forks throws pottery (and maybe you do too?) - An ILX Ceramics Thread

That looks pretty damn cool.

Holocaust deniers make pottery too, apparently: http://www.salon.com/2013/03/11/we_let_charles_krafft_fool_us_partner/

Oh yeah the krafft story is very lolzy
"how could we have known?"

okay so that's some 23 pieces i just got back today. photographing and annotating now.

Okay, so here's the current haul.
it's a lot.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/97f5dd95efb4427cef5d532bc4b7e5eb/tumblr_mkwhjv7aQf1qzyx8yo4_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/ceb3c60b9c32158ed4d30e8ab32c8f5c/tumblr_mkwhjv7aQf1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/4979823ece3bc7d24f51fe031b6fe848/tumblr_mkwhjv7aQf1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/b80f61d4b03582327cba84f32424a28b/tumblr_mkwhjv7aQf1qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

red stoneware clay with porcelain accents - French Blue glaze

3 1/2” tall, 3 1/2” diameter at rim, 2 1/4” diameter at foot

The second in a series of carved cartoon mugs, this one features the Finnish cartoonist Tove Jansson’s famous Moomin on one side and a minor character from the same series, a Hattifattener, on the other. I was awfully happy with the way the color and the carving came out here. I didn't glaze the exposed porcelain figures at all so they are somewhat exposed and have greater potential for staining. That was intentional so that the figures would pop and look more newsprint-y but it does increase the potential for them to get stained. My hope is that they'll take on a darker, tea color with age and get more distinguished.

To make the characters stand out more, I carve in a dappled pattern in the background. It’s time-consuming work but effective.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/7c49660bfd104f820bf6163fb239fe14/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/9d2dbcefcdda438e8bb9f51ba4b7fafb/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo6_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/ee225cc3e5c0666a362cef6069c93c9e/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/314984d5cc7b4dec7050c63e953b6be3/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/22369cd3e00974e80df4b4a44f2a1e62/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo4_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/4e90117d4a47fa10e58fcc61d1be5523/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo5_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/17e4a8070338ed51a0c701fb760395d8/tumblr_mkwhhpMnu91qzyx8yo7_1280.jpg

white clay - Glick Red glaze underlapping Randy’s Oribe glaze - oxidation firing

Cups: 4” tall, 4” diameter at rim (6 1/2” at handle), 2 3/4” diameter at foot

Bowl 1: 3 1/2” tall, 7 1/2” diameter at rim, 4” diameter at foot

Bowl 2: 3 1/4” tall, 8 1/4” diameter at rim, 3 3/4” diameter at foot

Bowl 3: 3 1/4” tall, 8 3/4” diameter at rim, 4 3/4” diameter at foot

Plate: 1” tall, 9 1/4” diameter at rim, 7” diameter on eating space, 7” diameter at foot

This is my present for my sister’s wedding. It was a first in many ways: first attempt at making a set, first attempt at making identical pieces (I did better with the cups and plates than with the bowls as you can see by the measurements… on the plus side, the bowls stack), first group glazing based on a combination I came up with awhile back. The handles are very delicate here but they should hold up to weight. A small S-crack (just an aesthetic glitch) in the largest bowl aside, the major catastrophe was that one of the two plates broke in the glazing. So it’s a one plate, two cup, three bowl set. That’s a set, right? Kinda? Next step is figuring out how to pack and mail these to the other side of the country.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/ab6a4ed5b9d68bd184e52c9e8fb28aa8/tumblr_mkwhfw6t371qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/b802be1b6bc622d620d7fcb2ddaf264d/tumblr_mkwhfw6t371qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/49ec75531ee6593403f5ca875775a750/tumblr_mkwhfw6t371qzyx8yo4_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/5ffcd4157c92449d315ca939185d8f46/tumblr_mkwhfw6t371qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

white clay - Academy Mix glaze with Yellow Salt glaze accent - reduction firing

1 3/4” tall, 8 1/4” diameter at rim, 4 1/2” diameter at foot

This is a solid display plate… maybe _too_ solid; it’s a bit heavy. That caveat aside, I’m pleased with it. It’s a form that I enjoy making.

The glaze pattern on the interior of the piece came out nicely I think.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/bb55ca86a1e1f58106a373dd3a00d971/tumblr_mkwhevsVcG1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/58b7c186e116ee45d31762771bd78cdf/tumblr_mkwhevsVcG1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay with black slip and carved design - Bauer Clear glaze - oxidation firing

3 1/4” tall, 6 1/4” diameter at rim, 3 1/2” diameter at rim

Another attempt at making a reptile skin pattern by carving into a slip over a clay body prior to firing. The exterior is a little smudgy but this feels pretty good to me.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/c0935979ec1e495c1e207cdf581a171e/tumblr_mkwhe7Jzjz1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/48df8d7d4bf8e7becdb728564f3b52bc/tumblr_mkwhe7Jzjz1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay with black slip on top surface - Randy’s Oribe glaze - oxidation firing

1 1/2” tall, 8 1/2” diameter at rim, 6 3/4” diameter on eating space, 7 1/2” diameter at foot

The black slip applied here shows up more in the photo than in person; it makes the top of the plate slightly darker but there’s not a great deal of difference. The foot is way too broad, but otherwise a fairly successful piece that I’ll likely eat off myself.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/1d67e3bab3d816ee6a7965b0ee9bb3df/tumblr_mkwhdll8r71qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/8af2830c05251d52998149dc5d15aa9c/tumblr_mkwhdll8r71qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay - Shaner Gold glaze - reduction firing

3 1/4” tall at peak, 3 1/4” across at widest point, roughly 2 1/2” wide at foot

This was a go at a completely enclosed vessel that I could drill a hole into for use as a bud vase but when I botched it badly, my instructor suggested paddling the sides into a geometric figure and then applying a bit of striation to the walls. Voila: I gotta rock. The glaze came out more peanut butter than granite unfortunately and though it’s an interesting experiment (one I’ll likely come back to) and functional to hold single flowers or pens (as shown), I wish I had gone with a tenmoku glaze instead.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/2479f3487a9ed85ffe4d81443453f94e/tumblr_mkwhcwcwi01qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/f8a4d6a19cb3b2536485846dc8e55552/tumblr_mkwhcwcwi01qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay - Civil War glaze - reduction firing

2 1/2” tall, 3” diameter at lip, 2” diameter at foot

This tiny decorative hoonja-doonja would likely work well to hold sea salt or any other uncovered spice. It also features a “secret smile”, an interior crescent of raw clay that somehow escaped the glazing process.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/e67500c32c6a925ed850656939982ff2/tumblr_mkwhbgsls31qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/6cb02c69da892346ca596260ff9a02c7/tumblr_mkwhbgsls31qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay - Potter’s Turquoise glaze on top and interior overlapping under Civil War glaze - oxidation firing

3” tall, 3 1/2” wide at lip, 2” wide at foot

When these two glazes meet, they form a blue foamy barrier. It’s an attractive and easy effect that is quite satisfying.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/13a66414c30f022e5a516474f842036f/tumblr_mkwhalqWl71qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

white clay - Charlie D Black glaze on interior and exterior rim, Norton Red glaze exterior - reduction firing

3 1/2” tall, 4 1/2” diameter at lip, 3” diameter at foot

This is probably the fifth flowerpot I’ve made for my old boss and mentor Bill; it’s a regular and simple exercise I keep coming back to. I just never have any luck with it. I think it’s the glaze combination; it always runs. This time the water run-off hole in the center got clogged by glaze. Ah well. I’ll keep trying; he’ll keep putting plants in the less exciting ones.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/af2640461390285001a9270ff0dfebe1/tumblr_mkwh9f5Pew1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/ab52484fe9c3395880559dce6e90854c/tumblr_mkwh9f5Pew1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay with blue slip and carved design - Bauer Clear glaze with Buttermilk glaze accents - oxidation firing

3 3/4” tall, 7” diameter at lip, 4 1/4” diameter at foot

The goal was to make a flock of birds (“V” shapes carved into the blue slip coating of the bowl) taking off from behind clouds but the Buttermilk covered by the clear glaze streaked and smudged the cover into cirrus rather than cumulus. I think it kinda still works? I like the way the interior of the bowl is crackle white and clean.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/b62cae88bbabc81ce1871fc3e2b0329b/tumblr_mkwh8iXnFJ1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/d1acdfcd05d080b5fafd210949048f02/tumblr_mkwh8iXnFJ1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

white clay with wax accents - Randy’s Oribe glaze on bottom exterior under Buttermilk glaze interior and top exterior - oxidation firing

3” tall, 4” diameter at lip, 3 1/2” diameter at foot

The exposed raw-clay ascii-shapes are achieved by applying wax to the bisque-fired clay prior to glazing. The glaze runs off the wax and, after the piece is fired, the wax vaporizes to leave exposed stoneware. The white glaze ran a bit more than I’d like, so it got a tad messy but the water run-off holes in the bottom stayed intact.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/eed2b3979c273639ab6e3c35c94d6e86/tumblr_mkwh4tcWnQ1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/d8fcb1bf7474727e25bc588a6325c766/tumblr_mkwh4tcWnQ1qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/5de451d1d52c99f1703056cc2448fd74/tumblr_mkwh4tcWnQ1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

white clay with green slip and carved design - Seacrest Celadon glaze - reduction firing

4” tall, 1 1/4” diameter at lip, 1 3/4” diameter at foot

Reptile skin effect is fairly easy to achieve, though I could certainly work on precision of form and execution for future tries. I’m pleased with how this came out.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/019625c6b04c9868cd1c33270ea5c161/tumblr_mkwh3sDdft1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/d4586fd6b5281a83665d58e815ecdd02/tumblr_mkwh3sDdft1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay with black slip and carved design - Ox Blood glaze - oxidation firing (oxidation is lower heat than reduction and that creates different effects… ox blood is strawberry red when reduction {high} fired and a transparent jade when oxidation {low} fired)

2 1/2” tall, 3 1/2” diameter at lip, 2 3/4” diameter at foot

My second go at this form; this one came out a bit more smudged in the glazing than last time. The surface is glossy and uniform, not incised. All the carving takes place before the glazing.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/a089fafb3a351ae75cfb3ef10dbb8418/tumblr_mkwh2hEFis1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/3d33b02c8068f4b1a4a5ec1bc68ce10f/tumblr_mkwh2hEFis1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/a3c90e8a7499750b9fedc20fa0034f36/tumblr_mkwh2hEFis1qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

white clay - Ice Trap Celadon glaze - reduction firing

5 1/4” tall, 9” diameter at lip, 4 3/4” diameter at foot

Another in the “largest bowl I’ve yet thrown” collection, with apple for scale. This glaze crackles like crazy; the darker color at the rim and base is picked up from”bloom”: direct heat from the kiln or blow-off glaze from pieces next to it in the kiln. A one-inch long, 1/16 inch deep S crack in the bottom of the bowl (doesn’t go all the way through so doesn’t really effectively damage it) is the bummer for me; but it’s a surface imperfection and I may pack with a bit of silicone to finish. I’m pleased with it nonetheless.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/6d42f8c3d227dd1d16dac16217835ed2/tumblr_mkwh33OfWp1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/277366299f3062c10c521f9f81209724/tumblr_mkwh33OfWp1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/c3fc3f9d558b325e12cc99a03434f959/tumblr_mkwh33OfWp1qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg

white clay - two part constructed lid - Blue Chun glaze with Buttermilk glaze accent in center of lid handle - reduction firing

7 1/2” tall with lid (5 3/4” tall without), 3 1/2” diameter at lip, 2 1/2” diameter at foot, about 5 1/2” diameter at widest point in center

My first lidded piece, made with considerable help from my instructor. I build the lid with two pieces; the ‘knob’ is a miniature thrown bowl, joined at the base to the top of the lid. The lid fits comfortably but not loosely, enough so that it was fired as a separate piece… tight joins are often fired as one piece so that you don’t end up with something that won’t insert. I’m pleased with the lines and the form; the pitting in the surface is just a function of the glaze which was selected because it’s one that my mom likes a lot and the piece was made with her in mind. Definitely need to keep practicing and working with lids and expect to do a lot of experimentation with that in the summer once I’m done with some other projects.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/d012a71b30ba92e244a2254970e14904/tumblr_mkwh1oOAUu1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/89f58543d0e87f0eae6e6dd51ce400b1/tumblr_mkwh1oOAUu1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

White clay with black slip on exterior - Blue Ying Ching glaze - reduction firing

3 1/4” tall, 8” diameter at lip, 4 1/2” diameter at foot

Colored slip on the exterior made only a minimal difference here; there’s a slightly darker blue on the outside, but you have to go looking for it. Good crackle on the glaze, a small and regrettable 1/4 inch wide and 1/16 inch deep “S crack” (a surface imperfection where the water in the clay opened a fissure in the body when it dried/fired/glaze took it apart, so named because they tend to form an ”S” shape) at the center. It’s tiny and doesn’t affect the usage really; S cracks that don’t go through the form entirely don’t do anything except make the piece a bit harder to clean as food particles can get stuck in the fissure. So maybe just not so great for soup. S cracks are primarily frustrating aesthetically and are somewhat preventable by paying attention to tamping down the clay more tightly during the throwing process and removing excess moisture both while throwing and as the piece is drying. I ended this session with three pieces that got hit this way, all larger bowls (which tend to pick up the problem more easily). It’s the little things that particularly bug me with basic forms now.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/d8987aeaf5c843df2359eea5861ab56c/tumblr_mkwh0rFXCl1qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/1694e48c95638dba3689b442f7192338/tumblr_mkwh0rFXCl1qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

White clay with black slip and carved design - Ice Trap Celadon glaze - reduction firing

4 3/4” tall, 1 inch diameter at lip, 2 1/2” diameter at foot, 3 1/2” diameter at widest point in center

Another sgraffito job where I carved into a dried clay slip covering white clay to expose a pattern and then glazed the whole piece. The glaze brought out green notes and preserved the carving nicely. The body is a bit ungainly and squat but it’s not a terrible decorative piece and good practice for my current project: throwing some thirty or so bud vases.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/8eb97adf868756a9a145c585ce2cd476/tumblr_mkwh032ti81qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/1c521b275ebc72060fcfe16f4f6a7fc9/tumblr_mkwh032ti81qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg

white clay with blue slip and carved design - Blue Ying Ching glaze - reduction firing (reduction firing is at a higher temperature than oxidation and produces different, and generally more glossy and bright, effects)

5” tall, 1 inch diameter at lip, 3” diameter at foot

I spent a fair amount of time carving out a branching, chain-like design into the blue slip on this to create a complex pattern and the glaze pretty much muted that to a barely perceptible subtlety. Bummer. Form is okay, though very bottom heavy; in a pinch, you could use this bottle to mash potatoes.

about six more pieces in bisque now, three coming out from glazing.
I'm working on a project for my sister's wedding where I'm making about thirty small bud vases and glazing them all the same color.
getting somewhat better with practice I think.

Another nice batch forks.

Thanks boss. I should drop you a line come the fall about those Miyazaki cups. Just remind me.

Will do.

I moved to a new studio not so long ago and took on a few specific projects, the biggest of which was making a collection of 25 small vases for my sister's wedding, all about 2 1/2 pounds of clay, all with a single glaze with some porcelain details. That's taken the better part of three months and I've done a bunch of bowls and such in between but I've moved to the point where not everything is for display so much as it is for experience. I did finish that Journey cup though. I'm not totally pleased with it; the carving was too intricate for my capability to glaze properly and the studio I'm in didn't really have the right color glazes.
Anyways.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/6895a67233f4185ba98e36d67d022f54/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/fab50290bd8147b57888fd2a3a39b737/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo3_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/2d5ec4bb7aaef23bdd189de2464d89f3/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo4_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/9e65c8cdbefb37a3b554aee350df9e2f/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo5_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/11587cb29cf0497b49946daa1d6233fa/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo6_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/2be57e14664b390d058e30a0af95a5f9/tumblr_mo625f8ui11qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

I also got around to making a Regular Show cup with Mordechai on one side and Rigby on the other. Considering these are carved freehand after some experimentation, I'm fairly pleased. The colors are from clay slip and the cup has yet to get a bisque firing or a glazing so there's still a high probability I'll fuck it up.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/096fbf7ac4dafae59ecbbebb3f43cc4e/tumblr_mo627ieYc91qzyx8yo2_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/08c136b74d6ef1db78551768fc68b861/tumblr_mo627ieYc91qzyx8yo1_1280.jpg

then there's the 25 vases. i'll just post a group shot before they get packed up once they're all outta the kiln.

I like the Journey cup. It came out pretty well.

gracias!

dude. that is awesome.

admit it though, you were waiting for someone's mom to get insulted

i wasn't! it's always on my mind!

http://24.media.tumblr.com/4d3c52f93a93bb39595344b033d780cc/tumblr_mosv4x2GcE1snfsquo2_r1_400.gif

that is one terrifying GIF

how about a mug with Rigby screaming FRIEND ZONE! FRIEND ZONE! FRIEND ZONE!

heh. maybe. i have a muppet beaker one in the works.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/74c227e0a90bc5b23634a7dee2276fb6/tumblr_moeqs4C4ny1qzd9ino1_400.jpg

i don't remember that scene in Howard the Duck

Porn version, iirc.

http://johnsontsang.wordpress.com/
concepts are occasionally painfully obvious but the execution is amazing next level
http://johnsontsang.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/dsc_7595.jpg%3Fw%3D640%26h%3D963

huh, i kind of stopped obsessively taking photos of my work at a certain point and just make stuff now.

Which is probably why I forgot to order some mugs. Doh!

but here's one from that batch of small vases I made for my sis
http://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/945689_10201567486447994_1254171632_n.jpg

EZ, I'm thinking about making a few more mugs. You wanted a Totoro like the above?

i used to live with a ceramacist/potter and our house was full of pottery. the different glazes interested me a lot, esp the difference when they came out of the kiln c/w how they went in. he made a lot of stuff that was that minty green color that i see a lot of in this thread.

I'm debating now. You want to try a Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls mug? Maybe a green & black color scheme, with her on the side? It'd be a cool present.

hm. green background with a carved buttercup huh. i could try?

i was gonna make a jake and finn mug with their heads popping up from the bottom. starting sketching