Working on Cups, Boxes and Platters
Hand built stoneware cup with square base
I’m continuing to work on the lessons I learned in the workshop that I took last weekend in an effort to make the work my own. This cup is one of the results and one I’m going to continue developing. I like the square base and the round top. My original intention was to make the entire cup square, when my husband mentioned that a square rim might make the functionality tricky. He asked if the user would have to drink from a corner. Given that it’s a fairly large cup with a large rim expanse, I tended to agree with him. So, this cup was the result of our discussion.
Poppy relief printed stoneware box
Remember my lino-cuts? I finally finished one of the boxes 2 days ago. It’s drying slowly to minimize warping and cracking. I also switched my slip from a regular slip made from my clay body to a paper clay slip made with my clay body, which happens to be a white ^6 stoneware called Ash manufactured by Mile Hi Ceramics here in Denver. It’s gray in color before bisque firing, but will be white once fired. It’s not as white as the porcelain I throw with, but it does the trick. In reduction, this clay body (ash) would have a gray cast, unlike porcelain.
Top view of the Poppy Box which is larger at 7″ t x 5″ w not including knob and feet
Hand built stoneware platter with hollow handles
I made this with a combination of the techniques I learned in Annie’s workshop and another Pottery Making Illustrated article titled, “Plate-o-matic” written by Paul Wandless about the work of Amy Santaferraro. I can’t find a live link to PMI, so here’s the pdf: Plate-o-matic by Paul Wandless if you want to give it a go.
Side view of platter
The plate was made using Amy’s technique and then I added double sided textured and hollow decorative handles like I learned how to do in Annie’s class. The hollow handles are pretty darn cool if you ask me and I need to come up with my own templates now.
In the meantime, I must go and make some more work!
~Cynthia
New Relief Printed Boxes & Bevel-o-Matic Tool
I’ve rolled out a slab of “ash” white stoneware clay purchased from Mile Hi Ceramics. I’m going to give my new lino cut a try.
I found that I get a better print when I used a rubber mallet to set my lino-cut in place – otherwise it slipped a little when I ran the rolling pin over it several times from different directions.
After I printed the clay and before I lifted the lino-cut, I trimmed away the excess clay from the slab. I cut my linoleum pretty precisely before I carved it.
Voila, my print – see the bottom center? this is before I realized that I should use the rubber mallet to get a good print.
Here, I’ve got 4 sides of my poppy lino-cut printed and a large slab for the top and bottom. If you do your math, you’ll see that i actually printed 5 sides, even though I only meant to do 4. I turned the fifth one into a tile.
This could be why I printed out 5 sides instead of 4. 
It was after 8 pm after all.
A funny thing happened a few weeks ago. About a month ago, I ordered a Bevel-o-Matic tool from claystamps.com after reading a tool review on Emily Murphy’s Pottery blog. After 2 weeks, I didn’t receive an acknowledgment or the tool in the mail. I had used the Paypal link on their website to purchase, so I followed up with an email and canceled the transaction. About a week after that, I received an email from them apologizing and telling me that they’ll put one in the mail for me and that I should send them a check after receiving it. I wasn’t quite sure I’d see one or not, but lo and behold, a Bevel-o-Matic tool arrived a week later. It seemed so refreshing to me that the owner would trust me enough to send before receiving payment. So, I am definitely one happy customer and promptly stuck a check in the mail. By the way, it works like a charm!
I worked on 2 boxes simulataneously. These are larger than the porcelain ones I’ve made in the past couple of months.
Here, I am dutifully adding clay coils to the joints to strengthen them. I tried not adding them to a couple and experienced some cracking. The glaze covered the cracks up, but I was worried the whole time while they were firing.
Walls are up – only have to add the tops.
Vine printed box is now drying and setting up.
Here’s the poppy printed box. I think I like the way this print turned out. I suppose the real test will be after glazing. I’d like to see the glaze break nicely over the raised and recessed parts of the boxes.
Meanwhile, I am attending a one day hand-building workshop with Annie Chrietzberg tomorrow. I hope to report back on Monday with all the wonderful things I learned at her studio!
Have a good weekend,
~Cynthia
Relief Printing on Clay
Golden Cut linoleum from Dick Blick
After building my boxes and HAND painting each and everyone for the Colorado Potter’s Guild Show and the Summer Art Market, I decided that I should employ a different method to speed up production of my boxes. Hand painting certainly has a place in my work, but it is labor intensive. So, I decided that the humble relief print would be the perfect solution since I would only need to do the labor-intensive part (carving) up front. The lino-cuts will last years and years and leave a nice imprinted texture on the slabs of clay.
Did I mention that I like using the Golden Cut linoleum from Dick Blick? I hate battleship gray linoleum – ick petuie blech. One other cost effective option,is to carve actual left over linoleum if you have any sitting around your house. Someone in my printmaking class in college did that and it worked great.
I decided to start with a theme that I use frequently – a series of vertical vines. First I draw my sketch with pencil and then go over the drawing with a sharpie for easier carving later on. Pencil smudges, sharpie doesn’t. Love Sharpies – I don’t think one could ever have too many!
Starting to carve
I quickly learned that having the right tools for the job makes all the difference in the world. Forget the cheapo carving tools and invest in some nice palm sized wooden handled ones in a variety of sizes. I purchased my set from a wood working shop in Maine similar to these, though less expensive. One word of caution – carve away from yourself. I speak from experience.
Side View
Finished carving
Yesterday afternoon, I finished carving the vine and even did a little ginkgo leaf cut, since I broke the one I originally made. I tried cutting it out – didn’t work.
Poppy Drawing
My poppy box sold right away at the Summer Art Market, so I decided to replicate it in linoleum. Once again, I hand drew the design in pencil and Sharpie. This time, however, I decided to make this like a line drawing. Where I carve away, it will be raised when I print it on clay. Where the linoleum is left intact, it will leave an impression when printed. Don’t forget that this will be backwards when it’s printed – especially important if you want to add any text. When using text, I like to write words out in pencil and then I hold the linoleum up to a mirror before I carve away to make sure it looks right.
Today, I’m going to venture out to the garagio and do some relief printing on clay. My mom’s birthday is coming up soon and I promised her a box – so I’d better get to work!
Till later,
~Cynthia
