Rodolfo in movement

So, I guess by now, you know me a little bit, and you may have guess that Rodolfo will show up in my pots someway or another. Well, here he is. These cups are on greenware and I use the mishima technique to draw him, the landscape and his friend. Yes! Rodolfo has a friend.

If you are my friend on FB you will have notice that I was asking for photos of cats sleeping, cats are hard to draw! Looking at photos help me with my drawing.

Have you notice that cats sleep all the time? And Rodolfo as well sings the whole day, so in my head, Rodolfo singing would not let the cat to sleep in peace. Kind of silly right? but that's me. Then I made a mistake with the Spanish spelling, so the cat corrected me/Rodolfo. I tried to find a way to solve this problem because once you carved the pot there is no way back, well, almost.

In the first cup Rodolfo sings in Spanish and in the second one in English.

The cats are different because I like this idea and I would repeat it, so I was testing different colors for the cats, if the orange make it will be Rodolfo and Sekmeth or Rodolfo and Gato, if the black cat makes the cut. We will see. I still can not make up my mind.

Birds on a Tree # 1

This year I want to make something new, I was thinking on making jars with lids because I want to learn how to make lids and also because I think jar will be easier to sell than bowls. After last year craft fair I learn something important: not many people want to spend money on everyday objects like small bowls. However, they seemed to be very open to spend, sometimes even more money, on objects that they will not manipulate constantly like a big bowls for salad, a table center piece, something that will mostly function as a decoration. So I think perhaps I should to jars, they are nice and can be very decorative on the kitchen or wherever they want to put it. Plus learning to make lids will be fun!

First thing to learn about jars with lids is that both of them must be made at the same time or at least take the time to measure their circumference before of letting them dry. I didn't know that when I made 2 cylinders in hope of making their matching lids next class (!!) Well, lesson learned!

I will have to make more cylinders and measured them if I want to make lids for them. But what should I do with these 2 cylinders? They are not very big and they are quite thick. . . my head was thinking on the future lids instead of concentrating on making their walls thin. So I question myself again, what should I do with them? Well, I still don't know, but I figure it out that will be a good idea to try some new decorative technique with them, something I like to do but couldn't have done before, and my answer was right in front of me, resting on the thick walls: I should carved them!

So I did it, I carved both of them and soon some birds on a tree came out of the thick walls of the cylinders. Here is a video of the first one I made. I will post the second tomorrow. I don't know yet how to glaze it or what will be the actual function of these objects but I am sure something will came up.

These cylinders are the first attempts on something new. Perhaps I will develop a new collection with this idea, hummm, what will the future bring to these birds on a tree??

The new critter says: Who am I ???

I decided to post the photos of the greenware pots I was decorating with the sgraffito technique  on Monday/Tuesday. I was thinking of just doing more birds and cuyes a.k.a. guinea pigs. But temptation of trying new animals was toooo strong, plus I had this weird looking bowl and I said to myself, even if I missed it out, it wasn't the nicest bowl anyway. It sounds silly but I have to say those things to myself in order to try new things.... maybe I am just a little cuckoo.

So, can you guess what is this new critter that came along to play with me/us ???

Playing with the slip trailing tool. Part. 2

I find myself playing with the slip trailing tool again, this time I tried a more complicated design, henna/Hindi designs... I just love those patters of flowers and vines and also a sort of old hand made doily. Well, it is not exactly what I had in mind but its getting closer. I think I will need to go to Highwater Clay Company again and buy more tips!!!

Again, I made two little bowls and I will take them to the studio tomorrow. I get always nervous every time I put new things in the kiln. I should repite to myself, "it's just clay, it's just clay" like Kathy, my teacher always said.

 If you are interested you can see the first attempt to play with the slip trailing tool here:

Playing with the slip trailing tool. Part 1 

I told you, is a CUYES invasion...!!

Here is another greenware bowl, I can not wait until tomorrow to see how it looks after the first fired. I always nervous about that, that is why I keep taking photos of them before being fired.

Playing with the slip trailing tool

A month or so ago, I bought a slip trail tool at a Highwater Clays Store in St. Petersburg, FL. I have seen many really interesting designs made with that tool and though why not try it myself, since I like decorating pots and I am not afraid of complicated designs.

So yesterday and today I have been practicing with this little tool, is not so hard to manipulate once you have the slip in the right consistency, that is the hard part. Too thick and is really hard to squeeze the plastic container and to watery, and the design will run away.

I have not master it yer, but I will keep trying, possibilities seem to be endless. Here are my two attempts. Hope they will make it to the studio tomorrow.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4625244428077594559

 

Saving the Greenware

I got two pieces from my teacher, she again asked me if I wanted to do something with them otherwise she will discard and I don't like that,  I will save anything (almost anything I must admit). Although I should also say, that some pieces don't deserve to be saved, I must learn to let them go....but not these couple.  So I did something with them. I did a sgraffito design with one of them, a bird, bring me back memories of the old good days in Lima, when I was studying drawing animation. I think one of my characters from the short film animation will show up again very soon :)  I wonder if Edith or Maria Angelica will remember it...

With the second vase I wanted to try a design with slip and carving. I didn't have the official potter tool, the slip trail applicator, so I used a piping bag instead. It doesn't work quite exactly as I planned, or maybe the vase was a bit to dry or maybe I just need more practice or maybe the slip had not the right consistency.... many maybes, I will keep trying.