All of these little white bowls and cups await attention as my glaze investigations continue. Attempting to etch lines in bisqueware, fill it with a grey underglaze and dip in a satin white glaze, unfortunately those beautiful etched lines are obscured by the opacity of the glaze. Other ideas include mixing some of the white and some clear glaze to get something more translucent or attempting a black underglaze instead. Another route would be to use a very fine squirrel or deer hair brush over the white glaze. There is some deer hair somewhere in my studio waiting to be unearthed and made into brushes, but the place to look escapes me just now.
I'm saving these two pieces shown last week, now bisqued, till I figure out my method. Any suggestions? 
Today also found me a bit irritable after finding several of my white pieces splashed with black glaze. It was of course an unfortunate accident, but still . . . uggh. Wiped and then scrubbed them off, just hope it won't show up later, especially if I go with a clear glaze. Perhaps I'll take the hint and splash a few intentionally.
This little accident of someone's errant pencil line pleased me though.
This cup carries that lovely white glaze. This glaze is one I had been hoping for all semester and finally saw someone else's piece with it, the glaze bucket is a bit hidden. It's white but the texture is skin. Other than the glaze, it's not a favorite, being too bottom heavy and having a slightly awkward silhouette. Still I proudly brought it home, filled it with water, promptly dropped it and chipped the lip. Some days are just like that.
7 comments:
Love the shots of your beautiful bowls. And that pencil line is a perfect accident!
i love this post of yours, the thinking outloud, the photos. it seems like you are drawing out the first lines of continents on an immaculate world--each pot a world.
loved the comment on my blog--you understood. thanks.
hello seth! thank you, I love fortuitous accidents.
mansuetude- I've actually been thinking about maps quite a bit lately, recently acquired some old topography maps. . .such beautiful lines. Your entry touched me immediately and with force I had to pipe in. Plus I just watched Across the Universe again.
Erin, your work is so pure and strong, I really love it!
And old topography maps - that´s something...
hi erin, it's been a really long time since I worked in clay....and I don't know what I'm talking about at all...But have you tried using an iron oxide to bring out the etched lines? Or some type of oxide? I can't remember what the process is anymore.
Ooh, I just had another idea...What if you used a wax resist on the etched line before you glaze with the white? I did that for a piece once and it worked well...although your etched line is so fine, that I'm not sure if that would work.
Anyway, my thoughts are probably total garbage as it's been years since I worked in clay. but thought I'd throw it out there. :)
Oh, this post is fabulous! These pieces are so exquisite, so fragile and textured; very sensuous. I like the idea that some are flawed - it's what makes them so unique.
thank you all so much for your encouragement and sweet words.
andrea, I'm planning a 30 mile hike in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina, beautiful mountains, with a beautiful map involved as well. Those lines will surely show up somewhere.
bridgette,
your thoughts are far from garbage and give wonderful leads of things to try. I had noted that though the white obscured the drawing a bit of rust color showed through, I figured it was iron oxide in the the glaze, but hadn't though about taking advantage of it, and I'll have to attempt the wax resist as well. The studio just opened again after spring semester so I'll be able to experiment some more.
mary-laure, I wish you could touch that glaze, it's as inviting as it seems.
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