[meisie]

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Attached File(s)

•  faildove.jpg (104.28K)
  Number of downloads: 108

[Jeri]

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Personally, if given the time, I would work on the do over, if you're really not happy with them. However, you could show them to your niece and ask her how she feels about them first. Explain it's not what you had in mind, but see how she likes them. I have found that some of the items that I'm the most unhappy with, and what I would call a "free-way" piece turns out to be something that gets the most positive comments.

I also tend to set aside any item I'm not happy with and look at them a few days or week later to see if I'm still very unhappy with it. Some times seeing something in a different light or after I get past the disappointment of my expectations for the item, it's not so bad.

Jeri Lynne

[meisie]

Jeri, on 23 February 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Personally, if given the time, I would work on the do over, if you're really not happy with them. However, you could show them to your niece and ask her how she feels about them first. Explain it's not what you had in mind, but see how she likes them. I have found that some of the items that I'm the most unhappy with, and what I would call a "free-way" piece turns out to be something that gets the most positive comments.

I also tend to set aside any item I'm not happy with and look at them a few days or week later to see if I'm still very unhappy with it. Some times seeing something in a different light or after I get past the disappointment of my expectations for the item, it's not so bad.

Jeri Lynne

Good advice thank you I've reached the point where I am going to do them over. I really need to do only 15 which won't take me too long (the rose colored ones survived and look okay) and I've decided to use the white clay I have for the bodies and a brown/black clay for the beaks and wings. And who knows I might put these on the tables as well. I think the thinking through process after something comes out of the kiln that was unexpected is the worst. Even though I say to myself don't think about the end product because things can go wrong it's disappointing.

[Nelly]

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 12:59 PM, said:

Jeri, on 23 February 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Personally, if given the time, I would work on the do over, if you're really not happy with them. However, you could show them to your niece and ask her how she feels about them first. Explain it's not what you had in mind, but see how she likes them. I have found that some of the items that I'm the most unhappy with, and what I would call a "free-way" piece turns out to be something that gets the most positive comments.

I also tend to set aside any item I'm not happy with and look at them a few days or week later to see if I'm still very unhappy with it. Some times seeing something in a different light or after I get past the disappointment of my expectations for the item, it's not so bad.


Jeri Lynne

Good advice thank you I've reached the point where I am going to do them over. I really need to do only 15 which won't take me too long (the rose colored ones survived and look okay) and I've decided to use the white clay I have for the bodies and a brown/black clay for the beaks and wings. And who knows I might put these on the tables as well. I think the thinking through process after something comes out of the kiln that was unexpected is the worst. Even though I say to myself don't think about the end product because things can go wrong it's disappointing.

Dear Meisie,

I agree with what others have said, put it away and take them out in a few days. Things sometimes can looks so much better than we originally thought with the distance of time.

I am not sure what others think but I don't like to throw things out that are not warped or distorted. My thought would be to set them aside and at a later date apply some other glazes (if you really are not satisfied with this product) and fire at a cone lower for an experiment. Do this with any other work you need to refire and see how they turn out. Just another thought.

Nelly

[meisie]

Nelly, on 23 February 2012 - 01:47 PM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 12:59 PM, said:

Jeri, on 23 February 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Personally, if given the time, I would work on the do over, if you're really not happy with them. However, you could show them to your niece and ask her how she feels about them first. Explain it's not what you had in mind, but see how she likes them. I have found that some of the items that I'm the most unhappy with, and what I would call a "free-way" piece turns out to be something that gets the most positive comments.

I also tend to set aside any item I'm not happy with and look at them a few days or week later to see if I'm still very unhappy with it. Some times seeing something in a different light or after I get past the disappointment of my expectations for the item, it's not so bad.


Jeri Lynne

Good advice thank you I've reached the point where I am going to do them over. I really need to do only 15 which won't take me too long (the rose colored ones survived and look okay) and I've decided to use the white clay I have for the bodies and a brown/black clay for the beaks and wings. And who knows I might put these on the tables as well. I think the thinking through process after something comes out of the kiln that was unexpected is the worst. Even though I say to myself don't think about the end product because things can go wrong it's disappointing.

Dear Meisie,

I agree with what others have said, put it away and take them out in a few days. Things sometimes can looks so much better than we originally thought with the distance of time.

I am not sure what others think but I don't like to throw things out that are not warped or distorted. My thought would be to set them aside and at a later date apply some other glazes (if you really are not satisfied with this product) and fire at a cone lower for an experiment. Do this with any other work you need to refire and see how they turn out. Just another thought.

Nelly

My son just came home from work and he also has dabbled in clay at school and mentioned re-firing them. I suppose I can't really lose if I do that. I don't throw stuff out as a rule and I wouldn't these just don't know if using them as intended is a good idea. Thanks for the reply.

[Nelly]

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 03:03 PM, said:

Nelly, on 23 February 2012 - 01:47 PM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 12:59 PM, said:

Jeri, on 23 February 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

meisie, on 23 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I was making these beach birds for the center pieces of my nieces wedding tables. The wings were painted with an under glaze, bisqued and then clear glaze on top. The kiln clearly over fired as the cone is bent a bit over more than it should have. So now I'm pacing around the house mumbling to myself and doing the "Should I do them over thought in my head or can I pass them off as okay and the texture was intentional." I'm almost to the do them over stage (which is probably the right thing to do) because I've been quietly bitching to myself and working through this fail. Any suggestions? Am I crazy to try and pass them off as planned? I'm just disappointed gotta work through this.
The wedding is June 10th so I have time.

Personally, if given the time, I would work on the do over, if you're really not happy with them. However, you could show them to your niece and ask her how she feels about them first. Explain it's not what you had in mind, but see how she likes them. I have found that some of the items that I'm the most unhappy with, and what I would call a "free-way" piece turns out to be something that gets the most positive comments.

I also tend to set aside any item I'm not happy with and look at them a few days or week later to see if I'm still very unhappy with it. Some times seeing something in a different light or after I get past the disappointment of my expectations for the item, it's not so bad.


Jeri Lynne

Good advice thank you I've reached the point where I am going to do them over. I really need to do only 15 which won't take me too long (the rose colored ones survived and look okay) and I've decided to use the white clay I have for the bodies and a brown/black clay for the beaks and wings. And who knows I might put these on the tables as well. I think the thinking through process after something comes out of the kiln that was unexpected is the worst. Even though I say to myself don't think about the end product because things can go wrong it's disappointing.

Dear Meisie,

I agree with what others have said, put it away and take them out in a few days. Things sometimes can looks so much better than we originally thought with the distance of time.

I am not sure what others think but I don't like to throw things out that are not warped or distorted. My thought would be to set them aside and at a later date apply some other glazes (if you really are not satisfied with this product) and fire at a cone lower for an experiment. Do this with any other work you need to refire and see how they turn out. Just another thought.

Nelly

My son just came home from work and he also has dabbled in clay at school and mentioned re-firing them. I suppose I can't really lose if I do that. I don't throw stuff out as a rule and I wouldn't these just don't know if using them as intended is a good idea. Thanks for the reply.

Dear Meisie,

Just remember, one cone lower for refire, I think, is a good general rule. Any other thoughts from those more experienced??

Nelly

[Lucille Oka]

I think the bigger question to solve is, what was the cause for the over fire? If that isn't corrected it will occur again.

[bciskepottery]

I'd be inclined to remake the items. The blisters look rather pronounced. During a refire, they might be inclined to pop rather than remelt smoothly, leaving the areas currently under the blister unglazed. Just my guess. As they are, if the blisters break, someone is likely to cut themselves.

[Frederik-W]

I would definitely not make them over.
To me it looks as if it was intentional and I like the birds.
Why look at it with such an overly technical perspective?
Look at it from an artistic perspective - it can either be ugly or beautiful,
Ordinary people (not potters), do not look at things from such a technical perspective !
Can you imagine people sitting around the wedding table saying: "Mmm, it seems like she over-fired it to cone 7"..
No, they will rather say: "Look, what cute little birds!"

Don't waste your time doing them over- do something else, you have learned the technical lesson,
no need to go and punish yourself by making them all over again, you will be bored stiff. Be creative and inspired by something new.

All the best

[meisie]

Lucille Oka, on 23 February 2012 - 05:36 PM, said:

I think the bigger question to solve is, what was the cause for the over fire? If that isn't corrected it will occur again.

I'm beginning to wonder if it was over fire? All the other birds and items in the kiln were fine. Only the brown winged birds had the bubbling.
I'm beginning to believe that it might have been the under glaze itself. Too thick? too dry when applied? It was a bit crackled when it came out of bisque and I didn't really think anything of it. Not really sure what the cause was. The clear glazed covered well although I could see the pattern through it but I've had that happen before. The darker brown I used at the edge of the wing was not affected. So it's a bit of a mystery to me. While the cones were more melted than they should have been the other kiln I have used does the same thing at the very bottom of the kiln but items still come out fine.
I am no expert by any means.

[meisie]

bciskepottery, on 23 February 2012 - 06:28 PM, said:

I'd be inclined to remake the items. The blisters look rather pronounced. During a refire, they might be inclined to pop rather than remelt smoothly, leaving the areas currently under the blister unglazed. Just my guess. As they are, if the blisters break, someone is likely to cut themselves.

I had the same concern I don't want them to break and have someone cut themselves. I don't mind making them over it was a fun project and I'm going to change them around a bit. So it will all work out. I just think that initial view and then the disappointment and then trying to figure out what to do was wearing on me. I think we could invent the stages of pottery grief. Shock, annoyance, pissed, very pissed, and acceptance.

[Lucille Oka]

When did you apply the underglaze? At greenware or bisque? Was this a once fire?

[Idaho Potter]

I agree with Lucille, if you repeat exactly what you did the first time--even at one cone lower--you will probably end up with the same result unless you can pin-point the initial cause. Was the same clear glaze used on the body of the bird that was used on the wings? If so, the the problem must assuredly be in the underglaze.

I like the idea of a change in texture on the wings, but, in this case, agree that if the bubbles break, you will have introduced weaponry into the wedding. Are these supposed to be keepsakes from the wedding, or just table decorations?

Either way, I'd see if the problem can be solved and redo the birds.

[bciskepottery]

"All the other birds and items in the kiln were fine. Only the brown winged birds had the bubbling."


Check the composition of your under glaze and your clear glaze. If the clear glaze has zinc in it, it might be reacting with something in the under glaze. Blisters are caused when the glaze heals over before the clay body/under glaze has released/burned off all of its gases. As there were no problems with other colors of under glaze birds, you problem likely is in what makes up the brown under glaze.

[meisie]

bciskepottery, on 24 February 2012 - 05:04 PM, said:

"All the other birds and items in the kiln were fine. Only the brown winged birds had the bubbling."

Check the composition of your under glaze and your clear glaze. If the clear glaze has zinc in it, it might be reacting with something in the under glaze. Blisters are caused when the glaze heals over before the clay body/under glaze has released/burned off all of its gases. As there were no problems with other colors of under glaze birds, you problem likely is in what makes up the brown under glaze.

Thank you, I was thinking more or less the same thing as the only underglaze that created a problem was the underglaze on the wings. The other brown I used was on the edges of the wings and that did not bubble. I also used blues and roses, no problem. Just the light brown and it bubbled. But since all my stuff is store bought I don't really know what's in it. This particular clear glaze though is made by a local pottery store and is not national like Amaco. I suspect that you might be correct that it has something in it that reacted with the brown. But thank you.

[neilestrick]

I usually only see issues like that if the underglaze is too thick. The fact that is was cracking when it came out of the bisque is a good indicator that is was too thick.