Pricing:
*All glazes purchased on Potclays Website*
Notes on initial calculations:
For the glaze I realised that I use multiple coats of different glazes: I use 3 coats of blue rutile and 2 coats of Ancient Jasper however they both cost the same so I can say 5 coats overall - this means that I would ned to times whatever the final figure is by 5.
With the glaze calculation also noticed a mistake as for the amount of glaze per cup in ml, I calculated it for 500g of clay and not a 7.2 x 7.2cm cylindrical cup (rough estimate) The initial figure was that it would take 41.55ml of glaze to cover the cups however that looked way too high so I have decided to do the calculations again.
Working out rough size of cups:
8cm x 8cm cups when thrown - Average shrinkage is between 10-20%
8 x 0.10 = 0.8 ---> 8 - 0.8 = Cup that is 7.2cm x 7.2cm once fired
25 (ml) x 5 (coats) => 125ml
Cost per ml: £0.0305 x 125 = £3.81 of glaze per cup (for both glazes)
Per set: £15.24
Per Batch: 60.96
Externally Sourced Clay:
12.5kg is the amount roughly that I am working with at uni so I will price the others for 12.5 kg for the sake of comparison - either was I would be buying in bulk so its really about how much it costs to make the actual pots themselves.
Scarva Earthstone Stoneware, 12.5kg Scarva Earthstone ES5 Original White Stoneware Clay | Scarva.com
£21.70
Amazon Gedeo, White 10kg Gedeo 1-Piece 10 kg Kiln Fired Clay, White : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen
£22.00 for 10kg --> 2.20 per kg --> 2.20/2 = £1.10 (0.5)
22 + 4.40 + 1.10 = £27.5
Commercial Light buff Stoneware , 10kg https://potterycrafts.co.uk/products/commercial-light-buff-stoneware-clay
£6.80 for 10kg --> 0.68 per kg --> 0.68/2 = £0.34 (0.5)
6.80 + 1.36 + 0.34 = £8.48
I think that finding these different clay suppliers has been really helpful as it has allowed me to understand different ends of the pricing market. For me, Scarva would be the ideal supplier as I know that they are reliable in not just their business but the quality of their clay bodies. Scarva is also good because they offer a firm pricing on buying in bulk which would be very helpful when completing pricing and general finances after uni. The amazon one for me isn't worth the price as it is on the more expensive side as well as the fact that I don't think it is from a very well know supplier. I looked at the reviews and they were mostly positive however there were only a few reviews about throwing and even then, most of them were beginners so maybe not representative. The final clay from Pottery Crafts actually surprised me at how cheap it was and in future I think that this would definitely be worth a go at trying and seeing how I work with it. I think this would be a good option also because after uni it could be tough to afford the expensive clays as I have many other new expenses such as rent, council tax, bills etc.
Firing Costs:
In theory, you could fit about 42 7.2 x 7.2cm cups into a 0.6 cubic foot kiln if everything were packed perfectly with no space wasted. But realistically — allowing for shelves, airflow, and spacing — you’d probably fit around 8 to 15 cups, depending on: Whether you're firing them upright or on their sides, How many shelves you have and their spacing, If they're glazed (you'll need more room)
This is perfect for a firing batch as I am working towards creating making batches of about 16. I have chosen this number because it is easily divisible by 4 which is the size of the commercial set that I will be selling my pieces as. Due to the fact that these cups are quite small, I think that 16 is good because it means that I can achieve more of a continuous production chain, and therefore meet the potential demand of the market.
Clay Studio is a ceramics studio based in Manchester who allow people to use and rent their community ceramics workshop. This studio offers full access to the workshop for £83 per month as a membership, which is quite good from doing research into the market currently! In this, there are not firing costs included so you would need to pay extra for certain firings. in this ceramics studio, the bisque firings cost 60p per litre and for glaze firings it costs 90p per litre. This studio would be ideal for me as I would have full access to all of the resources whilst also being able to have job elsewhere that secures a steady income.
Calculations:
15 - 18 cups (5-6 litres) costs ---> BISK = £3 - £3.6 / GLAZE = £4.50 - £5.40
18 cups total (bisk and glaze):
= £9 per batch
= £2.25 per set
= £0.56 per cup
Time and Labour Costs:
For this area of the pricing, I have chosen to do the pricing based off of two hourly rates. The first figure is from Artists Union England and it is a base hourly rate for a new graduate artist. I believe that this figure is the most reliable and accurate as its very specific for my future circumstances. I wanted to also have a comparison rate so I am going also calculate based off figure from Payscale as it has provided the average hourly rate for self employed individuals in the UK. Although this isn't very representative due to the fact that artists have a lot more business based outgoings, I wanted to add it as a from of comparison as a base rate.
Calculations:
Summary of Costs:
Per Cup: £18.05
Per Batch: £297.88
Per Set (4): £72.22
Studio Rent / Employment
Overall Totals:
Per Cup ==> £23.29
Per Set ==> £93.16
Per Batch ==> £372.64
Wholesale Cost = £23.29 x 2 = £46.58
Gallery Cost = £46.58 x 2 = £93.16
Collaborations
Hermuse - Journalism Project by Emily Norton
I took part in this project because I really resonated with the purpose of this magazine and what it was intending to hilight. I also took part in this as we arranged that I would be able to have some of the professional photos she took which would be amazing for my social media and websites. See below for outcome of piece and images with a brief overview of the project:
TAP Collaboration:
The sixth and final instalment with TAP is executed in a slightly different manner than usual, while still maintaining its core focus as a multidisciplinary exhibition that celebrates the work of a community of creative students at MMU. For this event, the concept is ticket-based—attendees purchase a ticket which includes a pizza and one of my handmade plates. This initiative functions as a not-for-profit charity event, aiming to foster community and support rather than commercial gain. I will receive funding from Collective to ensure that I am not financially at a loss throughout the process, allowing me to participate fully while still covering the costs of making the work
Beginning Process:
After completing some testing to explore what worked best, I’ve decided to move forward with using plaster for the plates. I quickly settled on the design shown below, as I felt the original larger plates with their full rims appeared too clunky. I wanted to refine the form and also incorporate an abstract design, since leaving a plate bare doesn’t align with my style. After a few trial runs, I landed on a decorative approach that felt much more in tune with my aesthetic. For the decoration, I have used combinations of white and red slip as I want there to be some variation. I have also chosen to put my thumbprint in the plates as I like that its giving connection to the maker as well as acting as a form of makers mark. With the final deadline set for the 30th of May, I’ve worked out that I need to make around 20 more plates, which feels very achievable within the remaining time.
See below for final design:
Naomi Halpin:
Naomi is a journalism student who is doing a project on TAP as a collective and since I exhibited at tap she chose me to be a part of her project. In the session she mainly took photos and a couple of videos. She said that I would be able to access the photos and add them to my portfolio and I saw this as a positive as it would provide me with professional photos. This would be helpful to add to my social media and websites to set up a good online presence for my time after university.
Context Video: Preparation
For this context video, I have been trying to think over the past few weeks what I want it to look like, what do I envision? As these are domestic items, the main thing I want to get forward in this video is them being used, no matter what the setting. My craft is so people orientated; my whole ethos relates to making objects of beauty that can be used, shared and conversated over. Longevity also plays a key role as creating an object as well made as possible means that it has the potential to last a lifetime. At the start of this project, I discussed my initial making being inspired by a BBQ that I went to with friends over summer. Seeing people laughing and sharing really inspired me and made me think, what happens if I can make something that facilitates this interaction? a vessel perhaps? Tracking back to my most initial inspirations means a lot for me and I think it will help me really encompass my project in a really lovely way!
For this video, I will be collaborating with my friend Peter Holt who is a 3rd year film student studying at MMU. For his project he also needs to complete something similar in relation to externalising his practice to collaborate with others.
Inspiration Board: (accessed on Pinterest)
Criteria For Video:
Sending my vision for the title:
I wanted to have quite an elegant and simplistic approach to my title as I feel like it would suit he video the best. Once I sent this to Peter, we discussed and he mentioned how the text may need to be bolder and a bit more vibrant as you wouldn't be able to see it at the start of the video. I was ok with this as I trusted his artistic input as he has a strong background in montages and promotional videos.
