Pots series 13 - A brush of oxide

For this series of small pots, I used a simple design: white background, brushed with pure oxides. I used cobalt for a solid blue and black iron for a rusty effect. I used a wide, synthetic rigid brush and applied a tiny amount of oxide on. For comparaison, I previously brushed a shiny black glaze on the same white glaze;  the colour is much more intense and deep using the pure oxide.
I also tried out an underglaze pencil (followed by a coat of transparent glaze).

Front, left: black iron / Back, left: cobalt / right: shiny black glaze

Underglaze black pencil

Pots series 12 - des p'tits trous...

My three last pots are a bit bigger than what I'm confortable with, and their shapes are not so refined.

I carved many gouges in one of them, and glazed it with light colours (blue slip, then 2 x transparent glaze with rutile). It is quite light weighted considering its size.

For the darker and heavier ones, 2 x T-Red inside and at the bottom half, 2 x Owen Blue on the top two thirds.

A week in Singapore

On our way back from Australia, we stayed a week in Singapore. We enjoyed the overlay of gardens and luxurious vegetation contrasting with the modern building towers, with ancient heavily decorated temples, and with new iconic architecture. A very successful mix!

Pots series 11 - Light vs Dark

A couple of small pots
(Shiny white x1 followed by a brush of shiny black)

I like the soft curves of this one
(2x Tenmoku, heavy trail of Owen blue)

And its pendant, with a straighter shape
(2x Tenmoku and a neater trail of Owen blue)

Pots series 10 - Big plates

This month I also did wide plates. It was difficult to glaze them, because they did not the buckets of glaze... I used two of them with one of my new favorite (because safely predictable) combination of grey and spotted green glazes. I experimented with four (and lost one in the process) by creating a marbling effect with black and white slip (liquid clay), and green and black slip. Interesting effect, but too much out of control for my taste! Lastly, I used two for spirals of Owen blue.

My plates, freshly thrown, and with different curves.

After glazing.

(2 x grey transparent, 2 x spotted green)

(black + white slip, 2x transparent inside, 2x shiny black outside - that is actually green)

(black + white slip, 2x transparent inside, 2x shiny black outside, iron oxide on the rim)

(black + green slip, 2x transparent inside, 2x shiny black outside)

(2x Tenmoku, trail of Owen blue)

(1x Tenmoku, splashes of Owen blue)

Pots series 9 - A teapot!

This month Freya challenged me with a teapot! The four parts (main body,  spout, handle and lid) were stitched together at the leather hard stage. It is pouring like a bubbly unpredictable fountain (by which I mean it's not a great pour). I glazed it in transparent, applying splashes of manganese with a toothbrush.

Freshly stitched together,
spare handles in the back.

A generous spout

I pierced a hole for the spout in the main body
with some sort of apple corer

This first teapot is for my mum!

The lid is fired in place on the main body so that they expand
or contract together; I had to hit them with a big stone
to separate them after the kiln firing.

The matching mug (2x transparent glaze)

Pots series 8 - Satisfying glazes

I've got really exciting pots this weekend: my tallest ever (still below 20cm high), and finally getting the hang on the Owen blue glaze !

Glossy grey x2, misty green x2, at an angle

A drizzle of Owen blue on top of 2x Tenmoku

I love the details of the Owen blue glaze dripping,
and reacting with the Tenmoku underneath

Geometric Moleskine

From Gelli prints