Glazed ceramic · 2024
Dinosaur with Ice Cream
A glazed ceramic rattle by Slava Romanenko, shaped as a friendly dinosaur with a sweet tooth. It holds a waffle cone with three scoops of ice cream, while its rounded body, long tail and ridge along the back create a clear, recognisable silhouette.
| Artist | Slava Romanenko |
| Year | 2024 |
| Materials | Clay, ceramic glaze |
| Dimensions | 11.6 × 6 × 12 cm height × width × depth |
A dinosaur, a dragon and three scoops of ice cream
About the Work
The class assignment was to make a rattle, and Slava chose to turn it into a character of his own. At the time, he had mixed up the dates and believed that 2025 would be the Year of the Dragon. That association first led him towards a small dragon, which gradually developed into a dinosaur.
The subject was already familiar to Slava: as a child, he enjoyed reading about dinosaurs. The imagined creature therefore brought together a passing idea about the Year of the Dragon and a long-standing interest in prehistoric animals.
Another simple idea shaped the character: the dinosaur has a sweet tooth. It holds a waffle cone with three scoops of ice cream in both front limbs. Slava chose ice cream because it is a treat children especially enjoy. This detail makes the figure playful and approachable rather than fierce.
The ice cream is not merely an accessory; it becomes the centre of the small scene. The dinosaur’s gaze, front limbs and tilted head all direct attention towards the cone, allowing its character to read clearly without further explanation.
The character’s story
A dinosaur with a sweet tooth
A mistaken date, an interest in dinosaurs and the familiar childhood pleasure of ice cream came together in one figure. The class assignment therefore developed into a character with its own small story and a distinctive personality.
Rounded body, long tail and ice cream held in front
Views
Photographs from several sides reveal the dinosaur’s compact three-dimensional form, the curve of its long tail, the ridge along its back and the position of the ice cream in front of the body. The front view shows the limbs and waffle cone; the side views clarify the profiles of the head and tail; and the rear view reveals the line of the back ridge.
Face, back ridge and waffle cone
Details
Close-up images reveal the dinosaur’s face, raised lines above its eyes, a small horn, the ridge along its back and round impressions on the body. A separate view shows the three scoops of ice cream, the waffle cone and the front limbs holding it. Irregular modelling marks and variations in the glaze preserve the sense of a hand-built ceramic work.
A rotating view of the ceramic rattle
Video Overview
In the video, Dinosaur with Ice Cream turns slowly, making it possible to see the rounded body, face, back ridge, long tail, ice cream and variations in the glazed surface from different angles. The sound of the rattle is not recorded in the video.
From a class assignment to an original character
Process
The assignment was to make a rattle, but Slava chose the character and developed the small story around it himself. The most difficult part was attaching the head securely to the body: while he was modelling the figure, it repeatedly came away.
01
Class Context
Making a Ceramic Rattle
Slava made the work in 2024 during ceramics and pottery classes at the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth, under the guidance of Yuliia Kopylova. The class assignment was to create a ceramic rattle.
02
Developing the Character
From the Year of the Dragon to a Dinosaur
Slava had mixed up the dates and believed that 2025 would be the Year of the Dragon. That mistake became the starting point for the idea. The image of a small dragon combined with his long-standing interest in dinosaurs and gradually developed into this imagined creature.
03
Personality
A Dinosaur with a Sweet Tooth
To give the character a distinct personality, Slava added a waffle cone with three scoops of ice cream. The dinosaur holds it with both front limbs, making the sweet detail an important part of the whole composition.
04
Construction Challenge
Keeping the Head Attached
During modelling, the dinosaur’s head repeatedly came away from the body. It had to be reattached and the joint strengthened until the form was stable enough for the work to continue.