Thursday, October 27, 2022

ORPG HANDBUILDING - FALL 2022 - General Outline for the Six Weeks

 


                                                                  Layering of Glazes







Waiting for the loading and firing
Glazed Class Projects
Preparing Samples: Based on one clear cone 6 base (Oxides: Cobalt, Chrome, Red Iron Oxide, Copper Carbonate, Rutile).

Colour Blends

Pouring
Dipping

Final Glaze Firing 
T
he class used several strategies for the final surface treatments of their projects. Some used the bright colours of underglazes along with a clear glaze. Others opted for the glazes available at the guild. Finally, some used commercial glazes. It really depended on their sensibilities and trying to materialize what is seen and felt by the maker.




Bisqued Plates and pots using transfer printing





Strategies for coil building
Week 6: Glaze Firing

Discussion: Firing  (electric, wood, atmospheric) and its effects. A PDF will be sent out on this.
Coil sculpture continued.
Everything but the coil project should be dry enough for firing. 

 In preparation for a glaze firing, you will be glazing some works in class. I have already bisqued many of your pieces so don't panic.
* We will be mainly using the clear glaze. This will be applied over your bisqued pieces by the pouring method.
* Other colours in the guild's glaze collection may also be used.
* Whatever is not finished for a glaze tonight, arrangements will have to be made with me for an extra session. 
* Some of you were asking about membership last week and this is the person to contact: Donna Schenher  - donna.schenher@gmail.com or check the website OldmanRiverPottersGuild@gmail.com

* There will likely be another Handbuilding class starting around mid-February, so you may continue some work at this time. Let me know so that your name can go on a list for first announcements.















Week 5: Simple Glazing and Sealing
Discussion
pdf has been sent out entitled "Glaze Info". We will be going through glaze theory that Thursday, Nov.3, 2022.
- key parts of a glaze
- decontructing glossy and matte; proportional relationships of silica to alumina
- colour additives: traditional oxides and Mason Stains
- what are encapsulated pigments
- a brief historical background to sealing clay (watertight to dishwasher safe).

Continue working on projects. 
Project: Transfer printed Plates - trim and add lip/feet - finish to dry.
New work: Start a coil sculpture/vessel on three legs (Candlabra or Tree of Life) - start by extruding coils and make a 3 part base lke a clover leaf.






Week 4: Transfer Printing onto a roundish/squarish plate (we are using Hump molds)

Above: Transfer Painting on Newsprint

Discussion: Draw out a simple design in the shape of your plate
Preparing the transfer: Using newsprint we will paint our design, cover it with slip and transfer this to the plate.
Technical: We will make coils on the extruder. These are added for a finer edge on plates. We will also use a coil to form a a foot on project 3 if its not too dry.
Drying: Tight wrap to looser wrap in week 2/3 - works from week 1 & 2 should be dry enough for firing (bisque fire).

White Slip for Transfer Process
Slips are very versatile and can be fired at almost any temperature. I am posting a few here that are very versatile:

All Purpose White Slip (Jason B Burnett, Pottery Mking, 2022 Sept/Oct.) Cone 04-10

Ferro Frit 3124  19.2%
EPK Kaolin  27%
OM4 Ball Clay  27%
Silica  21.$%
Zircopax  5.4%
= 100%
________
Add Mason stains up to 10%

Base Slip (Sunshine Cobb, Handbldg.)Cone 04-9

Kaolin  34%
Ball Clay  20%
Potash Feldspar 27%
Flint  19%
= 100%

   Zircopax  8%
Soda Ash  0.25%
Sodium Silicate  0.25%
Add Mason stains up to 10%

White Base Slip
(Robin Hopper, in Ceramic Spectrum) cone 04-12
Ball clay 75%
Kaolin 10%
Silica 10%
Feldspar 5%
=100%

(at cone 2 or lower it may cause the glaze to craze). 
Add Mason stains up to 10%










Week 3: Decorated Container - Moving Towards Complex Forms




Discussion: Using Darts to Alter the Form
A simple template design is given curves and movement through darting.Thinking of Surface Decoration from the start by impressing the surface with stamps, rollers, textyre plates. Adding textured cutout shapes over the base plane.
Technical: Demo on the slab roller usage.
Drying: Tight wrap to looser wrap in week 2/3.






Week 2: Tulippiere (Flower Vase) - Moving Towards Complex Forms


    Project: Tulippiere - Five Part Form


Discussion: Putting together multiple templates
The template as a deconstruction of various circles.
Our tulippiere: base, mug body (shortened a bit), shoulder, lip 
Thinking of Surface Decoration from the start: texturing of some parts before cutting of template, addition of spheres, slip dots and underglaze. Subtracting circles (using circular cutters) or geometric shapes.
Drying: Tight wrap to looser wrap in week 2/3

Week 1: Introduction
Week 1: Making a Mug 

Discussion: The Template
Where can we source a mug template and what is it based on?
Making Handles
Preparing the Clay - pounding, rolling, compressing & smoothing the surface
Clay readiness: soft slab and hard slab
Preparing for bisque firing: finishing details, cleaning surface, applying 3 Underglaze colours
Drying: Tight wrap to looser wrap in week 2/3