Glazing work for the "Exchange"

It's been pretty busy around the studio as usual and with the upcoming show for the "exchange" work, there always seems to be never enough time, but that's grad school.  In my last blog I talked about some glaze tests that I had been working on and committed some of the tests to the work for the "exchange".  I really enjoyed having the freedom to apply glazes to forms I wouldn't make, and thinking about the artists work I did get, and ways to try to push the surface.  I found out a lot about things I haven't had to think about in awhile...like making glazes for functional ware and making sure the glazes weren't poisonous. It seemed like a pretty easy task, but in all reality, it made me realize some problems about temperatures inside of pottery while being fired in the kiln and the importance of how glazes are applied.  If that wasn't bad enough, the value of test tiles with newly developed glazes doesn't always match up to an actual piece that has been glazed and fired.
Well, I took some pictures of the work in progress, and even though I am not happy with all the attempts, I am happy with one of the pieces.  I won't say which one, but I'm sure it won't be too hard to determine.

The first images show the work after the first glaze firing.  I normally like to build up layers with my glazes and have had better results through multiple firings.  I fired cone six first and then work backwards so I don't burn off any lower temperature glazes that may be applied later.  The work shown is that of Jason Stockman, Deric Ence and Garrett Loveless.

New Sculpture in drying stage, March 2011

Here is a new sculpture that I just finished and is in the drying stage.  I realized while creating this piece that things will go a lot faster if I can make a slip-cast form of the larger form instead of piecing together all the parts.  So the last picture is of the "form" I will be making a slip-cast mold from this week, besides all the other work I will be doing.  I will take pictures of the process of making a mold, in hopes to help anyone out there that might be considering trying to slip-cast in the future.

Glaze Tests and a Mold

 I pulled the glaze tests out of the kiln yesterday and as usual I have some I think may have potential and others that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.  I decided to test the glazes and slips on forms that I have used in the past and could potentially use in the future.  Jason Stockman laughed at my "test tiles", because he said he had never seen anyone use such large pieces for glaze tests.  I can understand.  I used to make small test tiles that you see in ceramic books and studios, but felt that I was getting mixed results with just a little area of glaze on a test tile.  So, my solution was to create actual forms I may use within my work and test the glazes on them.  This way I have a better understanding of what I am getting with the glaze and how it flows on vertical surfaces over a larger surface.  I am doing more tests from the results I liked and will post those this week when I put them through the kiln.  The last picture is a gang mold I made in hopes to speed up my production with this particular form.

Creating a Sculpture

Today I worked on loading up the kiln for glaze tests and firing the kiln, I will unload it and post the results tomorrow.  I also worked on building a piece that I will create multiples, in order to create a larger sculpture from.  I'm debating the type of glazes to use on this form and hope the glaze tests will help me narrow down my options.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Using Molds to Create Sculpture/Screen Printing

It's been awhile since I last posted, so let me catch you up on things.  I made some molds to help me create multiple forms from which I can create different sculptural forms from just a few parts.  The other pictures show a sculptural form in which I plan on making multiples from to create a larger sculpture from. This semester I am taking a printmaking class in which I will be learning screen printing.  I hope to bring some of my designs onto my sculptures, by using this method using underglazes, in which I will be able to print onto slabs and then create my sculptural forms.  I guess I'll have to imagine the possibilities until I get to that point.  I'm also creating some cone 6 glazes, which I will be running tests this week.  I'll post the progress each day, since I'll be on spring break next week.

Another Sculpture for the Exchange

Here is a new sculpture that I just finished for the exchange and now I'm finishing up my third one for the assignment.  I'll post the image of that sculpture as soon as I complete it.  I'm also taking a print class this semester, so I can learn to screen-print on clay using underglazes.  I'll also be learning how to make my own decals, with the intention to incorporate the techniques into a couple of my sculptures this semester. I really like the form of this sculpture and will create molds for this, so I can slip-cast the parts and then assemble them.  I'll use the same cone 6 to cone 10 slip-cast formula I used previously to recreate multiples of this form in order to create a larger sculpture this semester.

Pictures of Work in Progress Spring 2011

Well I know I said I would have some new pictures a couple of days ago, but unfortunately I have lost my camera!  So now that I have taken some pics, I thought I would post them as soon as possible.  The first picture is of a new piece and the second picture is a part of another piece in progress.  I'll have to post a future picture of exactly how this second picture of the part works with the overall piece.  These pieces that I am working on are for the "exchange".  We will be trading the different works with the other grad students in ceramics on Tuesday, so I'll take some pictures of the works I receive that I'll have to finish the surfaces on, and post those next week.  Depending on the type of work and clay body used will help me determine what type of glazes I'll have to make next week, as well as test before committing to specific glazes.