[teardrop]

Our class lecture was delayed/cut short today by a computer glitch at the school. Our instructor gave us a very brief rundown and rattled off who the artist was whose technique we would be studying and that it was a really cool type of form-building......then hurried off during the last minutes of class to run some copies of the material she had planned to discuss so we could read about the technique/project we will be learning about/working with in class next week.

When I got it home and took a good look...here's what was on the handout:

http://ceramicartsda...tarpaper-molds/

this should be very interesting!

[Marcia Selsor]

That would be me. Tar paper forms technique was taught to me by my former professor of 1967-70 at Archie Bray Foundation in about 2005.
Bill Daley is a well known handbuilder. I credited him with teaching this technique in the article I wrote for PMI.
The Tar Paper form technique avoids stress points on the form. I took four bisques forms to the Mary Anderson Center in 2008 and soda fired them with other work I made there.

Marcia

[teardrop]

I didn't realize it was you at first because my instructor botched your name when she first started to detail what we were going to be doing.

It kinda threw me for a loop because historically we haven't had such guidance/adherance and have basically had free reign. However, since I made the decision to seperate my "production" work (where my heart and all of my ideas are) from the class setting.... I have found that I am having a hard time focusing on what to make in class so maybe this approach will spark an idea. (It's a good thing there's no grading.... LOL)

either way...Small World.

have a good day

teardrop

[teardrop]

I think I've settled on making a set of flower planters....kinda like a "strawberry pot"/the kinda of vessel used to grow hens and chicks. What was holding me up on this project was that I have no desire to build a huge sculptural peice for the inside of my home. (yuk) Once I thought about "outside" rather than "inside" and figured out a function for the peice(s)....not only did the idea come forth but the dread of wasting 50 pounds of clay on something I don't need/want in my home vanished.

Did you try any other method to stick the forms together other than the hot glue gun, marcia? Gorilla or foil duct tape, maybe? Both will stick to most surfaces like mad but i've never tried either on tar paper. (not much of a fan of hot glue guns so lookin for an alternative)

Gonna try to snag some tarpaper today and possibly get started/make a few stabs at what i think I wanna do and see if any other adhesion methods are feasible.

[Marcia Selsor]

I have only used the hot glue. wear heavy leather gloves.
Send some pictures of the class's project. I'd love to see them. Also after you stuff the form with crumbled newspaper, make sure the paper is contained inside. I use a few tar paper straps across the top of the form. I have done smaller pieces, planter size...5 x 10 or so. It is not something I do regularly. If I am going to do this, I do 4 or 5 at a time.
Marcia

[Pres]

Marcia Selsor, on 28 January 2012 - 09:34 AM, said:

I have only used the hot glue. wear heavy leather gloves.
Send some pictures of the class's project. I'd love to see them. Also after you stuff the form with crumbled newspaper, make sure the paper is contained inside. I use a few tar paper straps across the top of the form. I have done smaller pieces, planter size...5 x 10 or so. It is not something I do regularly. If I am going to do this, I do 4 or 5 at a time.
Marcia

I did this back in the 90's with a class and used shredded paper to stuff the interior and lay the form on. I had a ready source of shredded paper, and it worked out pretty well-actually a little more solid than the crumpled paper.

[teardrop]

We got started yesterday on this project.

I was glad i made alternative plans with the Gorilla tape as the studio's hot glue gun was junk.

It appears the tape will work. I will know more as the days go by....but for my creation.... 2 large flower planters....i think it will work splendidly. FWIW, the planters are shaped like an old copper vessel...oblong.....about 12 inches tall. Gonna take a buncha clay..... definitely the largest creations I've made to date....
Should be fun tho.... I'll try to take some pics

thanks for the direction/for taking time to detail the process, marcia.

teardrop

[teardrop]

first...lemme say that I had a great time diving into this project once I got going.

second.....I have no idea if what I created will survive/make it to a finished stage.....but it was certainly a learning experience wrangling huge slabs of clay and using the tarpaper forms!

Notes: the Gorilla tape worked well in my design. I used a heat gun to slightly warm the tape and then pressed it against the tarpaper as it cooled off and it made a nice bond that held up for the 24 hours I left the form in place. However, it should be noted that my planters are more rigid/upright slabs so more intricate/upright forms using tape over a glue gun would still be an experiment for someone to try.

Because I could easily access the inside of my form...I decided to forego using the crumpled newspaper to fill the vessel and instead chose to cut cardboard forms to stiffen the form up. This too worked well.

Once I got the clay rolled out the vessel went together >fairly< well. I hope!!! After consruction, I allowed each one to set up for a few hours....then I removed the form and did a bit of work on the seams from the inside. I then put the form back in and allowed the vessel to sit overnight lightly covered in plastic.

I then added the lip around the rim and the trim around the base.....added on the handles....and did a bit of carving. By then the folks at the college were telling us we needed to wrap things up so i snapped these pics and put things to bed. I still need to smooth a few things out/touch a few things up....and then once they dry a bit on top I want to flip them over and put some ball feet on them.

My plan is to keep them lightly covered to slow down the drying process and hopefully minimize any cracking. There is about 35 pounds of clay in each planter and the walls are 5/8" thick.... so I expect it to take many weeks to completely dry. Rough measurements...12" tall....22" long.

gonna be an interesting and ongoing experiment! Drying....bisque...glazing....will all be challenging/learning experiences with peices this large!

I just hope they survive!

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[trina]

Looking good teardrop!

[Marcia Selsor]

Nice forms. Are you saying you used the inside the form method? That is another way to do it.
The planters look great!
Marcia

[teardrop]

Marcia Selsor, on 04 February 2012 - 02:26 PM, said:

Nice forms. Are you saying you used the inside the form method? That is another way to do it.
The planters look great!
Marcia

I built them around the tarpaper form, marcia....but because the top of the planter is open I was able to finagle the form out.....smooth the seams on the inside of the planter...and then sneak the form back in so the walls could firm up a bit. After 24 hours I removed the form so the inside could begin to dry.

it has been a lot of fun. Thanks for opening the door

[Pres]

teardrop, on 04 February 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

Marcia Selsor, on 04 February 2012 - 02:26 PM, said:

Nice forms. Are you saying you used the inside the form method? That is another way to do it.
The planters look great!
Marcia

I built them around the tarpaper form, marcia....but because the top of the planter is open I was able to finagle the form out.....smooth the seams on the inside of the planter...and then sneak the form back in so the walls could firm up a bit. After 24 hours I removed the form so the inside could begin to dry.

it has been a lot of fun. Thanks for opening the door

Considering their size and weight I would hope you use some of the tips about drying larger forms and how to prevent the bottom slabs from cracking. Slabs this size and weight need to be able to shrink as they dry, but the weight will not let them move, try a little grog, ground brick or something else to allow them to move on you bat/board. Good luck-looking good!

[teardrop]

thanks for the idea. pres.

My challenge will be to be able to access them enough to check on them as they dry....as they are at school...on a shelf. Unfortunately, there's new admin at the school and this semester, without prior warning (or without changing the catalog to reflect the change BEFORE taking our money) somebody got their panties in a wad and has clamped down on our "Open studio" time.....so I haven't been able to check on em for 2 days now.

I'm gonna try to flip em over today and affix some feet...."Open studio" or no "open studio".

[Pres]

teardrop, on 06 February 2012 - 08:56 AM, said:

thanks for the idea. pres.

My challenge will be to be able to access them enough to check on them as they dry....as they are at school...on a shelf. Unfortunately, there's new admin at the school and this semester, without prior warning (or without changing the catalog to reflect the change BEFORE taking our money) somebody got their panties in a wad and has clamped down on our "Open studio" time.....so I haven't been able to check on em for 2 days now.

I'm gonna try to flip em over today and affix some feet...."Open studio" or no "open studio".

Hmm I remember those days in undergrad school. Our studio was on the second floor of a brick building. Saturdays should have been open, but for some reason they closed it for a few months. Not to say I recommend this technique, but I used to pull my old Dodge Dart in front of the building, and climb on the roof, open a window and use the studio. Security was not a thing back then, and I was never stopped/caught, but had hours of work that made my learning how to throw and pull handles really easier. I think one Saturday I did nothing but pull handles and attach them where ever I could in the studio-tables edges, sinks, backsplashes etc. Probably over 200. I got most of them cleaned up, but left a few for Monday. Fun morning class everyone wondering about the handles! Shhhhhh!

[teardrop]

LOL, pres. No good windows to climb through in this studio...but Friday night when the front desk folks started whining we needed to leave we were tempted to jimmy the back door...wait till they left....and go back for an all-nighter.

but yeah...I'm too old to deal with the cops...and there's a discrepency about "who" is pushing the limited hours for the studio (is it Admin..or the teacher? We're hearing both stories), so it's best to just sit back and see who self destructs first...

either way though...it irks me to agree to one thing (class/open studio parameters) and to PAY for it...then to see it taken away after-the-fact because (supposedly)...get this...someone has complained about footprints of clay dust in the hallways at school....


EDIT: I tried to go check on the planters but was told the studio wasn't open.

Had I known before paying my tuition that the studio would be closed more than it's open this semester I would have passed on taking the class.

[Pres]

teardrop, on 06 February 2012 - 09:59 AM, said:

LOL, pres. No good windows to climb through in this studio...but Friday night when the front desk folks started whining we needed to leave we were tempted to jimmy the back door...wait till they left....and go back for an all-nighter.

but yeah...I'm too old to deal with the cops...and there's a discrepency about "who" is pushing the limited hours for the studio (is it Admin..or the teacher? We're hearing both stories), so it's best to just sit back and see who self destructs first...

either way though...it irks me to agree to one thing (class/open studio parameters) and to PAY for it...then to see it taken away after-the-fact because (supposedly)...get this...someone has complained about footprints of clay dust in the hallways at school....


EDIT: I tried to go check on the planters but was told the studio wasn't open.

Had I known before paying my tuition that the studio would be closed more than it's open this semester I would have passed on taking the class.

someone has complained about footprints of clay dust in the hallways at school....
Must have been my wife:lol:

[teardrop]

Due to the newly placed limits on studio access and our instructor flat out lying to us as to WHY the limit was set in place and then blowing up on us when we asked for clarification of who said what and why the studio policies were changed, my wife and I have decided to withdraw from this class and pursue the wonders of clay on our own.

Wish i had an instructor like pres or jbaymore.

[teardrop]

I was very pleased with the lack of cracking in these peices after the first few days of (unregulated) drying. Only one small crack on the rim.....>>so far<<<.

I brought these monsters home last night after cleaning out my shelf/tools and bidding "class" goodbye (until they can this crappy "instructor", then we will go back for more)....turned them upside down...and made some feet for them. I then turned them back over and allowed the weight of the planter to affix the feet to the vessel and squish them down just a bit.

Hopefully the rest of the drying process will go smoothly. I covered them up well so they will dry slowly.

[Marcia Selsor]

Sorry to hear this about your studio situation. Good luck with finishing the pieces.
Marcia

[teardrop]

I enjoyed the process and the large slab construction and I really like the way these turned out...so I am determined to see the project through, marcia!

so much for the thought of buying a smaller kiln