Friday 4 April 2014

beginnings

beginningbeginningsbeginningsbeginningsbeginningsbeginnings

I'm loving having my own pottery wheel here at home. Its been great to be able to practice whenever I get a chance, especially since my ceramics course has ended. I am still a complete beginner on the wheel and I feel like I need to put in the hours to change that. Its also been nice to have time and space to concentrate and learn.

I love throwing but it is maddeningly hard, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that opinion! One day I might have a good day and feel I've moved forward in my skills. But just as I feel I am starting to get the hang of it I will have a session like yesterday when I go back to feeling like a complete beginner and ruin every pot I attempt!

I haven't fired any of my pieces. I'm waiting to collect up a good batch to take to one of the local firing places. I kind of love them though in their greenware or unfired clay forms.

I'm enjoying playing around too with decoration techniques. From my readings there is almost a limitless range of ways to decorate your pots, and in my usual overly ambitious and enthusiastic style I am impatient to try as many as I can!

So far though I've only bought one glaze, a black underglaze. I bought it to play at mishima - incised and glazed pieces like this bird above. I haven't quite got it, My glaze seems to sponge out of the incised marks so the glazing is a bit faint, but I will keep trying. I think I need a wax resist to paint over the outside to protect the unglazed clay before I carve.

The spotty design was made with wet paper cutouts stuck to the clay and then painted over. Another experiment which needs more practice but I do love the dots.

The leaves and flowers are just painted, with the added details on the leaves scratched out later.

I'm sure you can see the flaws in my work, I can!

I wanted to share and document my beginnings here though, in case any of you were interested in ceramics or having a go yourself, but also to have a record of this fun creative journey.

9 comments :

  1. I love them, love the shapes of them all.

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  2. I love the dot one especially, I used to hand coil bowls and have always wanted to get able to use a wheel but think I will have to wait until I retire to get enough time for a new hobbie! Part of the fun is the surprises that come out of the kiln for me, sometimes the effect not what you planned but lovely all the same.

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  3. They just look so AWESOME Susie!!! Love your creations especially the spotty one... I am rather partial to spots! I can't see any flaws... and if I could they would be beautiful handmade ones!!! :)

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  4. I'm really impressed by you're work with ceramics, it's awesome! Congratulations!
    I've always loved hand made ceramics and it unique aspect. I can't
    see any flaws, and the decoration experiments are incredible too.
    Make me want to try one day.

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  5. So great to see all of this as you go along! I absolutely love the leaves.

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  6. These pieces don't look like a beginner's at all, they are beautiful! You are clearly a natural.

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  7. They're lovely Susie, and despite what you say they look really professional to me. I'm surprised you can hold yourself back from getting some fired and using them! I especially love the leaf design

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  8. they're so beautiful, you're a natural x

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  9. Wow Susie! What a lovely craft to explore. These look great, I particularly love the leaf bowl. I can imagine it would be so satisfying and soul-filling too. I found this link on Pinterest a while ago, it gave me tingles down my spine, its so serene. Thought you might like it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/159314905539349722/
    x Alisa

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Thank you for dropping by and commenting :-)