 600oC for around 4 would be preferable get an 8 instead of a 7. I can
hours, making them both for cooking in almost do this by getting more
reliable for resisting heat. any case. experience and start paying
But there are still chances attention to the thickness of
that the dish will not be able the pot even when pulling the
to resist the heat in pot up instead of only paying
situations like baking where attention to the thickness once
the dish is exposed to heat the structure is done and when
for much longer periods. I am making the edges even.
Only the pot had 2 minor This would have helped with
cracks. heat distribution and made my
products more heat resistant.

Durability & 6 The products are fully I feel like the effect The thicker parts of the
Sturdiness sturdy with the bases being of this inaccuracy in products are the ones that
flat so they can stand the product will be absorb moisture, so making
without any resistance and more seen in the the thickness of the products
they do not collapse easily water pot because the equal at all parts will make the
when a lot of pressure is water pot will product durable enough to not
kept on the products, contain water for absorb much water when
making them sturdy and long periods, submerged in water for long
durable which means that sometimes making periods.
they are not brittle but they the water taste like
still absorb moisture, clay a little bit.
making their surface a little
soft, so it means that the
products are not perfect and
are still somewhat flawed
but not too much. The
dish’s surface is not meant
to be flat but in its resting
position on flat ground it
 can stand but wobbles side
by side when applied
pressure from the side. This
is because a dish is meant
for being sturdy on the
stove and it is fully sturdy
on the stove. The dish’s
original weight was 2.1 kg
and when it was submerged
in water for 24 hours, the
product’s weight increased
to 2.3 kg, meaning that the
dish’s weight increased by
more than 10% but less than
20% keeping in level 6
according to the success
criteria. The pot had a flat
base making it sturdy but
the base is not very wide, so
when putting a lot of
pressure on it, the pot will
topple but it is a minor
problem because any
professionally made product
also has a small base. The
pot’s weight was 3.1 in
initially and after it was
submerged in water for 24
hours, its weight was 3.2
kg, proving that the product
was well-made and keeping
it in the level band of 7
according to my success
criteria.

Sound Test 7 Even though the products I feel like there The products didn’t pass the
do make a ringing sound, would not be much sound test because the thicker
when compared to difference if the parts in the products were
professionally made products are not altering the vibrations in the
products, the products don’t making a good products, causing the products
make a sound as clear and enough sound as a to make a sound that sounds
perceptible as professionally made less like a “ring” when
professionally made product but when a compared to a professionally
products. So even though professional is made product which doesn't
the products are usable evaluating the have any changes in thickness
without making any product, they will in a pot, this can change if the
“shack” sounds, they are notice it and would thickness of the products is
still imperfect when point out that maintained throughout.
compared to professionally inaccuracy.
made products. When the
pot was tapped on, the pot
rang for 2.6 seconds and the
dish rang for 2.1 seconds
keeping them both in level
7 according to my success
criteria
 Physical 6 The physical aspects of the I think that the Most of the things that went
Aspects product are fine but there products are looking were when I was taking the
are some bumps on the good enough to be products up from the wheel to
surface of the product and identifiable and even dry them. Because of me not
there are also some visible perfect from a being nimble and gentle
cracks they do not affect the distance but when enough with my fingers while
functionality in the short someone is analysing taking the products up from
term they might make the the product in the the wheel, I damaged the
products last longer but closeup even me, the products a little bit and I
still, the products might be product seems like it caused some very minor dents
durable enough. There are has a few cracks, in the surface because of the
also 2 cracks on the pot. making it uneven thickness of the
considerably products, the products cracked
imperfect. a little bit in the thin parts
while bisque firing meaning
that if I work on making the
thickness of the products
while making them from the
beginning it would enhance
my products.

Overall, I would rate my product a 6 as even though it

scored a 7 in two aspects of the success criteria, they
were borderline 7s, which means that the product is not
perfect. When I am rating the products a 7, that means
that the products should be flawless but that is not the
case here, meaning that 6 is a reasonable evaluation for
my products. The thickness of the products throughout
was the only inaccuracy in my products. It was the
major reason that was altering the performance of my
products in the tests I took giving the products a 6
instead of a 7 or 8. The solution is to pay attention to the thickness of the products while laying the
foundation for the products while pulling the products’ clay up to make the shape and refine the product too.
Also being gentle with the product while taking the product for the drying process after shaping the product
is also important because that determines any
dents or cracks in the product also making the
thickness of the products uneven. By taking all
of these precautions I can make my product at
least perfect if not perfect, even when compared
to a professionally made product. I learned
critical things like being gentle with my fingers
and maintaining thickness.