Archive for December, 2005

Lacework

You have no doubt seen many figurines adorned with delicate lace or net and perhaps you have wondered how such intricate detail was possible on a relatively simple cast piece. The answer is that this type of detailed ornamentation is not produced in the mold but is added after the piece has been cast, by means of cotton lace dipped in a dense slip such as porcelain.

First, carefully measure the amount of lace to be used. Soak the lace in porcelain slip for about fifteen minutes, then spread it on your hand and pat out the excess slip. It is important that no slip remains in the openings of the lace. Fasten the lace to the figure with slip, making small folds, and drape the lace with a pointed modeling tool into the desired folds. If any slip still remains in the holes, punch the holes with a needle.

Then bisque fire the piece. During the firing the cotton lace will burn out, leaving the lace pattern in clay. Bisque lace is extremely fragile and must be handled with the utmost care. Since glaze will add strength to the lace it is a good idea to spray a light coat of clear glaze on the lace before bisque firing. Most ceramic lace is decorated with overglaze colors because of the difficulty in handling bisque lace.

Wax resist carving

It is possible to obtain a carved effect by means of a wax resist method. The design is painted on the piece with parrafin or any of the various wax resist materials available. After the wax has set, the background is worn down with a wet sponge, going right over the wax. The wax will not be affected by the sponging and the decoration will remain raised as though carved. The main advantage to this type of “carving” (aside from the obvious fact that it is easier) is that a more spontaneous design is possible than actual carving permits.

When using the commercial wax resist materials, you will have to watch carefully to detect any signs that the wax is wearing away under the sponging. In the event of such a deterioration, apply another coat of wax before continuing with the sponging. Because many commercial wax emulsions tend to wear away, parrafln is safer to use as it will withstand more rubbing. The parrafin should be heated until it is very hot, then used immediately while it is still in a thin liquid stage. SPRIG DECORATION

Another way of decorating clay is by means of a raised decoration applied to the piece. The decoration is formed by pressing clay into a small press mold (see Chapter III). Then remove it carefully from the mold, moisten the back with slip and fasten it to the piece. Interesting effects are possible by using two clays of contrasting color. However, you must be certain that both clays have the same degree of shrinkage.

Otherwise, the decoration may crack off during firing or even before. To eliminate the possibility of cracking, use the same clay body for the decoration and the piece, but add a colorant to one. This “Wedgwood” effect can also be produced in the mold with colored slips (see Chapter X )

Pierced decoration

Carving a decoration in clay can be carried one step further to produce pierced ware. Rather than merely cutting the background away to leave the design in low relief, cut the background entirely out. This, however, is quite an elaborate type of decoration and it is obviously unsuitable for any ware that is to contain liquids.

When planning a design for pierced ware, avoid large or numerous openings that might weaken the piece itself. The remaining portions of the design must be modeled slightly, of course, as with the relief type of decora-

Illustration 54
This fine example of lacework was created by soaking cotton lace in porcelain slip, fastening it to the figure with more slip, and folding and draping it with a pointed modeling tool. During the bisque firing, the lace burns out. (Courtesy of Florence Cox.)

tion. Sometimes pierced ware is covered with an extremely fluid glaze which, when fired, flows into the openings and produces an effect of glass windows in the finished piece.

Incising

Interesting decorations can be made by incising the clay with a pointed tool. Forks, combs, sticks, almost anything can be used to incise a design or pattern. Even a rope wrapped around a damp cylindrical piece will imprint a unique design. Coins pressed into wet clay will create a pleasing all-over design and novelty jewelry, too, can be used for pressing unusual designs into the clay. Experiment with various objects and you will be surprised at the number of different effects you can obtain. (See Appendix.)

Carving

Very handsome sculptural effects can be produced by carving a design into the clay piece. This should be done when the clay is in a leather hard stage. Draw the design on paper and transfer it to the piece or draw it freehand directly on the piece. Then, using a wire loop tool, cut away the background to a depth of about % of an inch and finish modeling the design. Any piece that is to be decorated in this manner must have fairly thick walls to allow room for carving. Be

Illustration 53
A dishcloth dipped in slip and placed on the damp piece produced this novel textured effect. ( Courtesy of Florence Cox.)

careful not to become so involved with the carving process that the decoration overwhelms the piece.

Although we tend to think of ceramic decoration in terms of applying a colored design, whether with underglaze paints, engobes, glazes or overglaze paints, interesting decoration can be achieved by varying the texture of the clay itself. When the clay piece is in a leather hard stage it can be carved, incised, or pressed in numerous ways with the simplest of tools. Decoration of this type is particularly attractive on large, hand-formed pieces, but smaller cast pieces can also be treated effectively in this manner.

Simple textured effects

Often a textured surface is sufficient decoration for a clay piece. This does not involve incising or carving a design nor, in fact, does it actually involve a design in the usual sense. A flat piece may be textured by placing a coarsely woven cloth (a dishcloth will provide an interesting texture) on it and pressing the cloth into the clay surface. Both the clay and the cloth should be damp for best results. Make sure that the piece is well supported so that it does not collapse under the pressure.

A textured surface can also be achieved by adding grog to the clay before the piece is formed. For textural effects on cast ware see Chapter X, “Decorating in the Mold.”

Cylindrical or round pieces may be textured by “spinning” them. In order to spin a piece, the clay must be damp enough to take an imprint. Center the piece on a banding wheel or a record player. (If you use a record player, stack enough records to provide a level surface on which to place the piece.) It is a good idea to anchor the piece with small wads of clay. Otherwise, unless the piece is very heavy, it may slide off when it spins. Start the wheel or record player moving at a medium-fast speed. While it is in motion, place a damp sponge in the center (or top) of the piece and move the sponge slowly toward you. As the piece revolves, the sponge will leave spinning marks. Remember that both the sponge and the clay must be damp for this technique and remember, too, to keep the sponge moving in a straight line. (Do not submit to the irresistible, but ruinous, urge to revolve the sponge along with the wheel or player.) A spun texture is similar in some respects to a hand-thrown piece. However, do not try to fool anyone into believing that your piece is hand thrown if it is not. In the first place, this is unworthy of a good ceramist and, secondly, you will not be fooling anyone. Hand-thrown pieces possess a quality that is unmistakable and cannot be duplicated by the mere presence of spinning marks on the surface.

For the many ceramists who produce more than one ceramic piece of a kind, the amount of work involved must be a major consideration. Naturally, the more pieces you plan to produce, the simpler should be your decoration and your decorating technique. You will have to eliminate all decoration requiring intricate detail and you should take care to choose a technique that is simple enough to reproduce in quantity, yet effective enough to be interesting.

We will discuss the subject of studio production at greater length in Chapter XVII, but if you are engaged in a limited form of production, such as Christmas gifts, it is a good idea to keep in mind the amount of work involved or you may find yourself sitting up with the kiln on Christmas Eve.

Illustration 52
A small test kiln is handy for experimenting with color combinations. With it, you can make many tests in a short time. Keep a record of all your tests so you can duplicate the colors you create.

Color

It is obvious that your choice of color will be an important factor in the effectiveness of your ceramic piece. While color is largely a matter of individual taste, there are a few sound rules that should be considered when planning a color scheme. Probably the most essential rule to remember concerning good color one which, in fact, applies to all phases of decoration-is simplicity. Why use twenty colors when three or four will do and do much better? The most effective color is that which is used sparingly and with intelligence. This is basically true in every field requiring the use of color, whether it be interior decoration, painting, ceramics, enameling or any of the many other related arts and crafts.

Avoid the overly bright colors, except as an occasional accent, for although they may be eye catchers when seen in the pages of a magazine, actually they will not wear well. Brilliant colors become very tiring in time, a fact which you may test easily. Simply make two ceramic pieces of the same design but decorate one piece with vivid colors and the other with subdued colors. Place both pieces in a spot where they can be seen every day. After a few months, chances are, you will become extremely bored with the overly bright piece, without being aware of the reason why. You will find that the softer, more restrained colors remain pleasing for a

Illustration 31
This simple decoration emphasizes the shape of the ceramic piece.

much longer time. In fact, they often become more attractive over a period of time, because they leave something to the imagination. The effect of the piece did not overwhelm you at first sight, leaving nothing more to discover.

As to color combinations, this is largely a matter of balance. A simple rule to follow here is to balance warm colors with cool- the warm reds, yellows, oranges, browns, pinks and maroons as opposed to the cool blues, greens, blue-greens, turquoises and some grays. If you use two cool colors, you should balance them with at least one warm color, and vice versa. Stay away from reds and yellows as prominent parts of your color scheme. They will be much more effective if used as small accents. Yellow, in particular, tends to dominate almost any color scheme and often lends a certain amount of crudeness to an otherwise tasteful decoration. You will have much better results by using the browns and red-browns for large areas of warm color.

Try to make use of as many off shades of color as possible. Rather than using the bright greens and hard blues, steer towards the blue-greens, gray-greens, gray-blues, etc. Adding a very small amount of brown to your blues and greens will soften them considerably, giving depth and richness to the color scheme. A few carefully placed accents of black and white, while not technically considered colors, will add sparkle to almost any decoration. It is usually a good idea to understate or subdue the main colors and depend upon accents for the crispness and vitality necessary for the success of your ceramic piece.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different shades of color and color combinations. Fabrics, wallpaper, home interiors and nature itself provide an endless source of inspiration for the ceramist eager for new ideas. Make small tests of any new colors and be sure to keep a record of your tests or you may be placed in the frustrating position of having created the perfect color once with only the foggiest notion of how to create it again. This is a great waste of time as well as a great annoyance. For any such tests, a small test kiln is a wonderful asset. These kilns have a tiny firing chamber and can reach a cone 06 temperature in about a half an hour, enabling you to make many tests in a short period of time. Save all of your scraps of broken green ware and put them to good use for testing purposes. (They will also come in handy if you are planning to make small jewelry pieces.)

Most professional artists and ceramists will agree that the time spent in careful planning is time well spent. Many a good technique has been wasted on a poorly or sloppily planned decoration. The best way to avoid this eventuality is to plan your decoration on paper first.

Draw the shape of the piece, exact size if possible, on Bristol board which is available at almost any art store in handy student pads (approximately 11″ x 14″) or in large sheets. Bristol board is recommended because it is stiffer and heavier than ordinary paper and is, therefore, easier to handle for filing purposes. Incidentally, never throw away any of your drawings! Good ideas are like money hard to come by and easy to go so keep a file of your drawings for future reference.

After the basic shape has been drawn, take a piece of heavy tracing paper, place it over the drawing and play around with design ideas. This is a very important step and you should take plenty of time and paper. Don’t concern yourself with details at this stage of your planning. Your main concern should be with the general structure of the design and its relation to the shape of the piece. When you have roughly evolved the best possible decoration, work out the details and transfer the design to the Bristol board drawing.

If you have not already done so, the next step is to decide on your decorating technique and then on your colors. Try various color schemes on tracing paper placed over the drawing, using water colors, tempera or colored pencils. Here again, take your time until you are satisfied with a color scheme. Then apply the colors you have chosen to the Bristol board drawing. If you are planning to use a spatter or sponge technique, now is the time to try it. Wherever possible, try out your technique on paper first; it is much easier and cheaper to throw away paper than clay.

Planning on paper will give you more freedom in your decorating and the chance to experiment with colors and ideas that you might be afraid to try on the ceramic piece. Don’t be timid in your experimenting you have nothing to lose but paper and a great deal to gain.

While consideration of the shape and size of the piece is of paramount importance in the planning of any decoration, almost as important is the choice of a decorating technique; in fact, they should be considered

together. If, for example, you have decided on a fairly intricate decoration, you must choose a method of decorating that will lend itself most effectively to this type of design. For instance, it would be impractical to execute an involved design by means of colored glazes, since glaze decorating is best suited to a broad, simple type of decoration.

The choice of design and the method of decorating are so closely connected that you can reverse your thinking by first choosing a decorating technique and then planning a design suitable to the technique (and, of course, to the shape of the piece). Perhaps you have always wanted to try a sgraffito decoration. In that case, you should plan a design consisting mainly of lines, avoiding those designs which involve large solid areas. This does not mean that you cannot sgraffito large areas, but since sgraffito is essentially a line technique, it seems foolish not to show both the design and the technique to best advantage. If you feel that an engobe decoration would be effective on your piece, do not attempt a fussy design because the nature of this technique is such that it requires a bold, simple treatment.

As you progress with your decorating, trying various techniques and becoming more familiar with their possibilities and limitations, you will find it natural and easy to plan both the design and technique together.

Keep the purpose of the piece in mind

Another point to remember when planning a decoration is the purpose for which the piece is intended. Any piece that has been crackle glazed and then stained with a non-ceramic color is obviously unsuitable for use as a food container since the stain is not permanent as a fired ceramic color is and it may wear off in time. Also, a piece that has been glazed with a crackle glaze, whether stained or not, is porous and cannot be used to hold liquid unless a non-crackle glaze is applied to the inner or the outer wall of the piece, rendering it waterproof, or unless the clay body itself is vitreous, as in the case of porcelain or stoneware.

If your piece is one which will receive a good deal of handling and washing (ash trays, dishes, etc.), avoid decorations consisting of unglazed lines or areas. Such pieces accumulate dirt and dust easily and are difficult to clean. Bisque pieces or pieces with bisque areas are more practical in the form of lamps, vases (if the inside wall is glazed to make the vase waterproof) or decorative figurines which receive a comparatively small amount of handling.

When planning your decoration, consider first the general shape of the piece. If the piece is round you cannot, with any success, apply the same decoration you would use on a tall vase, and a design appropriate to a small, square box would scarcely fit a large free-form ash tray. Examine the piece carefully and from various angles (many pieces appear quite different when viewed above

Illustration 46
A border decoration is used successfully in the center of the plate.

Illustration 47
A square motif is interesting on a round plate.
Always keep the shape of your piece in mind when planning a decoration.

and below eye level). Study the shape until you have the over-all effect clearly established in your mind.

As soon as you become accustomed to thinking in terms of shapes you will unconsciously associate certain types of decoration with certain basic shapes and, at the same time, reject the obviously unsuitable motifs. You will discover, for instance, that borders of almost any kind can be very effective on round plates, that stripes are practically infallible on tall vases and can be varied in endless ways, and that those odd-shaped, hard-to-decorate pieces usually lend themselves nicely to a small all-over pattern. When you begin to regard the decoration as an integral part of the piece, rather than as a thing apart, your design will fall into place with greater ease and effectiveness. You will learn to use .small fillers freely; stars, leaf sprays, snowflakes and wavy lines can balance a design and help it to flow with the lines of the piece. (See Appendix.)

Don’t be stubborn in your decorating! Don’t hang on to a cherished design with the grim determination to force it to fit the piece. This is foolish and a waste of time.

Illustration 48
A bold, simple design is best for a glaze decoration. (Courtesy of Isabel Podeswa.)

If, for all your gnashing of teeth, the design refuses to fit as it is, either have the courage to junk it or try rearranging the design. Add fillers where needed or eliminate parts of the design; you will find that most designs can be made adaptable with a few changes. Above all, don’t sacrifice the over-all effect because you are fond of a particular design. Remember to regard your decorating as a means of bringing the ceramic piece to life and not as an end in itself.