Today I finished shaping and smoothing this piece. It needs to dry out a bit and I will then start to work on the detail. I love it when the clay is at this stage, shiny and malleable and strong.
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The clay is still very movable.
14th August 2017Today I have been manipulating the shape and smoothing the surface. I will do more tomorrow because as it dries it emphasises any undulations in the form. I might slightly increase the diameter of the dip, I’m pondering….
Joining it all together.
12th August 2017I placed the small bowl form onto the structure inside this piece, hoping it is the right height, as it’s not that easy to remove it without distorting it. I make a final coil, to fit the gap and join it by feeling my way round the inside. I seem to do this with […]
Helping out.
3rd August 2017Today it was lovely to have a helper who is a complete perfectionist! I can’t imagine where she gets it from!
All Day Long!
1st August 2017🎼Just keep coilin’, coilin’, coilin’……… 🎼Just keep coilin’, all day long.
“Littleuns”
29th July 2017Today I Started to make a bee drinker for a courtyard garden. I couldn’t do much as the clay was quite wet so I also formed some pinch pots and joined them together to make some small spherical pieces. I left them in the sunshine for an hour and then shaped them with […]
In the nick of time!
21st July 2017Today was my last day of working, without trying to entertain the children at the same time! I am so glad to have managed to complete this one in time. Rolling it over. Colouring the rest of the surface with slip. Last bit.
Almost finished.
20th July 2017I have not been able to work on this piece as much as I would like recently, which means it is drier and harder for me to manage. Today I have now completed the surface detail and am working on the base. I turned it over this morning and smoothed the rather too dry […]
Shaping the surface.
13th July 2017I thought I’d wait a few days and then the making and shaping process is more obvious to see. Smoothing the clay with my fingers. Smoothing and moving the clay with a steel kidney, to even out the surface. Changing the shape by tapping the surface with a wooden bat. Finally rocking […]
Refining the surface.
3rd July 2017This piece has sat for 40 hours and is now dry and stable enough to work on the surface. I gradually work around the surface smoothing the clay with my thumbs,being careful not to trap any air beneath the clay surface. Almost done… my fingers are a bit sore!