Like these bottles for example.
Little tests in throwing coloured clay and inlay. They weren't particularly successful... over fired for one and elements of cracking in the inlaid slip... but there was something in them that persuaded me to leave them visible on a studio shelf. They've have been there for months, maybe years, and my eyes often come to rest on them when I am pondering something else entirely.
I have some other tests stuck to the window sill.
Colouring clay.
It's been something I have been meaning to return to for ages. Actually, now that I have looked into it, I see it was Oct 2009 when I mentioned it last on this blog. God, that's frightening. No matter... some things take time to simmer and my small reminders have finally paid their dues.
I have been having a whole lot of fun mixing stains and clay. I half fill a doubled bag with dry turnings of Southern Ice porcelain and smash it with a rolling pin just like my Mum did with Marie biscuits for her hedgehog recipe. Then I mix measured amounts of clay, stain and water with my trusty (so far) blender.
Once the coloured slip has dried a little on a plaster batt I wedge away and... voila... coloured clay. I imagine the longer the whole process takes the better, allowing the clay to settle and mature at different stages. My impatience to get throwing has been only slightly tempered by the usual time-in-the-studio limitations (ie. eating, sleeping, socialising and.. oh yeah.. raising a child) but I haven't experienced any problems to date as a result of doing things fairly quickly.
And my... it is so much fun the throw with colour...
I shall most certainly return to this topic as things start to emerge from the kiln... oh and I think I have the inlay issues resolved too so more on that soon.
2 comments:
Great post, very engaging.
So exciting! Can't wait to see more pots. Isn't it nerve-wracking trying new things in the studio? I can hardly ever get out of my old, familiar rut. I have to think about it for months (years!) too.
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