pottery making may14 poi0514d

8/17/2019 Pottery Making May14 Poi0514d

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Your Resource for Ceramic Techniques

May/June 2014


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3/52PotteryMaking Illustrated | May/June 2014 1

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4/52PotteryMaking Illustrated | May/June 20142

powerful

tough

innovative

smooth

value

to see video of Steven discussing the ergonomics of throwing.

“Some days I’m standing up, some day

I’m sitting down when I throw. So being

able to adjust the height of the legs in

nuanced ways is a real advantage...

I also love the large aluminum built-

in splash pan. It gives me something

very stable to lean my body into as I’m

throwing. It gives me extra stability and

a little extra strength.”

Steven Hill

Visit skutt.com/video/hill



44

On the Cover Ben Krupka’s jar, 9 in. (23 cm) in height, por-celain, slips, glazes, fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln, 2014.

InsideMay/June 2014 Volume 17 Number 3

Features 14 Relating Pattern to Form by Shana Angela Salaff

Pattern can function in many different and surprising

ways, particularly when influenced by form.

17 The Print Duality by Martina LantinUsing monoprinting and toner-resist transfer to create

surface decoration offers many layers of possibilities.

22 The Spouted Batter Bowl by Courtney Long Make a batter bowl inspired by nature to boost creativity

in the studio and brighten up your kitchen.

29 The Oribe-Inspired Decorated Jar by Ben Krupka

Reinvent a historical style to create surfaces that inspire

you and creatively engage your forms.

35 Thrown and Handbuilt All at Once by Naomi Tsukamoto

Use a banding wheel and a combination of throwing and

handbuilding techniques to make teacups and more.

40 Turn it Upside Down by Glenn WoodsIf your thrown forms are always a little bottom heavy,

flip them over and use that clay to make a taller form!

In the Studio 6 Purple Glazes by Deanna Ranlett

8 Fluting Neriage Bowls by Robin Hopper

10 Personal Water Pots by J. Steven Baugh

Inspiration 44 In the Potter’s Kitchen

Olive Trays by Sumi von Dassow

48 Pottery IllustratedCeramic Musical Forms by Robin Ouellette

29

40

8

6

17



fired up | Commentary

Transition

The time has come for a transition here at Pottery Making

Illustrated as I’ve decided to retire, hang up my editor’s hat,

and get back into the studio. I’ve had a chance to look back

and reflect on the first 95 issues of the magazine, and am

amazed at what’s been covered in the world of pottery tech-

niques. From the simple to the complex and the traditional

to the experimental, artists from around the world have generously shared their in-

formation with enthusiastic readers such as you, and their techniques have been pre-

served for years to come.

As with any successful venture, PMI has had lots of help from many quarters. Potters

who wanted to share, teachers who had something to teach, and readers like you who

have sent in your own discoveries. Some contributors seem to have an endless font of

knowledge like Sumi von Dassow (who’s been around since the first issue!), the Gambles

(David and Tracy), Paul Wandless, and countless others who have provided hundreds of

excellent articles over the years.

Of course, no magazine is the product of any one individual, and that’s where a ca-

pable and talented staff comes into play. Behind the scenes are editorial assistants Linda

Stover and Jan Moloney, graphic designer Melissa Bury who creates eye-catching layouts

from piles of images and text files, and production associate Erin Pfeifer who puts all

the pieces and parts on the page. Sandy Moening in circulation makes sure you get the

issues you ordered, while Mona Thiel and Marianna Bracht work diligently to bring you

messages from advertisers.

When it comes to the soul of the magazine, Holly Goring (managing editor) and Jes-

sica Knapp (associate editor) have been instrumental in rounding up talent for PMI for

six(!) years now and their quality efforts are evidenced in issue after issue. Both ceramic

artists in their own right, their ability to identify techniques and pursue contributors has

firmly established PMI as the foremost ceramic techniques magazine in the world. Mov-

ing forward, Holly will be taking over the helm, and I’m sure she’ll continue the mission

and will certainly have her own unique style.

I’d like to also thank the founding publisher, Mark Mecklenborg, for his faith andbacking as PMI was getting off the ground during its early years, and to Charlie Spahr,

the current publisher, for his continued commitment to the ideals of the magazine and

the important role it plays in the ceramic arts community.

Last, but not least, I’d like to extend a warm thanks to Steve Hecker, a man who’s worn

many hats over the years, but who always unabashedly told me whether the articles, the

magazine, or the mission remained true to the mark. Good advice is hard to come by.

Life goes on—now it’s time to get to the studio.

Bill Jones

Editor

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life:

it goes on.

—Robert Frost

Volume 17 • Number 3

Publisher Charles Spahr

Editorial

Editor Bill Jones

Managing Editor Holly Goring

Associate Editor Jessica Knapp

Editorial Support Jan Moloney

Editorial Support Linda [email protected]: (614) 895-4213Fax: (614) 891-8960

Print and Digital Design Melissa Bury

Production Associate Erin Pfeifer

Marketing Steve Hecker

Circulation Manager Sandy Moening

Ceramics Arts Daily

Managing Editor Jennifer Poellot Harnetty

Webmaster Scott Freshour

Advertising

Advertising Manager Mona Thiel

Advertising Services Marianna [email protected]: (614) 794-5826Fax: (614) 891-8960

Subscriptionswww.potterymaking.orgCustomer Service: (800) [email protected]

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Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do notnecessarily represent those of the editors or The AmericanCeramic Society.

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Purple is a non-spectral color, meaning that it isn’t included in the

rainbow as conceived by viewing from a prism on a sun-filled rainy

day, but it should definitely be in your glaze palette! To me, purple

says extravagant, special, and definitely unusual—think royalty or

even better, Prince, (or should I say the artist formally known as...)

You can get purple in a glaze in a variety of ways: Chrome plus tin. You can get a raspberry hue by mixing chrome

oxide and tin oxide. These formulas have been published and

featured prominently for oxidation red or burgundy at cone

6—typically 5% tin oxide and 0.2% chrome oxide.

in the studio | Glaze Testing

Purple Glazesby Deanna Ranlett

5

4

3

2

1

11

10

9

8

7

6

Stacked bowls with cone 04 test glazes. 1 Icing Glaze with 5%

MS #6088 Red + 5% MS #6363 Sky Blue. 2 Icing Glaze with 6%

MS #6304 Chrome Tin Violet. 3 Gloss Base with 6% MS #6319

Lavender. 4 Hirsch Satin REV with 6% MS #6304 Chrome Tin

Violet. 5 Hirsch Satin REV with 6% MS #6385 Pansy Purple.

(MS = Mason stain)

Stacked bowls with cone 6 test glazes. 6 Amy’s Base with 6% MS

#6304 Chrome Tin Violet + .25% cobalt carbonate. 7 Amy’s Base

with 6% MS #6304 Chrome Tin Violet. 8 Sherman Matte with 5%

MS #6374 Turquoise + 5% MS #6088 Dark Red. 9 Sherman Matte

with 5% MS #6319 Lavender. 10 George Bowes Base with 5% MS

#6088 Dark Red + 5% MS #6363 Sky Blue. 11 George Bowes Base

with 3% MS #6319 Lavender + 3% MS #6385 Pansy Purple.

Cobalt . Add .25% cobalt oxide incrementally, up 1% to in-

crease the purple hue from lavender to eggplant. Manganese. Our studio limits manganese usage so we don’t

use it to make our purples, but a lot of recipes using manga-

nese as a colorant are available. Barium. Barium is classified as toxic and we don’t use barium in

our studio, but there are some amazing barium purple recipes

available for use on sculptures. These glazes aren’t food safe. Commercial stains. These colorants provide an opportunity

to use a product formulated to give consistent color results.



AMY’S BASECone 6

Wollastonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.0 %

Ferro Frit 3134 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.0

Soda Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.0

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.0

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.0

100.0 %

Add: Zircopax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 %

Dips and pours more successfully than it brushes.

EVER POPULARSHERMAN MATTE

Cone 6

Dolomite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 %

Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Ferro Frit 3124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

100 %

Brushes and dips well.

GEORGE BOWES BASE GLAZE

Cone 6

Gerstley Borate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 %

Whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Custer Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 100 %

ICING GLAZE

Cone 04

Whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 %

Ferro Frit 3124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

100 %

GLOSS BASE

Cone 04

Ferro Frit 3124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 %

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

100 %

HIRSCH SATIN REV

Cone 04

Gerstley Borate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 %

Lithium Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

100 %

Glossy where thin, matte where it pools, and abit runny.

Working With Stains

For our focus here, we used primarily stains to highlight

their vast possibilities in both low- and high-fire reci-

pes. Stains come in a lot of color varieties and are avail-

able from many different manufacturers—including Mason

Color Works, Inc. (www.masoncolor.com) and US Pigment

(www.uspigment.com). Most pottery suppliers carry commer-

cial stains.Stains have ingredients such as chrome oxide, cobalt carbon-

ate, and tin oxide that have been fired and ground to make a

consistently colored pigment that is easy to use. It’s sometimes

possible to mix stains to get a new color, but not all stains are

compatible in this way, so testing is required.

We discovered through our testing that you can successfully

mix red and blue stains to make a purple of your very own. You

can use a stain containing cobalt such as Mason stain #6363 Sky

Blue, or you can use smaller amounts of cobalt carbonate—a

milder form of cobalt oxide. For a red stain, try Mason stain

#6088 Dark Red. You can vary amounts to make the purple

hues cooler (blue) or warmer (red.) You can also use any num-ber of a variety of chrome-tin-violet stains like Mason stain

#6304, which is a purple with a more reddish hue.

Tips When Using Stains Start small, experiment, and take good notes. Use a gram scale capable of mixing small measurements.

Check your scale’s calibration by measuring the weight of a

nickel—it should weigh 5 grams.

Sieve your glaze and don’t mix them too thin. The stains can,

and will end up on the bottom of your container if you do. Visit the manufacturer’s website to make sure you’re using

stains and colorants that are compatible with your glaze in-

gredients. You need to pay attention to the calcium and zinc

content in your recipe when using stains because they can

have a negative impact/effect on the colorant. Each manu-

facturer will provide you with that information. To get thatcolor, you may need to experiment with different base glazes.

Some stains are more refractory (have a higher-melting point

due to their composition) than others and you may need to

make changes in your base glaze to compensate for this. Some stains might require the addition of an opacifier such

as Zircopax to create the color and intensity you desire.

Future Testing

Based on the success I had mixing stains, I would recommend

tests blending a variety of red and blue stains in incremental

amounts. I also suggest mixing red stain with cobalt carbon-

ate in incremental amounts. Layering purple glazes with each

other could be fun too. The Sherman Matte Glaze has a beauti-

ful buttery surface and layering it with a glossier version like

George Bowes or Amy’s Base could have some lovely results.

Thank you to Amy Roberson for help in testing the purple glazes for thisarticle. Amy Roberson is currently a resident artist at MudFire.

Deanna Ranlett has worked in clay for 14 years and currently owns AtlantaClay in Atlanta, Georgia ( www.atlantaclay.com) and MudFire in Decatur,Georgia ( www.mudfire.com).



in the studio | Throwing and Altering

Fluting Neriage Bowlsby Robin Hopper

Laminating colored clay for thrown

agateware or neriage bowls.

In the widest sense, all clays are colored. When fired, natural

clays can vary from almost white to almost black and almost

any yellowish, pinkish, grayish, reddish or brownish tone be-

tween black and white. Most of these tones develop naturally

from contamination with iron oxide in one of its forms or

combinations. In its earliest state, where coarse clay is the re-

sult of geologic degradation or the breakdown of feldspathic

rock to kaolinite, it usually is light ivory or cream in color. It

achieves its other naturally darkening tones during its journey

down rivers and into lake beds, when it becomes contaminated

by contact with other minerals, such as iron, calcium, titani-

um, and manganese. The further it travels from the mother

rock, the more contamination it acquires, and the darker it

likely will be when fired. It usually becomes more plastic and

malleable, too.

As it settles into lake beds, it forms layers of sediment, and over

eons of time, layers build on other layers, creating a natural and

variable lamination. If you were to shovel down through sev-

eral layers, you would see a variety of differently toned strata.

Ceramic artists interested in these color variations either use

naturally colored clays or add colorants to light-colored base

clays or porcelain.

Laminating Clay BodiesDepending on the desired result, you can use stains, oxides,

or carbonates, either singly or mixed together, to add color to

clays. Because of the opaque nature of clays, most colors will

develop an opaque pastel-like quality, and the development of

pure color is extremely difficult. Commercially prepared body

stains are available to make richer colors.

1 2 3

4 5

Allow mixed colored clay bodies to set

up before throwing with them.

Use a Surform to facet a leather-hard

bowl thrown from stacked colored clay.

Flute the outside of a thrown neriage/

agateware bowl.

Fluting the inside rim of a thrown

neriage/agateware bowl.

Three different fired examples of fluting

on neriage/agateware thrown forms.



The amount of colorant needed to get

a particular result will have to be deter-

mined through testing, as many colorants

have quite different staining strengths

when mixed into clay than when mixed

into glazes. The type of clay will also have

a profound effect on the color—white

firing clays give purer colors and darker

colored clays give more muted tones. In

general, additions of .5% to 10% will pro-duce a wide range.

Combinations of naturally colored

clays can also be laminated together ( fig-

ure 1) but these mixes should be tested

before being used. Testing ensures that

the clay bodies will hold together without

cracking during the firing.

Freshly made colored clay blocks are

best left for a period of time for amelio-

ration, where differences in the softness

or hardness of the various clays can be

equalized to one homogeneous mass ( fig-ure 2). Caution: Always wear a dust mask

and gloves when mixing clays and work-

ing with stains and oxides.

Neriage and AgatewareA number of different names have been

given to laminated colored clay processes,

depending on where the process devel-

oped. In England they usually are referred

to as agateware after the decorative, pat-

terned gemstone. In Italy the use of col-

ored clay often is referred to as millefiori,from a decorative glass-forming process

meaning “a thousand flowers.” In Japan

the word neriage refers to throwing with

colored clays.

Neriage, or agateware, is done by lami-

nating different colored clays together

and throwing them on a wheel to develop

a swirling and spiraling blend of the clays.

A thrown neriage bowl can be dried to

leather hard then trimmed and faceted

using a knife, a wire cutter, or a Surform

to shave clay off in sections ( figure 3).

FlutingObjects made with laminated clays can be

left with the swirl pattern, or altered by

various surface cutting techniques such

as fluting, once the bowl has reached the

leather-hard state ( figures 4–5).

Fluting is the process of cutting dec-

orative grooves into a clay surface. It is

best done on leather-hard clay with wire-

ended modeling tools of various shapes,

bamboo tools with sharpened edges or

metal tools with cutout sections and/or

sharpened edges. If the clay is too soft,

it may deform the object being fluted; if

it’s too hard, it may crack the surface or

edges of the object. Fluting generally is

done in a dragging motion, pulling down

toward you in a clean, sweeping motion.

The clay will cut cleanly and evenly at

this stage if your tools are sharp. If the clay

has started to change color or the surfaceis starting to dry, the tool is more likely to

slide uncontrollably than cut easily.

Cutting across the grain of laminated

clays exposes an infinite variety of ran-

dom patterns. The type of pattern can

be controlled both by the thickness of

the layers and by how the laminations

are placed when thrown on the wheel. If

they are vertical to the wheelhead, they

likely will produce fine, lacy patterns. If

they are placed horizontally, much bold-

er patterns can be expected. If placed

diagonally, a combination of both bold

and lacy patterns might be expected.Excerpted from the book, MakingMarks by Robin Hopper, which is avail-able at the Ceramic Arts Daily bookstore,

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore.



in the studio | Throwing and Assembling

Personal Water Potsby J. Steven Baugh

Potters are well known for making their own tools—or any-

thing else we need to help us make pots. But we rarely make the

best pots for ourselves, so I designed a ‘best pot’ for myself that

is also a tool I use every day when I throw pots. These are water

pots and they show the best of my skills, assist in my day-to-

day throwing, and generally are a topic of conversation when

friends visit my studio.

Throwing Parts: Crock, Cup, and Bowl

Start by throwing a medium-sized crock ( figure 1). I throw fair-

ly thin and do very little trimming, so I used about 2¾ poundsof clay to throw a pot that, after firing is about 5 inches tall and

6 inches wide. The mouth of the crock should be wide enough

for you to easily plunge your hand into it with a sponge. Throw

the side of the pot fairly straight to make assembling the water

pot simpler.

Next, throw a cup that is shorter than the crock and wide

enough to push a round sponge into it for cleaning (see figure 1).

I used 7 ⁄ 8 of a pound of clay to throw a cup 3¼ inches high by 3¼

inches wide after 12% shrinkage. This cup will become a pocket

to hold your throwing tools.

Finally, throw a shallow bowl to serve as a tray for your spong-

es or for holding excess slip. Since I wedge on the wheel, whichproduces extra slip, I scrape the slip onto the tray so I don’t have

to change the water in the middle of a throwing session. For this

tray, I used 1¾ pounds of clay to throw a shallow bowl that, when

fired, was 6½ inches wide by 1¼ inches high (see figure 1).

Trimming and Assembling

Trim the three pots when they’re leather hard and keep them

evenly moist. Thrown pieces tend to want to “unwind” when

fired to vitrification, so uneven dryness, which can cause

warping and adhesion problems, may contribute to cracking

between joined pieces. The cup, being smaller and having a

The finished pot, glazed using an iron-stained wax-resist pattern

with a contrasting glaze band.

narrower base, may dry faster, so after trimming it, round the

bottom rather than giving it a foot, then wrap it up tight until

you have trimmed the other two pieces and are ready to as-

semble your water pot.

Cut the cup in half then trim and bevel the cut edge to fit tight

against the side of the crock. Set the cup against the crock where

it will be assembled and mark a line, then flatten the pot inside

the marked line with a paddle where the cup will be installed.

Flattening this part of the pot gives more room for your tools and

makes cleaning the tool pocket easier.

Score and slip the joint lines and attach the pocket to the side

of the pot ( figure 2). Fill any gaps between the cup and the pot

with slip, then put a coil around the joint on both the interior

Throw a pot, a cup, and a shallow bowl,

trim them when they’re leather hard,

and round the bottom of the cup.

Cut the cup in half, trim it for fit, flatten

the crock inside the mark, and attach the

cup to the crock.

Place the foot of the crock on the bottom

and slightly to the side of the bowl and

mark a line. Cut the bowl to fit the crock.

1 2 3



and exterior of the cup, pushing the coil

deep into any gaps with a wooden model-

ing tool. Use a thicker coil on the inside

to round out the joint. Coils help to rein-

force and strengthen joints, reducing the

likelihood that the pieces will twist apart.

Smooth the joint with your fingers and

then with a sponge to eliminate rough

edges that could crack.

Next, turn the shallow bowl upsidedown and gently rest the foot of the crock

on the bowl. The edge of the crock should

be in the approximate middle of the

bowl. Mark a line onto the bottom of the

bowl following the curve of the crock’s

foot ( figure 3). Set the crock aside then

cut along the marked line and fit this cut

edge as tight as you can to the crock. Ad-

just or bevel the cut to best fit the crock

if needed.

Score the crock and the bowl only

at the areas of attachment, then scoreand slip the joint and attach the tray to

the pot ( figure 4). Both the pot and the

bowl (now a tray) should be resting on

a flat surface as you fit them together to

ensure the water pot remains level. Make

sure your tool pocket is off to the side in

a position where it will be convenient for

accessing your tools, but isn’t in the way

when using the tray.

Brush slip into any gaps, then put a

coil of clay along the joint inside of the

tray to fill in any gaps and secure the at-tachment. Turn the pot over and repeat

the joining process on the bottom. Take

care to avoid making bumps on the foot

where the joint is and make sure the pot

and tray still sit flat. As an extra refining

step, smooth the joints and the foot of the

water pot with a polished rock to smooth

the surfaces ( figure 5).

Drying and Firing

Cover the water pot tightly with plastic

until the moisture is even throughout,then gradually uncover the pot to dry it

slowly and evenly. Bisque fire it.

Finally, finish it with your favorite glaze

then fire it too temperature. Thoroughly

clean the pot each time you use it. A clean

studio with clean tools is a low-dust stu-

dio, and you may just want to spend even

more time at the wheel.

J. Steven Baugh has been a perpetual student

of ceramics since 1988. He built his current

studio, The Pottery at Muddy Creek, with Ben

Stockwell in 1994 in rural Montana.

Make sure to have a tight fit then score

and slip the attachment. Add a coil to

both sides of the joint for reinforcement.

Use a polished stone or similar shiny

object to smooth all the joints and the

foot of your water pot.

2011 South Town East Blvd.Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450

www.paragonweb.com

[email protected]

“My Paragonkiln practically

fires itself,giving me more

time to makepots” —David

Hendley The Paragon kiln was already

ancient when David and KarenHendley bought it in 1995. Sincethen David has fired about 20,000pieces of bisque in his electricParagon.

“For the last 20 years I have

been glaze-firing all my work in a wood-fired kiln,” said David. “Ienjoy the excitement of the firings,and my friends and customers likethe random fire flashings and ashdeposits.

“What they don’t know is thatevery piece is first fired in my Par-agon electric kiln. While acciden-tal and chance effects canenhancea wood firing, consistency is thekey to successful bisque firings.

“For those firings, my Paragon

has delivered reliable and consis-tent results year after year. It prac-tically fires itself, giving me moretime to make more pots.”

The Paragons of today areeven better than the early ones.The digital 12-sided TnF-27-3shown at right is only 22 ¼” deepfor easier loading. Lift the lid ef-fortlessly with the spring coun-ter-balance. Enjoy the accuracy

David and Karen Hendley with their ancient Paragon A-28B. It has fired about 20,000 pieces of bisque. TheHendleys run Old Farmhouse Pottery in Maydelle, Texas.

and convenience of theOrton controller.

To learn more, call usor visit our website for a

free catalog and thename of the Paragondealer near you. Sign upfor the Kiln Pointersnewsletter.

Constantly finding better ways to make kilns.

Join the Clayart pottery forum here:

lists.clayartworld.com

4 5



Velvets

Layer

V-360White

V-367Mist Gray

V-356Pearl Gray

V-357Dark Gray

V-370Velour Black

V-361 Jet Black

V-301Ivory Beige

V-369Fawn

V-302Beige

V-310Tan

V-373Medium Brown

V-314Chocolate Brown

V-368Antique Ivory

V-334Flaxen

V-372Mint Green

V-343Chartreuse

V-345Light Green

V-354Leaf Green

V-353Dark Green

V-355Shadow Green

V-328Iceberg Blue

V-325Baby Blue

V-327Turquoise Blue

V-341Blue Green

V-321Lilac

V-381Amethyst

V-322Purple

V-383Light Red

V-388Radiant Red

V-382Red

V-387Bright Red

V-385Cinnamon

V-375Maroon

V-316Light Pink

V-374Royal Peach

V-323Salmon

V-315Peach

V-384Real Orange

V-389Flame Orange

V-303Terra Cotta

V-308Yellow

V-391Intense Yellow

V-304Straw

V-309Deep Yellow

V-332Teal Blue

V-336Royal Blue

*To make dinnerware safe and to intensify the colors for

Cone 5/6 firings, cover with AMACO® HF-9 Zinc-Free

Clear, HF-10 Clear or HF-12 Satin Clear glazes.

@ Cone 5/6

Mixable Dinnerware Safe*



velvets.info

V-366Teddy Bear Brown

V-313Red Brown

V-376Hunter Green

V-333Avocado

V-326Medium Blue

V-386Electric Blue

V-320Lavender

V-380Violet

V-371Rosy Mauve

V-318Rose

V-350Orange

V-390Bright Orange

AP seal certifies this product to be safefor use by all ages.

Use on wet clay,greenware and bisque.

“Velvets

brush smoothlyonto bothgreenware andbisque, they allowme to paint withfine detail and subtle color

variations”

Velvet Underglazes

Intense YellowDeep YellowBright OrangeFlame OrangeRadiant RedBright RedLilacIceberg BlueChocolate BrownWhiteVelour BlackJet Black

HF-12 Clear SatinHF-9 Zinc-Free Clear

“Aspen Vase”

Porcelain Cone 6

America’s Most Trusted Underglazes™

Heesoo Lee

Helena, MT



How does a surface pattern relate to form? How can you use

pattern to alter or enhance your visual experience of a form?

What tactics do contemporary artists employ?

In nature, the generation of a form often creates a pattern.

We see this in the growth patterns of a nautilus shell forming a

beautiful spiral ( figure 1). Leaves and flower petals often grow

in the same kind of pattern ( figure 2). Similarly, a thrown pot

contains a spiral of throwing lines. Patterns created through

purpose serve a useful function as well as an aesthetic one.

Many patterns in our urban life are like this. Consider the

utility hole cover; made of metal for longevity, and with a

somewhat uneven surface so as not to be slippery. It also needs

to be readily visible on the sidewalk or road. What Nara, Japan,

and Fort Collins, Colorado, have designed transcends basic

utility ( figures 3–4). The unevenness of surface requirement is

satisfied by the use of raised metal areas. In these two examples,

a virtue is made out of a necessity by considering the sidewalk

as a decorative surface.

In the last issue of Pottery Making Illustrated , I discussed Ellen

Dissanayake’s use of the term “making special” to describe one of

the roles art plays in our lives. Dissanayake also speaks about the

human need to exert a certain amount of control over our envi-

ronment to help us to conquer the very real fear of the unknown.

Visual pattern is a way that we create ordered visual spaces. In the

utility-hole cover examples, pattern transforms utilitarian round

surfaces into lovely objects that make an urban area special.

Surface-Form Relationship

My design teacher at Sheridan College was a gruff, didactic, and

brilliant Austrian named Gernot Dick. One day, he surprised the

PATTERN TO FORMby Shana Angela Salaff

RELATING 1 2

3 4



1 The growth patterns of the

Nautilus shell create a striking

spiral. Courtesy of Wikimedia

Commons. 2 The aloe plant

has a similar spiral growth.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Com-

mons. 3 Utility-hole cover,

Nara, Japan. Nara is knownfor the wild deer that roam

around the temple areas. 4

Utility-hole cover, Fort, Collins,

Colorado. The city undertakes

a number of urban beautifica-

tion projects. 5 Forrest Lesch-

Middelton’s bottles, stoneware

with transferred slip patterns.

6 Julia Galloway’s teapot,

porcelain, slip, glaze, lusters.

Photo: Robert Brady. 7 Sanam

Emami’s patterned jar, Meissen

brown stoneware, silkscreen

transfers. All images of artwork

are courtesy of the artists.

class by displaying close-up images of his terrier as a slide lecture.

It wasn’t until he pointed out the various ways that the growth

patterns of the dog’s hair responded to different parts of the body

that I realized how closely nature observes the concept of “surface-

form relationship.” Transitions between the dog’s ears and the

neck were especially interesting, with straight hair growing for-

ward on the side of the ear flowing toward a spiraling transition

area then to straight growth in the opposite direction on the neck. Artists’ Solutions to Relating Pattern and Form

Each of us will come up with personal solutions when pairing

pattern with form, solutions that are more than just a conse-

quence of growth pattern or utility alone. The pattern choices

may simply enhance the form, or go further to change or ma-

nipulate the perception of the form.

Forrest Lesch-Middelton uses patterns from a range of histori-

cal cultures. His forms are delineated clearly with crisp changes

in direction. Darker bands between sections help to separate

neck from body, body from foot. In this piece ( figure 5), he ap-

plies different patterns to both main components of the body of

the forms. His technique involves screen-printing a pattern onto

a flat surface that is then wrapped around and transferred onto

a cylinder, which is then altered to create the final form. This

selective application of pattern highlights the different shapes of

the sections that make up the form. Lesch–Middelton is able to

contrast a pattern from one culture with one from another by

placing them on separate areas of the same form. He adds to

this a specific sepia color that appears to be quoting traditional

printing or photographic process in monotone. There is a lay-

ered complexity to his work.

Using Pattern to Alter or Enhance Form

Pattern can also be used as a way to divide space, as in this large

vase by Paul Morris ( figure 11), where one form becomes sub-

divided by the patterned areas. One’s eye loses the ability to

focus on the form as a whole because it is constantly informed5

6 7



and distracted by the visual surface movement. What makes the

piece work as a whole is the way that the handles mimic the

curves on the surface, and that the main form is bookended by

the similar shapes of the top and the base that are also mim-

icked by the smaller protrusions.

Complicating a Surface with LayersOther artists use pattern and surface to complicate the surface

of a form and to contrast decorative styles drawn from several

different cultures with their own contemporary forms and ma-

terials. Julia Galloway contrasts different types of surfaces on

the same pot ( figure 6 ), using different materials (glaze, slip,

and luster). She creates shapes within her forms that feel like

puzzle pieces. Sanam Emami contrasts the textured pattern

around the body of this covered jar ( figure 7 ) with the applied

decal pattern superimposed on the surface and looping around

the form.

Both vessels feature layers of pattern that are like the layers of

cultural artifacts found in an archaeological dig. The upper lay-ers sit on the surface because they are applied post-firing, but be-

cause of this they feel “newer”—underscoring that artist-created

and computer-generated decals, and our metallic luster applica-

tion methods really are “newer” techniques. Thus the contempo-

rary is contrasted with the age-old in one object. The functions

of the patterns here are informative as well as decorative.

Galloway and Emami bring pattern from one area to an-

other within the vessel, but another way that pattern can

mess with one’s perception is to continue it outside the vessel

itself, or across many forms. Molly Hatch exploits this with

her wall installations ( figure 8). Hatch continues the various

patterns from one plate to another, with an approach that

seems to have more in common with wallpaper than ceram-

ics; completely confusing our expectations of where one form

should end and another begins.

I’m going to leave you with one last pair of images—an im-age of pattern created by the weathering of tree bark and Kris-

ten Kieffer’s vase ( figures 9–10 ). The tree’s beautiful textured

surface emerges through natural processes in the way that

Gernot Dick’s terriers fur grew. Kristen Kieffer’s work, with its

pattern-as-texture shares this kind of feeling—the surface and

the form feel completely connected. Kieffer uses a stamping

technique to apply the main textured pattern, and this changes

the form as well as decorates it. The pattern functions to create

differing surface depths in which the glaze will pool and pro-

vide different levels of intensity of color, while simultaneously

referring to both lace and metalwork. In the interior of the vase,

one sees Kieffer’s fingerprints, and we are reminded that a realperson’s hand made these marks in a specific time and place.

These traces bring the vessel to life.

In all these artworks, the artists have used pattern in a con-

scious way to both complement the form as well as to communi-

cate through it. Pattern here functions in so many ways … and of

course, always “making special.”

Shana Angela Salaff is an artist and instructor living in Fort Collins, Colo-

rado. To see her work, visit www.shanasalaff.com.

8 Molly Hatch’s plates from a solo exhibition at the King’s Road Anthropologie Gallery in London, England. The patterns on the plates

source the historic textile collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. 9 Pattern created by weathered tree bark. 10 Kristen

Kieffer’s vase with stamped patterns. 11 Paul Morris’ large vase with form subdivided by pattern.

9 10 11

8



The ceramic surface may be activated by the imposition or print-

ing of pattern, the framing of an image or the juxtaposition of

colors. Throughout history, potters have sought to embellish the

surfaces of their vessels. Ornament can accentuate components

of the pot—whether rim, foot, or body. In addition, surfaces can

inform us about the status or beliefs of the owner; they can con-

vey a narrative, a moral, or a metaphor. These surfaces may be

representative or abstract and executed in a myriad of ways.

For many years, I wood fired my work. I sought to create

strong forms that would welcome the energetic atmosphere ofthe kiln. In this way, I felt form and surface worked in concert,

and the path of the flame told a story. Ten years ago, I struck

out on my own, separate from a parent studio or workshop, and

transitioned to working in earthenware and firing in an electric

kiln. While I have always enjoyed the qualities of slipped surfaces,

I found myself increasingly frustrated by what I saw as the static

qualities, both in my use of materials and the firing process.

As a resident artist at Baltimore Clayworks I was exposed to a

variety of artists, all of them generous teachers, and it was here

that my play with surface and image began to take off. Fellow

resident Jessica Broad was teaching a Print on Clay class and

invited me to join in to see her demonstrate some slip-based

methods. The rest, as they say, is history.

Two direct and low-tech methods that inspired me then,

and that I continue to use in various ways within my work, are

monoprinting and toner-resist transfer. There are some points

to keep in mind that will apply to both of the techniques. While

I use these techniques with slips formulated for earthenware,

the methods are transferable across clay and firing types. Simi-larly, the images included here show the techniques executed

on a flat tile surface. Both the toner resist and monoprint adapt

well to three-dimensional forms. In each case, the success of the

print depends in part on the moisture content of the clay being

printed upon, though it can be a challenge working on large-

scale or very volumetric forms. Ideally, the piece will be at a

soft-leather-hard consistency. For forms with large curved sec-

tions, darting may be required to get the pattern to fit the shape.

by Martina Lantin

DUALITYTHE PRINT

Above: Martina Lantin’s cups combine monoprinting, toner-resist transfer, wax-resist glazing, and glaze trailing on thrown and altered

forms. The surfaces have a rich, layered, and weathered appearance that encourages a closer look.



MonoprintingMonoprinting—where an image is created on one surface, and

then transferred to another—is likely the most direct print

method I employ. I prefer to use clean newsprint to generate

my image, though printed newsprint will also work. The clean

newsprint allows me the space to draw the image or pattern first

in pencil or permanent marker. If applying the print to a more

complex form, I make a pattern of the form—cutting the paper

to shape with darts to allow for the curvatures of the piece.

The outline, drawn here using a Chinese brush and commer-cial black underglaze ( figure 1), is the first layer. Images need to

be built up in reverse, since the elements drawn onto the paper

initially will be topmost in the printed image. The outline is

then filled in with colored slips. This layer can also be scratched

away or eroded ( figure 2) to allow the backing layer of the white

slip to be brought forward. I apply the white slip last, covering

the entire image ( figure 3). In addition to creating a bright back-

ground, the layer of white slip also helps to ensure a complete

transfer of the image. The prepared print is applied to the sur-

face of the piece, working from one edge to the other to avoid

air bubbles. Use fingers or a soft rib to compress the paper, be-

ing careful not to shift or tear the page ( figure 4).

Once the paper dries—evidenced by the change in color, pull

it away, revealing the image underneath ( figure 5). If any parts

of the print have failed to transfer, the paper may be carefully

lowered and compressed once more. While I’m interested in

the incomplete transfer possible with this technique, and don’t

mind the blank spaces, it can also create a sharp and complete

image. This method is flexible, because it allows underglaze,

slips, and stains to be intimately combined with one another.

Toner-Resist TransferThe toner-resist transfer technique requires more preparation,but is similarly flexible. The method depends on the water-

resistant property of the toner (rather than the toner’s iron

content as in decal printing). It’s best to experiment with la-

ser printers or copiers available to determine which may work

best. Line drawings or patterns with equal amounts of figure

and ground are suited to this technique. Using high-contrast

images with minimal large open spaces ensures that the black

areas resist the application of pigment and the printed spaces

are consistent in their color application.

The image can be generated through the use of copyright-free

imagery, or drawings made either on paper or digitally. Many

When creating a monoprint on newsprint, draw or paint the top

or outline layer first using underglaze and a thin brush.

Apply a backing layer of white slip using a soft, wide brush. This

slip will be visible as a background layer in all white or pat-terned areas.

Apply additional layers of colored slip to define different sections

of the image, then scratch through to create patterned areas.

After applying the slip, place the paper image-side down onto a

tile, and use a rubber rib to compress the paper against the clayand ensure a cleaner transfer of the image.

1

3

2

4

process | The Print Duality | Martina Lantin



copiers have the capacity to color reverse the image (making

what is the black-on-white line drawing into a white-on-black

image). When working with text, letters need to be mirrored in

the original, as the print process will be the reverse—making

the text readable.

This technique is flexible, working well with slips, commer-

cial underglazes, and colorant/frit mixtures. I use a mixture of

two parts Mason stain to one part Ferro Frit 3124. I like the

direct control over color that my own stain mixture provides.

Water is slowly added while blending the components togetherwith a brush or palette knife ( figure 6 ). The mixture may need

to be adjusted to get the right consistency that’s repelled well

by the toner spaces of the image. An additional variable is the

pressure on the brush. Working quickly and directly can be the

most efficient form of application.

Loading the brush with pigment, the lines of the motif are

traced, reloading as needed ( figure 7 ). The resistant properties of

the toner will push the pigment away from the black areas of the

image, allowing a freer hand. Any stray drops can be picked up

with a sponge or dry brush. Once the sheen has left the page, the

print is applied to the piece and compressed from the center out-

ward, or from one side to the other to avoid air bubbles. Using

a soft rib, the paper may be further compressed to ensure trans-

fer. Should the clay be on the drier side, the back of the page can

be dampened with a sponge and compressed again. The paper is

pulled up once it has dried ( figure 8). It can be reapplied and re-

compressed if the image didn’t transfer completely.

The versatility of this method lies in its ability to repeat an

image using multiple copies, to execute fine lines, and be ap-

plied to a three-dimensional surface. In addition, with a quick

hand, the page can be backed with a contrasting colored slip

( figures 9–10 ). The two techniques detailed here may also workin concert on the same piece.

Glazing

In glazing on top of existing slip decoration, I seek to continue

building visible layers by adding a variety of colored glazes.

Glazes are often applied to fill between the lines of the under-

layer ( figure 11–12), then covered in wax, so that the colors resist

any additional glazes and maintain their integrity in the firing.

Once the wax resist dries, I either pour a glaze over the tile, or

for cups and larger forms, dip the form in glaze. When glazing

cups, I hold them with one finger on the rim, and my thumb

on the foot, then dunk the cup in at an angle, rim-side down.

Once the paper dries (the colors change as it dries), pull it away

from the clay, revealing the transferred image.

Paint the frit and stain mixture onto the

white areas of your laser-printed image.Clean any stray drops with a sponge.

Apply the image to clay once the sheen

disappears. Compress the back, thenonce the paper dries, peel it off.

If desired, apply a backing slip over the

paper pattern before applying it to theclay. This creates a varied background.

Add water to the frit and Mason stain mixture until it’s a consis-

tency that’s repelled well by the toner spaces on the image.

5

7 8 9

6



The tumblers (see page 17) feature all of the techniques

described here, applied to a three-dimensional form.

Enhancing ContextFrom the moment they were introduced to me, monoprint-

ing and toner-resist transfer became ways for me to gener-

ate depth in my surfaces and insert more detailed narratives

and pattern references to enhance the context of my work. As

my familiarity with these techniques evolved, I became inter-

ested in the erosion of images, making them difficult to read.The incomplete transfer of an image generates a surface that

evokes the age of the object. Currently I use the toner-resist

transfer technique underneath a layer of white slip, further

obscuring the pattern as in the plate image at left.

Through these methods I seek to convey the number of

times during the making process that the object has been han-

dled. The print processes generate a surface that I hope will

encourage exploration, and through that exploration, lead to

a deeper relationship between user and the crafted object.

Martina Lantin teaches ceramics at Marlboro College in Marlboro,

Vermont. To see more of her work, visit www.mlceramics.com.

After applying the slip, place the image

onto the tile, compress, and peel the pa-

per away. Note the image’s added depth.

After the bisque firing, apply glazes to

accentuate the pattern. Here the glaze is

applied to fill between the lines.

Add additional layers over the pattern to

the bisque-fired and glazed form by trail-

ing accent glaze lines.

Wheel-thrown and altered platter with layers of pattern created us-

ing both monoprinting and toner-resist techniques.

13–15 Tiles showing three different techniques, from left to right: underglaze toner resist without a backing slip, toner resist with a

white backing slip and added glaze accents, and toner resist with backing slip and wax-resist glaze patterning.

10

process | The Print Duality | Martina Lantin

11 12

13 14 15



EXTROHRDINARYSUMMERCELEBRATIONbeginning July 12, 2014

Experience the first of architect Frank Gehry’s iconic pods

—the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Gallery Pod, during the

386 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Mississippi

www.georgeohr.org

TWO AMERICAN MASTERS COME TOGETHER

The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art—designed by

Frank Gehry, architect of the Guggenheim

Museum Bilbao—pays homage to the exuberant

avant-garde vision of George E. Ohr, America’s

first art potter. OOMA’s stainless steel pods and

adjacent galleries stand as tribute to the creative

spirit of two American masters. The Beau Rivage

Resort & Casino Gallery Pod is part of the George

Ohr Gallery Pavilion, sponsored by the John S.

and James L. Knight Foundation.

A POD NESTLED AMONG THE OAKS



I’m inspired by North Carolina’s landscape—the Piedmont

region’s red dirt, fall colors found along the Blue Ridge

Mountains, and local folk and Native American pottery tra-

ditions. Undertones of my experiences in China, Greece, the

US Southwest, and the Appalachian Mountains combine and

show themselves in whispers in my work. I enjoy making spe-cialized objects that have nothing to do with necessity but are

utilitarian in their own right. If only for a brief moment, these

objects aid in daily activities before becoming part of the day-

to-day backdrop as life transpires. In my home, the kitchen is

the center of all activity. Size variations of the mixing bowl are

used daily and symbolize conscious cooking, eating, and even

cleaning up with friends and family. These little moments ac-

cumulate over time and a narrative is placed on the pot in a

way that could never be achieved if it were unused, sitting on

a shelf. It’s only after a lifetime of use that it truly becomes a

powerful family heirloom, evoking stories connected to its us-

ers through memory.

Traditional Bowl Form Prepare 2¾ pounds of clay to create a medium-sized mixing

bowl. Throw a flower-pot shape. Leave around 1 ⁄ 8-¼-inch clay

in the rim so that it won’t become too thin as you widen the rim

later. Remove any throwing lines from the exterior surface as

it’s going to be heavily decorated. On the interior, use a curved

metal rib to remove any right angles ( figure 1). Your bowl may

slump if it has too deep of an undercut.

Place the bowl on a ware board and cover it overnight so the

rim and bottom will dry at the same rate. Once it’s leather hard,

you’re ready to trim. Always trim the outside profile first. Make

a cut defining the foot ring but don’t worry about its final width

here. Trim the excess clay beginning in the center and working

outward ( figure 2). If you intend to dip your bowl in slip or prefer

not to use dipping tongs during glazing, it’s a good idea to trim

the foot in a diameter that allows your hand to hold the bowl

comfortably upside down.

by Courtney LongBATTER BOWLTHESpouted



Handbuilt AlterationsRoll out a ¹⁄ 8-inch-thick slab on any non-stick surface. I use a

Super Surface Clay Mat because it has a rubber backing as to

not move while rolling and tossing slabs on it and it has a non-

textured surface. Remove any air pockets and smooth out any

surface texture using a rubber or metal rib.Start with the spout form. I like to use tar paper as an inex-

pensive option to make water-resistant templates. Tar paper is

available at home improvement stores for less than $10. The

template for the spout shape is similar to the Rolling Stones’ lip

and tongue logo. Fold your paper in half and cut out a desired

profile so each side of the resulting template is symmetrical.

Repeat this process for additional decorative shapes that will

eventually become the handle—for this bowl, I cut out two

cloud-shaped designs. Trace the spout and cloud templates

onto the slab with a needle tool then remove them before cut-

ting the clay . X-Acto blades are thin and give you a crisp line

without dragging clay or altering the shape. Hold your X-Acto

knife vertically when making the cut, not at an angle. Set the

cutouts aside to stiffen until they become a soft leather hard.

Spout To prevent cracking, place plastic over the spout and compress

the edges ( figure 3). Gently coax the spout into a half-roundedfold ( figure 4). If there are any minor flaws in the bowl’s rim,

place the spout there. Dry fit the spout to the upper side of the

bowl. Holding the spout with one hand up against the bowl

where you intend to attach it, trace the outside of the form with

your needle tool, making a light mark ( figure 5). Cut out the

shape exactly on the line, holding the knife straight, and then

go back over the cut to create a slight bevel . Score and slip the

cut opening, then attach the spout, working inside the bowl

and pressing outward. Press the clay into the beveled cut with

one hand placed on the inside and the other hand placed firmly

on the outside wall ( figure 6 ). To shape the spout for a better

pour, wet your hand and pull the spout’s outside edge between

Throw a medium-sized bowl and remove

throwing lines from the exterior and any

right angles from the interior.

Gently bend the spout into a curve to fit

the bowl’s exterior near the rim. Be care-

ful not cause any cracking on the edges.

Trim the bowl on the exterior first then

trim the interior of the foot to fit the

shape of the bowl’s interior well.

Fit the spout against the bowl and trace

the outside of the form with a needle

tool making a light mark.

Make a template for the spout. Trace

the template onto a slab and cut it out.

Compress the edges using plastic.

Cut out the shape and create a slight bev-

el. Attach the spout, supporting the bowl

with your opposite hand at all times.

1

4

2

5

3

6



your right thumb and bent right index finger in a curved mo-

tion. Release pressure at the rim’s tip ( figure 7 ). Hold the middle

of the spout with your left thumb and left index finger while

rubbing in a side to side and downward motion with right in-

dex finger ( figure 8). Repeat these motions until you get the

shape you desire. Give the seam a distinct outline using a rub-ber-tipped tool ( figure 9 ).

Cloud-Shaped HandlePlace the cloud cutouts onto soft, thick foam and gently use your

thumb, working from the center of the shape and releasing pres-

sure toward the edge, to puff them out ( figure 10 ). Hold the two

cloud halves up, in the shape of a closed clamshell, to the bowl’s

rim opposite the spout and trace a light line ( figure 11). Cut in-

side the line, leaving a narrow area for the cloud to be attached

( figure 12). Cutting out this section removes weight from the

bowl’s rim and eliminates a second air pocket to worry about.

Score and slip the attachment area and the edges of each cloud

shape. Attach the outside cloud first, pressing along its edge only.

Next attach the inside cloud, then pinch the edges together ( fig-

ure 13). Compress the newly formed edge with a sponge held be-

tween thumb and pointer finger. Trace the cloud’s outline with

a rubber-tipped tool to remove any clay burrs or imperfections

and create a distinct line. Push a small pin into the cloud to allowair to escape, but don’t remove it until after the bowl is dipped in

slip or the hole will reseal.

Base Slip Decoration Porcelain clay offers the best surface to show off translucent

glazes but working with it can often be a love/hate relationship.

If you find yourself in this predicament, you can turn your fa-

vorite commercial porcelain clay into a slip to use over a more

workable clay body. Begin by cutting it into small pieces and

dry them out. Place the dried clay in a bucket with enough wa-

ter to just cover the clay. Let it sit until all the pieces are thor-

oughly slaked, then stir them using a drill and paint-mixing

Shape the spout by wetting your hand

and pulling in a curved motion. Release

pressure at the rim’s tip.

Place the handle cutouts onto soft, thick

foam and lightly press them into rounded

forms. Don’t overwork the edges.

Hold the middle of the spout with your in-

dex fingers while rubbing in a side to side

and downward motion to refine the shape.

Dry fit the two halves to the bowl’s rim

opposite the spout and trace a light line

to mark their placement for attaching.

Use a rubber-tipped tool to clean up the

attachment and to define the exterior

shape of the spout.

Make a beveled cut inside the marked

line, leaving a narrow area for the handle

to be attached.

7

10

8

11

9

12

process | The Spouted Batter Bowl | Courtney Long



attachment. Run the material through an 80-mesh sieve to smooth it out. If you’d

like to work with a homemade clay recipe, you can adjust this clay body (see side-

bar at left) into a workable slip. Be sure to test it for fit on your own clay body.

Dip the bowl in the slip gently but quickly ( figure 14). While holding the bowl

upside down to allow the excess slip to drip off, brush any areas that the slip did

not cover, such as the inside of the spout and the handle attachment. Add slipdecoration both in white or in additional colors to the bowl’s well ( figure 15). Let

the slip dry uncovered overnight, then remove the pin.

Sgafto Decoration Sgraffito is like a haircut, you can take away but you cannot put back, so plan

ahead. Make templates from sketches or photocopies and increase or decrease the

sizes as needed to fit your bowl. The best surface quality for creating sgraffito dec-

oration is during the leather-hard state. This state allows you to trace templates

onto the dry white slip using a pencil without leaving embedded marks. Once a

preliminary sketch is complete, spontaneously carve the lines to give the image

gesture. A needle tool held at an angle gives fine, crisp lines ( figure 16 ). Most dust

or clay burrs that form on the surface can be easily removed when bone dry. Don’t

COURTNEY’S GROLLEG SLIP

Cone 6

Wollastonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %

Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Grolleg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

100 %

Add: Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %

You can add Zircopax to make the slip moreopaque; however, when using an electric kiln,visual depth achieved on the pot’s surface hasto be purposeful. Allow the slip’s thick and thinareas to give you that depth, especially whenpoured over red clay.

Attach the outside shape first, pressing

the edges only. Attach the inside shape,

then pinch the edges together.

Sketch on the exterior then carve over

the lines with a needle tool. Remove

burrs after they dry.

Push a small pin into the cloud to allow

air to escape but don’t remove it. Dip the

bowl in the slip.

Add underglaze embellishments. Bisque

fire the pot. Wax the foot. Apply 2–3

coats of colored glaze on the imagery.

Brush any interior areas that the slip

did not cover. Add slip decoration in ad-

ditional colors to the bowl’s well.

Immerse the bowl quickly and rotate

clockwise, coating the exterior and inte-

rior with translucent glaze.

14

17

13

16

15

18



blow the dust in the air as it’s harmful to breathe in. If the un-

derlying red clay leaves smudges, gently brush them away once

the bowl is bone dry. Don’t disturb smudges while they’re wet,

as the red iron mars the surface—a concern mainly if you are

using clear glaze. Once the sgraffito line work is complete, you

may add underglaze embellishments in various colors. Allow

the entire pot to dry and then bisque fire it.

Glaze Decoration Thoroughly wash the pot before doing any glazing to remove any

dust, then let it dry overnight. Use a water-based wax to coat the

foot ring and allow it to dry upside down. Dab or brush two to

three coats of colored glaze on imagery so it’s about the thick-

ness of a dime ( figure 17 ). After the colored glazes are dry, pour

translucent glaze into an open, round container, hold the bowl

in your right hand, and twist as far counterclockwise as com-

fortable. Immerse the bowl quickly into the clear glaze on one

side, set upright to let glaze slosh into middle before immersing

it once again. Roll the bowl around in the glaze as you rotate your

wrist in a clockwise motion as far as possible ( figure 18). It’s bestnot to end major pour out drips over imagery; therefore plan

ahead and make sure to initially hold the bowl so the excess glaze

pours out at either the spout or the cloud handle. Dab finger

marks with glaze after the form dries but before wiping the foot

ring. Rub any pin holes that may form on the glaze surface. Don’t

blow the dust! Fire the pot to temperature.

Courtney Long is a studio potter and educator living in Morganton, North

Carolina. She received her MFA from Syracuse University. She’s currently

Western Piedmont Community College’s Professional Crafts Coordina-

tor and Pottery Instructor. See more of Courtney’s work on her website,

www.courtneylongpottery.com.Detail of the glazing around the cloud-shaped handle.

Detail of Cloud Batter Bowl with Rabbit’s interior glaze and sgraf-

fito line work.

Rabbit Butter Dish , 7 in. (18 cm) in length, earthenware, porcelain

slip, fired to cone 5, 2013.



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by Ben Krupka

THE ORIBEINSPIREDDECORATED JAR

Ben Krupka carves through wax-resist-

covered slips to create a playful Oribe-

inspired surface on his porcelain jar.

As a maker, I remain dedicated to the evolving

conversation with material, aesthetic ideals,

and function. I work within the parameters

of aesthetic functionalism while striving to

build pots that feel full of volume, look soft

and fresh, and tell a story, while maintaining

a historical reference. The work shown herereferences the experimental and playful feel

of Oribe-style ceramics, but through a con-

temporary lens, both in pattern and narrative

themes as well as in form, which is influenced

by how I eat and drink. The work uses abstract

cloud forms to reference an intangible dream

state and fuzzy communication that are de-

picted in unframed floating spaces. Pattern isused to define place and divide space.



The majority of my work begins on the wheel. I find this tool

to be the simplest way to connect curves and create not only

physical volume, but also a visually suggested sense of volume.

Throwing

Start by throwing a straight-walled cylinder with the bottom

third resembling a bowl on the interior rather than a cylinder,which would have evenly thick walls. This will give the stability

necessary to slightly swell out the belly of the pot in the throw-

ing stage without compromising its vertical, wet structural

strength. It also will come into play later when trimming.

Leave the top quarter of the pot about twice as thick as the

walls so it maintains its structure as you use downward pressure

to create the lid seating.

After the cylinder is thrown, smoothed, and the lid seating is

roughly formed, begin at the top, working downward to swell out

the walls, creating more volume ( figure 1). It’s important to begin

widening the form from the top as this allows the bottom half of

the pot, which is still thick, to maintain structure and keeps the

pot from getting too thin early on, causing it to slump. Once the

pot is formed, delicately rib down the entire pot removing all

throwing lines that would eventually act as a visual distraction to

the applied surface treatment ( figure 2). Remove the pot from the

wheel and allow it to become leather hard.

Next, center a substantial amount of clay as a hump. This al-

lows you to throw multiple lids more quickly in the event thatone does not fit. While ignoring the majority of clay that is al-

ready centered, focus on a portion of clay that comfortably fits in

your hand, and center it as though it’s a separate entity from the

remainder of the clay on the wheel. Rather than creating a hole,

which one would normally do when opening, form the knob in

the center of the ball of clay ( figure 3).

After the knob is formed, throw walls around the knob and,

using a stiff rib, push down and level out the top of the lid

( figure 4). Once you are happy with the shape of the lid, use

calipers to measure the exact lid diameter and cut it to size with

a needle tool. Smooth out the cut edge, then remove the lid and

allow it to become leather hard.

Swell out the walls from the top down-

ward. Keep the walls an even thickness.

Use the rib to push down the walls creat-

ing a flat lid.

Use the rib to remove all throwing lines

and refine the surface of the pot.

Center the pot so it can be used to hold

the lid while trimming.

Form the knob prior to opening the walls

of the lid.

Trim the lid until the walls are evenly

thick throughout.

1

4

2

5

3

6

process | The Oribe-Inspired Decorated Jar | Ben Krupka



Trimming

Once the pot and the lid are both leather hard, re-center the pot

(before trimming it) so it can be used as a chuck, or holder, for

trimming the lid ( figure 5). Trim the lid until the walls are an

even thickness throughout ( figure 6 ). Now the lid is complete.

Flip the pot over, center it, and begin trimming. This is where

the distinction between physical and visual volume is created.Because the interior of this vessel is shaped like a bowl, it affords

the flexibility to trim heavily, exposing the bowl shape within.

After the bulk of the trimming is complete, use the metal rib as

a trimming tool to remove unwanted trimming lines. Sponge

down the surface and use a soft rib to unify the thrown and

trimmed surface ( figure 7 ).

Slip Decoration

It’s important to have a vision for the finished piece in order

grasp the steps and work backward. I find it helpful to sketch

my ideas on paper prior to applying slip to the surface of the

pot. Once the pot is on the dry side of leather hard, begin to ap-

ply colored slips by starting with the darkest color, in this case

black. After allowing the black slip to dry, apply the next color

of slip—I used Amaco Velvet Underglaze V-388 Radiant Red.

Once the slips are dry, cover the entire pot with wax resist and

allow it to sit overnight so the wax hardens ( figure 8). The longer

you let the wax dry, the easier it will be to draw clean lines.

Incising and Inlaying

Use a tool with a point that gives the line quality you desire—

anything from a ballpoint pen to a needle tool will work. An-

other contributing factor to line quality is the moisture content

of the clay. The drier the pot, the sharper the line ( figure 9 ).

Throughout the drawing process, pause occasionally to brush

off the burrs of wax and clay that peel up as you draw so they don’t

accidentally get pushed back into your lines. Be patient and wait as

long as it takes for the burrs to dry. The drier the burrs are when

you brush them away, the cleaner the line will be ( figure 10 ).

Once the drawing is complete, use colored slips to fill in the

lines ( figure 11). After each color is applied, sponge away what

Trim excess clay around the base. Use

a soft rib to even out the trimming sur-

faces. Allow it to become leather hard.

Use a soft brush to remove the dry burrs

of wax and clay that peel up as you draw.

Apply colored slips. After the slips are dry,

cover the entire pot with wax resist and

allow the wax to harden.

After the drawing is complete, use col-

ored slips to fill the lines.

Use a pointed tool to draw through the

wax and slip creating sgraffito lines.

Avoid brushing the burrs into the lines.

Sponge away what doesn’t fill the lines

before applying the next color.

7

10 11 12

8 9



process | The Oribe-Inspired Decorated Jar | Ben Krupka

doesn’t adhere before applying the next color ( figure 12). The overlying color shouldwipe away easily due to the layer of protective wax resist still on the pot.

Glazing

After bisquing the pot, use a damp sponge to clean the surface before applying glaze.

This removes any dust that developed from the wax burning off in the kiln and allows

for a consistent and clean coat of glaze. Apply areas of colored glaze ( figure 13), allow

them to dry, then apply a thin layer of clear glaze on top of the entire pot ( figure 14).

Wipe the bottom clean, allow the glaze to dry, then fire it to temperature.

Ben Krupka is a functional and sculptural ceramic artist and educator living and working in Great

Barrington, Massachusetts. He has been teaching ceramics at Bard College at Simon’s Rock since

2005. Prior to this he completed a two-year residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Mon-

tana. To see more of his work, visit www.benkrupka.com.

Apply a colored glaze in sections around the pot’s exterior.

Ben Krupka’s vase (detail above), 9 in.

(23 cm) in height, porcelain, slips, glazes,

fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln, 2014.

Apply a thin layer of clear glaze on top.

13 14

SLIP BASE

(VAL CUSHING -VCHF1)

Cone 6

Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 %

Ferro Frit 3124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Grolleg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10OM4 Ball Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

100 %

Add: Zircopax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 %

Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %

For Black: Mason Stain #6666. . . . . . 10 %

17K CLEAR

Cone 6

Lithium Carbonate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 %

Wollastonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Ferro Frit 3124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Silica (325 Mesh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 100 %

Add For Green:

Copper Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 %



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Before electric wheels were designed, Japanese

potters used wooden banding wheels to throw

pots. It’s the hand version of the kick wheel so tospeak. It’s turned by placing a wooden pole into a

hole on the right side of the wheel and turning it rap-

idly several times before removing the pole and start-

ing to throw.

While teaching in community-based pottery schools in Ja-

pan, I often noticed some of the advanced students’ banding

wheels turning very fast on the work table, and before long, they

had nice cups and bowls. When I lived in the US, I hardly used

banding wheels, and when I did, it was primarily to add surface

treatment. So the technique they were using piqued my interest.

ToolsIn addition to the unique banding-wheel throwing technique, I

have started using a number of highly specialized pottery tools,

including several wooden throwing ribs. For example, there

are different ribs for making sake cups, Japanese teacups, rice

bowls, and so on. These ribs have curves that match the inside

shapes for each form and are used often for shaping the inside

of thrown forms.

The two wooden ribs I’m using here are a rectangular-shaped

rib for Japanese teacups and a teardrop-shaped, all-purpose rib

that can be shifted in the hand to match a desired curve (see

tools sidebar, page 36).

Steps to Make a YunomiTo experiment with this technique, start with a basic cylin-

der form like a teacup. Japanese teacups can be categorized

into two forms: a yunomi, which has a height that is greater

than its diameter and kumidashi, which is wider than it is tall

(tea bowls, which are larger, are called macchawan or chawan).

The example shown here is a yunomi. The amount of clay

you want to prepare for each piece is approximately the same

amount, but a little more than what you would use for throw-

ing the same form on an electric wheel. For the yunomi, use

¾ of a pound (400g) of clay.

Start with a ball of clay, and first divide the clay into three

pieces. Choose the largest piece and make it into a ball, and

make the other two pieces into short coils. Press the ball of clay

by Naomi Tsukamoto

All at Once

Thrown& Handbuilt



down onto the center of a banding wheel

to make a short, solid cylinder. Make the

diameter as wide as you want the

pottery making may14 poi0514d

Documents