Clay Bells + Electronics

1. Sketch out some ideas for your bell in your sketch book

2. Make a large drawing of your bell

1. Add color – you will be painting your bell with colored underglazes

3. Map out the separate parts of your bell

1. Consider:
2. head
3. chime pieces (legs?)
4. handle (arms?)

4.Including electronics

1. Consider:
2. effect desired
3. equipment to be used
4. attachment options

After instructor demonstration

1. students will roll out slabs (one for body and one for top
2. students will cut slab to correct dimensions
3. students will attach body slab together
4. student will mold the domed top using provided 3-D mold
5. student will attach top and bottom together and wrap the piece in plastic to limit drying

1. Think about the parts you will be adding to your bell
2. A head, arms, tail, etc
3. Remember the part that will be the “clanger” – possibly legs
4. Adding Head/Arms/Etc
5. You can form a solid head, as long as it’s not more han 1.5″ thick.
6. Too thick can be a blow-up risk in the kiln
7. A larger head is possible – but would need to be hollowed out
8. Remember to score and slip every piece onto your bell form
9. Interested in experimenting? We can try and add electronics 
10. SLIP AND SCORE
11. It is CRUCIAL when attaching two pieces of clay to scratch and slip: scratch up BOTH pieces of the clay to be attached and add some water or wet clay
12. You will really need to DIG UP the clay – no tiny little scratches please!
13. Adding electronics
14. Chose either a micro:bit to code or LEDs to include
15. Build the appropriate supports and create the needed holes for wires to run through or light to shine through.
16. Begin to plan the code you wish to display

1. Choose the colors and spots to glaze
2. Coding: Decide what program you will run on the microcontroller and build the code
3. Examples Dice, Random Image generator
4. Look through the book library (see references)

References:

E-Textiles in LIbraries: A Practical Guide for Librarians by Carli Spina, Helen Lane

Micro:Bit for Mad Scientists: 30 Clever Coding and Electronics Projects for Kids by Simon Monk

Soft Circuits: Crafting E-Fashion with DIY Electronics by Kylie Peppler, Melissa Gresalfi, Katie Salen Tekinbas, and Rafi Santo

Make: Fabric and Fiber Inventions: sew, knit, print, and electrify your own designs to wear, use and play with by Kathy Ceceri

The Invent to Learn guid to the micro:bit (Invent to Learn Guides) by Pauline Maas, Peter Heldens, Gary S. Stager

1. Assemble your bell using waxed thread

2. Assemble you electronics troubleshoot as needed