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Make 2019 Your Best Pottery Year (free course)

Transcript: Form vs. Function

Happy New Year! Welcome to episode 20, the first episode of 2019! In this episode we will hear some great thoughts about form and function. But first, a couple updates. It took me a little longer than I had intended to get the first episode of the year finished. I have been working hard on some of my other goals that I’ve set for 2019. In fact, as I went through the process of setting some new goals this year I created a free course on Expert Clay to help you set, plan for, and achieve your own goals. The course was created to cover the first four weeks of 2019 to get your year off to a great start. But don’t worry if you missed it, all the course material is available and you can still work through it at your own pace. It will help you decide what you really want, how to set SMART goals, and then create a plan to accomplish your goals. If you are struggling to get things accomplished or make the growth that you really want, this course may be for you. Just go to expertclay.com and you’ll see some information about the course right at the top of the page.

Some more good news: At the end of 2018 we had a giveaway. Robin won the free tshirt from potteryshirts.com this time but we’ll have to do more giveaways in the future. Thanks to everyone who participated!

And thanks again to all of you who are listening to the podcast and spreading the word! Now, let’s hear some answers to the question: Is form or function more important in your work.

First, let’s start with the potters who start with form or feel that form is most important to them.

Form

williambakerpottery

Form is always first for me

artbygretamichelle

Form. I’m aware of function but focus on the form.

she_dreams_in_underglaze

Form is the most important element to me, but I would find it hard to justify (to myself) making something that did not also function. Would I sacrifice a small degree of functionality in order to create a form that is more pleasing to me? Yes, without doubt – but I could never make something totally disfunctional…. for some reason the idea appalls me…

sak_sakshi

Form is of more importance to me .. as creating the form u like gives u immense peace !

zeldalune

Form

There were also some that feel function is more important to them.

Function

Zained shahid

Function

pathwaypottery

I lean toward function. I like things to be useful but I am trying to explore more with form. Getting out of my comfort zone A bit!

lucyfagella

For me.. Ideas about form flow from the way a pot functions.

wildfirepotterypenn

Function comes first. However, if the form is not pleasing to the eyes, hands, & whatever else it encounters, then function is useless… ??????

ladytokioblue

For me function is more important because I only have basic knowledge of form. So in trying to make things that can be used I don’t think of form… Usually because I suck as designs. ??

harrychoepotter

For me it must be functional with a dash of design. Enough to make it look fab!!!! But overall I think function out wieghs form. Making somethimg useful and being a useful person is key to my life.

Some claim that form and function are of equal importance don’t feel strongly enough about one or the other to choose just one.

Both

earthartam

Equal. Sculpture is my first love, but I find people want something they can hold in their hand, use in their daily lives. So I do my best to combine the two.

leslie_mbizz

It was never form vs function, it’s “form follows function”. If the form does not allow for the function intended, then it does not function and is only form. As artists we look for new forms to function in the ways unexpected

olisny

In graphic design we have hammered into us that for function cannot exist without proper form. If your form sucks, you will ruin the function.

claybylaura

For me form and function hold equ

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