Thursday 7 February 2008

Slip and clay



Did a lot of slipping today. It's the maker's priviledge to see pots at all the different stages so it's wonderful that the technology exists here to share the elements of the process with the big wide world. I like pots at this stage because it's a sneak preview of what they're going to be like when they're shiny, particularly when marks on the surface and the texture of the clay, break through.

Michael Kline was asking me about my clay body, so here's a photo. The clay on the left is Exeter brick clay which is a very coarse body, unthrowable on its own. I knead this together, one part brick clay to two parts smooth Valentines clay, the smooth clay is the one in the middle. The clay on the right is the resultant blend. I own a pugmill but it's 415volts and I only have a 240volts supply so I do all my kneading and blending by hand. I hope I can sell enough pots to afford to get the pug sorted out this summer, although with all this kneading, I'm getting some really good muscles!

2 comments:

Ron said...

I was wondering how you'd slip that triple dish. Did you pour it over? My new pots got a good reception tonight at the opening. Sold several.

doug Fitch said...

That's good news, well done, what did you sell?
To slip the triple dish, I filled each dish, tipped them out, then held it upside down and dipped it. I like the fingermarks that are left, they more or less cover over and just remain as slightly thinner slip which makes the surface interesting when glazed.