Project aims - With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that the aims on my self-initiated mini 'learning agreement' were not realistic for a six week project. Not only was it unrealistic in terms of time available, I had decided to both explore unglazed clay, and complete a series of bulb forms, either aim could easily have kept me occupied for six weeks.
My first aim to explore unglazed clay was a good idea. I like work that shows the quality of the clay and natural colours, so this tied into the making element of my longer term project. it also meant I had freed myself from the need to produce output, and was able to be curious about making processes. The freedom to test new processes and materials, and to read widely was very liberating. In the early stages of the project, I loved researching and trying new things, and learnt a lot about materials, techniques, mould making and ceramic artists.
Unfortunately, I added the second aim of completing bulb like forms, even though I had intended to take a more enquiring approach. As time progressed and other students were producing pots, I switched more to making bulbs, and ended up worrying about the time left to complete them. I had a conversation with Rob about the conflicting aims in the last week that was very helpful. In fact I think he had flagged up the problem earlier when the solid form, and then the mould, wouldn’t dry quickly enough; basically I needed to change my learning agreement. I thought that was 'cheating', and just tried to add extra days in the workshop. The penny only dropped when my pots missed a bisque firing, and a week was lost to my plan. Going forward I need to more clearly define my objectives and set a realistic timescale with a contingency for delays. I also need to be more flexible, and make changes when it is the right thing to do. On a positive note, having freedom to explore meant I had a lot of energy and momentum to research new processes and materials, and I feel much more confident mixing and applying glazes.
Ten things I learned from this project.
1. I made a solid form, and cast it in plaster. I had not cast a non-symmetrical form before, it was not easy, but was great once dried and ready. I also learned how to mark up a plaster form for carving, and that work is continuing.
2. I mixed up a new white slip and a black oxide blend, both of which tested well. The white slip was used on the saggar fired pot, above, and gave a much whiter colour than the porcelain slip in stock. This was successful. I have other recipes for slip to try.
3. I mixed a white and a black earthenware glaze, initial tests led to a recipe modification to increase the opacity of the white glaze. The black had a dark blue tinge, but this was quite pleasant. The modification did make the white glaze more opaque as desired. Unfortunately on the third test the black stain appears to have caused pink staining on the test pieces. I have mixed more base glaze to do a fourth test with a Dave Binns black stain.
4. I made a ceramic ink, several tests were not promising and changes were made to increase colour and flow, with little effect. In the last week, just as I was giving up on the ink it crawled and re-formed itself to an interesting effect. Dave observed the recipe was more like a glaze, so I then tested it on a tile with the white earthenware glaze, both under and over white, this worked out great. Geoff Wilcock said he thought the bubbling effect was caused by the addition of the sodium silicate. I have applied the ink under a white earthen ware glaze on a tulip bulb piece, this is awaiting firing as there is not enough earthenware, so fingers crossed that it will go well.
5. Slips. I decided to try a number of slip techniques whilst I was waiting for the mould to dry (see separate post). I liked the inlays, lamination and applique techniques, as well as the carving and flooding. These methods present challenges on surfaces that are not flat, particularly inlays on press moulded bulb like forms. I have a bisque-fired black bulb vase with white inlay awaiting firing to stoneware.
6. Spray booth. I loved learning how to use this equipment, and will use it many times in the future. I liked the sprayed slips and glazes, but have still not quite mastered how best to secure resists. I have bought some wide and narrow masking tape and will persevere with this, as I think I will use resists with slips or glazes again.
7. The saggar firing showed some promise, I think the sand may have been disturbed when transferring from the slip room to the kiln, as there was a lot of white on the front of the piece. I have not yet waxed this piece, and hope this will make the blacks appear darker.
8. Ceramic artists. Jane Perryman’s book Naked Clay was a great introduction to a range of artists. I liked work by Gunhild Aaberg, David Roberts, Violette Fassbaender and Susan Nemeth. I also liked John Leach’s Black Mood saggar fired pots. I don’t intend to switch to thrown pots, but I like the possibility of creating a more natural black and white surface. His method of saggar firing might allow me to focus on form and texture, whilst hopefully obtaining a monochromatic unglazed surface. I almost forgot to mention the fabulous James Tower – thank you Dave, leaving the best to last. I am looking forward to meeting the curator and seeing the three James Tower pots in the Harris archive soon.
(Artist Research - See Pinterest - ttps://www.pinterest.co.uk/madelinemwynne/unglazed-clay/)
9. Clay. I used white and black grogged clays from Valentines and Potclays respectively, Valentines crank and reclaim for test tiles. A test showing Valentines black versus Potclays Vulcan did not show a noticeable difference in colour, but it was only a small test and the Vulcan piece with white inlay is awaiting stoneware firing. Results to be seen and evaluated.
10. The tulip form. I wanted a simple form for this project to allow me to focus on colour without glaze. I had an idea that I would need to choose either man made or natural forms at some point. and chose a natural form as I didn’t yet want to give up natural forms forever. Having made a simple natural form, I realised that I had another sketch in my book that I preferred, but I had discarded it as insufficiently ‘natural’, and because I had a plan. Dave liked it too, and I now have a plaster block marked up and ready for carving.
I also need to work on my illogical thinking – probably more than a six week project.
Summary and links to my main project
I did not intend this to be a starting point for my main project, I thought it was a time to try things out and explore making, free from the need to produce output. Having said that, I have never really liked using stock glazes before, so ‘unglazed clay’ was deliberately chosen with my main project in mind. Even perfectly nice stock glazes at college last year, were not what I would have chosen for my own work.
I liked the effect of the inlays and lamination and they are still possibilities. I like the idea of using the spray booth for applying a surface finish as it is clean and crisp. I am keen to see the results of the black clay tests and pot, as coloured clay is still an option. I like the random effect of the saggar firing. I like a minimalist restricted palette of colours so black and white are likely to appear going forward, (but maybe with a splash of a third colour somewhere). However after the glaze session, reading Greg Daly, and finding out how easy it is to find and try glazes that I like, there is more research to be done on glazes. I actually liked making glazes, and now I think I might be able to get the colours I want. Oxides will no doubt be back. I still want to focus on form for my main project. I haven’t discarded any artists from my likes and dislikes, although I would add James Tower to the ' Likes' category.
Commenti