: oldlady - Viewing Profile

actually, i find it easier to remove underglaze from a greenware piece by just scraping it off with the edge of a knife or similar tool. a knife fits into small areas without disturbing what is already there next to the bad part.

do you cut each shape with a knife? if so, think about using metal strap bent to shape for each one. i would be happy to donate some "cookie cutters" to your organization that you can bend to fit what you want to do. if you use them over thin plastic sheet, your edges are automatically rounded on the top of the piece. flip the cut side and rub the edge with a finger and both sides are done. it becomes a much more finished work surface. learning how takes practice just like everything else to do with pottery.

your group is doing a fine job of helping the local youth and your economy. i am sure there are other potters here willing to help you out.

clay is strong. making pieces will get easier. you will eventually accept that some breakage is just part of the business and though you will be sad to see the beautiful painting damaged, it will get easier.

i admire your work and your ambition. keep going. maybe you are the new Josiah Wedgewood of your country. your artists display amazing skill at painting. maybe you could develop a decal transfer for that art to be applied to simple pots. someone here can point you in the right direction.

as for your original question, sometimes things just land differently and some break but others do not. i know that i have shown fish in baskets with 100 fish at a time and had people approach them so carefully that i have pulled out one of them and banged it on the table. no breakage.

did it all one saturday. on sunday i broke the first one i tried. i have dropped pieces on my concrete floor without damage. they still ring so i know the clay is intact. your glaze firing temperature looks like about cone 7 according to my book. are you firing these three times, once to bisque once to set the underglaze and again for glazing? if i read your post correcly. from the many photos on your website it seems you are only firing twice.

it is not necessary to fire so many times. underglaze goes on greenware and once it is dry you could glaze and fire it only once. this takes a little experimentation but it would save time and fuel. i am assuming that you are putting a clear glaze on the pendants. it appears from all the photos that the finish glaze is being applied by brushing. single firing works best if the final glaze is sprayed. sorry, that may not be possible for you.

or, if you get totally frustrated doing something this difficult for a beginner with an unreasonable time limit,(the party is next weekend, it takes 36 hours to fire and cool my kiln) try making square plates. find a flat board of the size you want for the middle of the plate that is about 3/8 to 1/2 inches thick.

roll out a slab about a 1/4 inch thick or a little more if you are timid, make it at least 1 1/2 inches all the way around bigger than the board. you must have some bats, drywall or some plywood that is bigger than the entire thing. put the slab on top of the center board and roughly in the center of the flat plywood and drop the entire thing onto the floor from about knee high. when you see that the world did not end, you might try the next one from hip height.

make another slab, 1/4 inches thick and cut out feet with a cute small petit four cutter or if you can cut consistent squares of about an inch or so, do that. slip and score the feet and the plate corners and stick them down. write whatever you like on the bottom of the plate using a stylus, needles make a mess. if you have a pencil write with it after you dull the point. writing over plastic wrap makes it easy. practice first so you know how hard to press.

the funnest part is texturing the slab before you drop it. try a thick leaf or something appropriate to the occasion just on the rim. thick lace trim comes to mind.

next time get some foam rubber and press your center board into the foam with the clay under the board. more tricks will come to you.

what country are you living in? your post might get answers if you remove the word "cheap" from it.

what you are describing sounds like a typical china production company ( think of your mom's dishes) operation. maybe you could contact one of them.

where did my post go??

i started a post and tried the bold type mea has used to such great effect and lost the post. re-typing is such a pain in the fingers.

the phrase used by your friend is the worst, it sounds as though she is really saying "let me know......................." and then followed by a silent "but don't bother me if you are not going to buy".

how many times have you been to a multi-day show and found the artist reading a book in the middle of the aisle. i saw this fairly often at the ACC baltimore shows. i know the artist has been in top gear for the entire week, but really.

nearly lost this post, too.