History of the teapot

History Teapots in China The teapot is believed to originate in China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271- 1368), and was most likely based on ceramic kettles. Before the invention of the teapot, the Chinese steeped their tea leaves in cauldrons. The earliest teapots were very small, and were only meant for small servings, so that the tea flavor could be more concentrated.

History Teapots in Europe Tea began as a treat for the rich, and porcelain teapots were extremely popular and expensive because porcelain was unavailable in Europe at the time. Because of high demand for teapots in Europe, potters began to make their own from other materials, and were inspired by the Chinese design.

Design The design of teapots began as simply painted ceramics in their earliest form, and evolved visually when they were made of white porcelain with blue detailing. Through the years, the way teapots look have changed greatly, and range from plain and functional to ornate and decorative.

Your Teapot Project

Project For this project, you will be creating a teapot out of two clay pinch-pots. Your teapot must include a handle and a spout. Your teapots can be simple and an ordinary shape, but must contain patterns or representational carving. Or you can create a teapot with a shape that represents an object, an animal, etc. and use creative ways to represent the spout and handle.

Patterns and Carving Option 1 These teapots will be ornate, which means it’s made in a plain shape with decorative with complex patterns

Patterns A pattern is the repetition of a design element, exact or varied, which establishes a visual beat.

Representational Option 2 A representational teapot depicts objects, figures, etc. directly as they are seen.

Form Form is an element of art that is a three- dimensional and encloses volume; includes height, width, AND depth The form of your teapot will be made with two pinch-pots The form of the body of your teapot is important.