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August 14, 2009

Pottery Decorating Video: Using Fiber, Slip and Soft Clay to Make Beautiful Marks on Pottery and Ceramic Sculpture

by Robin Hopper Read Comments (32)

Robin Hopper decorates a piece of pottery with soft clay sprigs. We’ve got more Robin Hopper love for you today Ceramic Arts Daily readers! We always get such a good response to his tips so I decided I would throw in a Robin Hopper video for you today. This one is excerpted from his DVD Making Marks: Ceramic Surface Decoration, a video adaptation of his popular book of the same name. In this clip, Robin goes over a couple of surface decoration techniques; one involving clay slip and fiber, and the other involving soft clay. As usual, Robin provides an excellent, clear explanation of these nifty little techniques and should inspire you to go directly to your studio at the first opportunity! - Jennifer Harnetty, editor.

 

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This clip was excerpted from Robin Hopper’s two-disc DVD Making Marks: Ceramic Surface Decoration. This impressive DVD covers scores of techniques you can use in every phase of the ceramic process from initial forming through post-firing treatments.

Buy the DVD right here!

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32 Comments

  1. Teddie | August 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am

    Very informative. I attented a workshop by Robin Hopper some years ago
    learned a lot. Thanks for your site. T.I.

  2. Charmain | August 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am

    Great video - can hardly wait to experiment with the fabrics. Appreciate your sharing these informative ideas with us all. Thanks! C.D.

  3. Dawn | August 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am

    Such a talent! Hopper’s elocution in work and words may one think anything is possible. Merci C>D>

  4. Rebeca | August 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Love it I learn new things I can do with my ceramics .. I wounder how they did it …

  5. Carol | August 14th, 2009 at 12:07 pm

    Thank you for sharing this!

  6. Bella | August 14th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    Adorei o vídeo!Já me inspirou a usar novas técnicas.Obrigada por compartilhar!

  7. marcia | August 14th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    The speakers are out on my computer, so I had to just WATCH and couldn’t LISTEN to Barry and it was still fantastic! What great techniques. Can’t wait to try it with sprigs of plants.
    Marcia

  8. Elizabeth | August 14th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    Mágnifico, da alternativas en la decoración.

  9. Ana María | August 14th, 2009 at 1:24 pm

    Thank you for sharing , great techniques!!

  10. Karen | August 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    Wonderful! Thanks so much!

  11. COLLEEN | August 14th, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Love his ideas and work. Thanks for making clips avalible.

  12. krista | August 14th, 2009 at 3:49 pm

    just wets your creative appetite! A picture is worth a thous……….words and the samples are inspiring as is the clear directions happy regards from krista pet

  13. susan | August 14th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    What wonderfulk ideas….thanks so much for sharing them….Susan

  14. Rosie | August 14th, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    Wow, can’t wait to get back to work, lace, flowers ideas flowing

  15. Wichai | August 14th, 2009 at 5:43 pm

    Thank,for your sharing ,Great with me for creating

  16. connie | August 14th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

    Wish the video worked, I like Robbin

  17. Barbara | August 14th, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    Great video as always with Robin Hopper. I’m so glad that he showed the final pieces as well as showing the work in progress. Thanks so much for this part of the site. I wait all week for my Friday video!
    Barb

  18. Bridgettee | August 14th, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    great idea, wish we could see his ideas in the finished product.

  19. Beverly | August 14th, 2009 at 11:15 pm

    Thanks for the great clip. Robin Hopper is a Master Teacher as well as a Master Potter, and unfailingly generous in sharing what he knows.

  20. Liz | August 15th, 2009 at 7:12 am

    Yekes… I can’t see the video. It starts but then stops after only a few words. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can see this clip?

    Thank you. Liz Hoffmann, Slidell, LA

  21. Jehudith | August 15th, 2009 at 8:39 am

    Thank you very much for the practical ideas

  22. michelle | August 15th, 2009 at 8:59 am

    Great idea I will try “Todah” (thank you)

  23. Mary | August 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am

    Great to watch. But will the burning off of paper and material hurt the coils in an electric kiln??? I love this website and all the videos. Thank you.

  24. zahi | August 15th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    trés belle video qui explique bien une technique simple et accessible .merci pour toute vos videos .zahi

  25. Eleanor | August 17th, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Video stopped during the application of the burlap, then looped back to the beginning. I can’t see the end results, nor other techniques he may have used. Ouch.

  26. Nan | August 17th, 2009 at 6:26 pm

    Ditto to Mary’s question: Does the burning off of this extraneous material cause any damage to the coils in electric kilns? Thanks for great information always. Nan

  27. rinie | August 18th, 2009 at 2:18 am

    wow wonderful

  28. Karen | August 19th, 2009 at 9:27 am

    Wonderful information. Makes me want to buy the video….

    If your computer has trouble viewing the video, try a different web browser. While my AOL browser doesn’t always work, I don’t have trouble using the Mozilla Firefox browser. Your machine may also benefit from more memory.

    As far as damage to the electric kiln elements from the burning paper/fiber materials….I don’t see that it would be any different than the burning off of other organic material in the clay during firing. I have used paper clay (paper pulp is added to the wet clay) for several projects and have not noticed any problem with my kiln elements as a result. Just be sure that you have good venting on your kiln and the burning organics can produce smoke.

  29. patricia | August 19th, 2009 at 11:45 am

    what is the “fiber” Robin Hopper is using in his surface direction?
    Pat Lingvay
    e-mail addess: jlingvay@cfl.rr.com

  30. Guy | August 22nd, 2009 at 6:55 am

    Hi Robin, great to see you in action (rather than at breakfast in Phoenix)! I love the practical aspects as well as the aesthetic technique of creating not only surface decoration but form as well. Simple is always better, and reaching beyond color to integrate sculpture and decoration is a real step forward - which you’ve made achievable for potters of all levels. I’m off to the studio today to give it a try!
    Guy Zoller - zoller2@verizon.net

  31. Jennifer | September 2nd, 2009 at 6:20 pm

    Great ideas thanks

  32. anshoo | September 10th, 2009 at 5:18 am

    it is great to see the ideas.really fantabulous.thanks a lot and keep showing us more such clips

    anshoo garg

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