First Glaze Firing for My Kiln!

The Best Way to Work...

Finally finding the best scale and way to work I made my most successful vessel yet...

Turning ideas into form

Next i tried making some vessels using this method... After many attempts i finally arrived at a scale and method that was effective. It became clear that i would have to try and try making the base in a different way, instead of working from a set shape to build the walls, i would make the base fit the walls...

Next, looking at the form of the paper and rusty model i made this object. Using triangular pieces of stoneware clay i created the folded, faceted part of the object. The holes in the strip of clay attached to this were made by pushing the end of an unsharpened pencil through the clay. This gave a nice raised effect around the holes.

Tests: Colour and Texture

                                                                                                                                   My next step was to start work in clay using my models for inspiration. After doing several drawings, some accurate and some more exaggerated, exploring the qualities of the paper and metal components of the models, I started work on creating a suitable colour palette and method for creating some forms in ceramic.
The above photos show some test tiles which were made to experiment with different metallic effects.
The top two photos show tiles textured with slip containing paper pulp. This was an attempt at recreating the texture of the rusty metal. Layering different body stains and oxides by brushing and stippling with different brushes.
The last photo shows some more tiles using slip colored with black b/s to create a range of greys. I used these slips to create patterns inspired by the reflective surface of the aluminium on the other model. I applied the slips using brushes, my fingers, smudging and scraping back where i thought appropriate. I also burnished some of the tiles to see what effect that might give.

3D Models...

                                                                                                        These two models were the most successful, i liked the contrast between the delicate tracing paper and metal parts in each, held together using studs of aluminium foil.