How to Use Subtractive Layering to Make Surfaces with Great Depth
Angelique Tassistro’s intense layered surfaces came about through what we in the ceramics world call a happy accident. After spending hours creating a checkered pattern on a large platter, she dripped an unwanted blob of glaze smack dab in the middle. Halfway through cleaning off the platter, she saw a lovely line that was softer and less rigid, and she realized she was onto something. In today’s post, an excerpt from the September/October 2013 Pottery Making Illustrated, Angelique explains how she creates her signature surfaces.- Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
How to Use Auto Detailing Tape as a Great Resist on Bisqueware
There are lots of different ways to create resist decoration on pots – wax, latex, stencils. But not all of them are right for all situations. If you want to make a sharp line on bisqueware, auto detailing tape is your friend. It’s super sticky so it sticks well to dry bisque, and it makes a crisp sharp line. In today’s post, an excerpt from his DVD Hybrid Pottery: Throwing, Altering, and Assembling, Marty Fielding shows how he combines auto detailing tape resist with wax resist to make beautiful geometric decoration on his pots. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
How to Create Cool Surfaces with Wet Slip Inlay
Wet slip inlay is a great technique for getting fantastic organic patterning on pots. Basically it consists of layering contrasting colors of slip on a slab and jiggling the slab to distort the slip layers into interesting marbled designs. In today’s post, a sneak peek from the upcoming September 2013 issue of Ceramics Monthly, Robert Strasser shares his techniques and tips for working with wet slip inlay. For the rest of the article, keep your eye out for the September 2013 issue of CM!
How to Make Tessellations with Simple Bisque Stamps
Amy Meya was fascinated by tessellation — the repeated use of a single shape without gaps or overlapping — and wanted to figure out a way to incorporate tessellating patterns into her work. At first she tried to make a mosaic with tessellated tiles, but wasn’t happy with the results. So she came up with another method in which she created bisque stamps that would create tessellations. In today’s post, an excerpt from the May/June 2013 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, she explains how to use them to on slabs to make beautiful wall tiles. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
Pottery Video of the Week: Applying Ceramic Decals to Leatherhard Pottery to Combine Atmospheric Effects with Decal Imagery
Decals have been used on ceramic work for many years by independent potters and industry. But perhaps nobody has pushed the limits with them as much as Justin Rothshank. Justin has tried everything under the sun when it comes to using decals creatively on pottery. In today’s post, an excerpt from his new DVD Ceramic Decals: New Ideas and Techniques, Justin explains how he applies decals to leather-hard work so that he can combine atmospheric effects with decal imagery.
Decorating Low Fire Pottery with Slips, Underglazes, and Lusters
Although bright colors have become just as easy to achieve at cone six as they are at cone 06, Gail Kendall still prefers the low fire approach, inspired by the casual decretive style of peasantware from Europe and Great Britain. In today’s post, Gail explains her techniques for creating simple and beautiful slip-decorated surfaces. She also shares her slip and glaze recipe. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
How to Prepare Colored Slips for Slip Trailing, Plus Lots of Slip Trailing Tips!
Slip trailing is a lovely way to add dimensionality to your work. And it is super simple to prepare your slip from your own clay body. In today’s clip, an excerpt from her DVD Layered Surfaces, Erin Furimsky explains how to prepare slip for slip trailing, plus gives a bunch of tips on how to get the most out of your slip trailer.
An Easy Way to Transfer Imagery to Pottery
A few years back, Doug Gray was interested in incorporating his digital photography into his clay work. He tried decals, but it wasn’t the look he was after – he wanted the photos to help him create the images, but he didn’t want the images to look exactly like photographs. One day he had… Read More »
How to Make Delicate Translucent Platters with Porcelain Slip and Terra Sigillata
Think thin porcelain. Now think even thinner porcelain and you have the plates of Christina Bryer. These translucent plates are a slip-casting marvel but not nearly as impossible to make as you would think. In today’s post, an excerpt from the April 2013 issue of Ceramics Monthly, Christina walks us through the process of making her delicate platters. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
Cardboard Stencils and Colored Slips Add Imagery and Texture to Slabs
I love using stencils in my work. I’ve tried lots of different materials as stencils, but I had never thought to use cardboard. Karmien Bowman uses cardboard for stencils to create lively imagery as well as dimensionality on her slab built pottery. In today’s post, an excerpt from From a Slab of Clay, Daryl Baird explains Karmien’s process. Having dozens of clay tools is by no means a prerequisite for slab work. But, don’t be surprised as you work on your initial projects that you start looking at the utensils in your kitchen drawers or at the hand tools in your garage and find yourself thinking, “I wonder how those would work on clay?” If so, good for you!
