Yesterday was a terrible day in the studio.... just one of those days where nothing went as planned. I could not even throw. Today was fun, I eased into the day by mixing up some batches of thick slip for decorating.
Slip is just a fancy word for way watered down clay to the point of being a thick liquid. My goal is to have colored slip stored in small, airtight containers for painting on pottery. Since ingredients for slip (and glaze) and based upon dry weight in grams, I had been saving scraps and letting the clay dry to "bone dry" and brittle. I mixed 8 small (100g) test batches today using oxides and stains.
Stains are put on pottery while the clay is still wet so the clay in the slip shrinks with the piece. The B-Mix we use in the studio shrinks 12%. Above is a picture of the test piece I made today using the slips. Once dry, it goes in the kiln for the bisque fire, a clear glaze will be applied over the entire surface then back to the kiln for the second glaze firing.
A picture of the results along with details of which oxides and how much were used will be posted after it comes out of the kiln.
Teresa
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2 comments:
Days like that are frustrating, especially if you're feeling really creative but can't quite get it together. I think that must be similar to the times when I really, really want to knit but can't seem to follow the pattern and have to keep tearing it apart. (That happened last night. Grrr.)
I don't know much (okay, anything) about pottery, but I'm always inspired by your work.
Hi Sweetie~Well, I guess your life is like all of our lives with the ups and downs...good days and bad days...happy days and sad days...and etc. I wish you lots and lots of good, happy and up days.
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