I spent quite a bit of time glaze testing this week. Overall I am optimistic about this approach. I believe the things that did not turn out as planned can be modified and improved upon. These colors were achieved by mixing mason stains with low-fire clear. I fired these pieces to cone 7, per the recommendation of Ms. Ashley. I am really a fan of the colors she has achieved on some of her pieces, such as her owl and mushroom cups, guns, and lemons. Some of the colors I was most excited about did not come out as I would have liked, and many of the colors changed more than expected during firing, however most of the colors are nice. The goldenrod color I mixed did not turn out well (some of the detail areas on the big owl and mug to the left) and the pink is white (Miss Piggy mug). I am most disappointed with the pink. And there were two colors I mixed that appeared to be shades of purple/fuschia (which is my favorite color), but they turned pretty dark blue in the kiln (ie the body of the owl mug on the right). I am hoping that adding some mason stain to the pink and goldenrod might brighten them up and adding some more clear glaze to the blues might lighten them up a little. My next plan is to order some gold luster and perhaps some bright pink and/or fuschiay-raspberry colors. Pretty!! I think some luster would be wonderful on the big owl.
My first animal stack was a smashing success. The peacock looks really dark in the photos, but it looks better in person. Perhaps that glaze could use some thinning out. It is very opaque. Some of the detail on the animals is done with underglaze, and some with my mason stain glazes. The pinks on the cats is underglaze. I like both. There was a little bit of running in the details that were done with the stained glaze (such as the deer) but I am not opposed to the way it looks. I glazed some of the animals with painstaking detail, and others with just a flat, solid coat. I was undecided if I wanted to drip glaze over the whole thing once I assembled it. I did not, but there was a little natural running, which I like. I also glazed a few of the little animals with cone 6 glazes. I like the variety. I included several before and after photos. The patty was stuck to it pretty good, but miraculously I managed to get it off without destroying the piece. I spent some time today going at the bottom with a Dremmel cleaning it up. I thought this test was going to be a disaster, but I really like it. I fully expected to open the kiln and find that all the animals had slid and stuck everywhere. There seem to be a couple places where there might have been some shift, but only a few centimeters. I think this is going to work! Now I just have to wait for the base to dry (as well as make some more bases), bisque it, then fire on the animals. I hope to get the base bisqued and a bunch of little animals glazed this week.
I purchased my first knitting needle and skeens of yarn this weekend. Adrienne said we have to love our yarn. If we don't like our yarn, we will think we hate knitting, but really it is that we hate our yarn..Well, I am in love with my yarn. They are the most delightful shades of fuschiay purple and tealy turquoise. My dilemma now is going to be deciding which to use first... and which to use for the scarf and which for the hat. Perhaps I will have enough to make one of each with each. I officially start learning to knit tomorrow. Unfortunately the knitting club meeting is at the same time as the Dirt Bags meeting. I hope this isn't always the case. I hope I am good at knitting and I pick up on it fairly quickly. I am afraid if I suck at first I will get frustrated and give up, as I am known to do. Generally if I am not good at something from the start I don't like it and never want to do it again. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming.
Yay for arts and crafts.
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