Additions to Clay Bodies
NEW RELEASE!
This book is an introduction to the use of additions in clay bodies, from hard materials like stones and glass to combustible matter, fiber, metals and color. It looks at the work of a range of contemporary international makers who are using additions to create remarkable new forms and textures in ceramic work. With an emphasis on creativity and experimentation, ceramicist Kathleen Standen reveals a range of possible effects, and profiles the extraordinary work of contemporary makers using additions in their practice.
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.
The Daily Grind: An Easy Way to Make Lids Fit Perfectly
Tom Turner is a firm believer in the phrase “no detail is too small,” which is one of the reasons his pots are so exquisite. One of the details that he prides himself on are his quiet, no-friction, perfectly fitting lids. Tom spends time throughout the making process to make sure he is getting the tightest possible lid fit, but he also wants them to be silky smooth “like butta.” His secret comes from an auto parts store. In today’s post, an excerpt from his video Understanding Porcelain, Tom shares that secret. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
Tom Turner: Understanding Porcelain
Throwing and Decorating Of all clay, porcelain is undoubtedly the most difficult to work with. Because of its fine grain size, special care must be taken when working with it from the time you take it out of storage until you remove it from the final firing. In this DVD, master potter and porcelain expert… Read More »
How to Throw a Large Porcelain Bowl Without Collapsing it
As a huge fan of Lorna Meaden’s work, today I am excited to share a preview of her new DVD Integrating Form and Surface with Porcelain. If you’re also a fan, this DVD is chock full of techniques and tips for making work that successfully merges surface decoration with form – a feat that takes careful consideration and lots of practice. No matter what Lorna says, I’d call the bowl she is throwing in this clip a large bowl, rather than a medium sized bowl – especially since it is porcelain. But as she points out, it took 25 years to be able to call this bowl medium sized.
Bonus Video: Tips and Techniques for Making your Own Colored Clay
Today I am sharing a clip from Curt Benzle’s DVD Expanding Your Creative Palette with Colored Clay. In this clip, he gives tips on making colored clays from scratch. I have to admit, I haven’t dabbled much in this technique because it seemed like an such an effort to make the colored clay. But, as Curt explains, it is really not that bad, especially if you set yourself up with a segmented plaster drying bat. Easy Peasy!
Ryan Fletcher’s Tapas Micros Project
Kansas City artist Ryan Fletcher collaborates with chefs and caterers to explore the use of ceramics in supporting the visual and functional aspects of serving food.
Ceramic Art Lesson Plan: Translucent Porcelain
Before throwing porcelain, it’s important to adequately plan and design what you’ll be making. Porcelain contains more silica and feldspar (the glass-making components in clay bodies) and less clay (the plasticizers in clay bodies), so the body is very open and porous. This means that it is more difficult to work with than other clays since it becomes saturated with water so quickly and collapses much faster.
Tiny Teapots, Big Impact: Fong Choo Combines Wheel Throwing, Handbuilding and Layering Commercial Glazes to Make Compact Teapots that Pack a Punch
Fong Choo makes tiny teapots but, visually, they are anything but small. Fong successfully integrates the form with the surface to make elegant little works of art. The teapots bodies are thrown and altered on the wheel, and then embellished with handbuilt handles, feet, and spouts. Then Fong layers commercial glazes to get amazing surfaces. Today he explains his technique in detail, including his secret to taking commercial glazes to the next level.
Porcelain Workshop Video: Meira Mathison, and Tom and Elaine Coleman Share Helpful Pottery Tool Tips
In this clip, Meira Mathison, and Tom and Elaine Coleman talk about some of their
favorite tools, such as the “can’t live without blanket.” Intrigued?
Check out the video here!
