Kathleen Jackwicz on sat 4 oct 97
Shortly before I graduated from high school, one of my art teachers told
me of a process where you burnish unglazed pots using slip. I really
liked the finish on the pot and would like to try it on one of my own
pieces. Does anyone know of this process and at what stage it is done? I
would also like to know the name of this process.
Kathleen Jackwicz
The College of New Jersey
jackwic2@tcnj.edu
Dannon Rhudy on sun 5 oct 97
Kathleen,
I she was using slip, it was probably terra sigilata, and she
was PROBABLY not burnishing, but polishing with a soft cloth or
something after applying the terra sigilata to a bone-dry pot. If
she was BURNISHING, then she was polishing/rubbing the
leather-hard pot with the back of a spoon, or a polishing stone,
or some other hard, smooth object.
The methods are similar, and so are the results, but they are not
quite the same. To burnish a pot: when it has reached
hard-leather hard stage, rub the surface with the back of a spoon
or some other hard smooth object. As you rub, you will notice
the surface becoming smoother and smoother, and in fact, quite
shiny. This works best on a smooth clay body, without grog or
other large particles. It takes a bit of time to do this
burnishing, and some people burnish several times before letting
the pot finish drying for firing.
Terra sigilata method: when the pot is bone dry, or nearly so,
apply terra sigilata with a broad brush. Do this rapidly, and
cover the whole pot quickly. Then, take a soft cloth and polish
gently. A good terra sigilata will give a beautiful finish. Look
in the Clay Art archives; there is a recipe for terra sigilata
there from Vince Pitelka (who will no doubt be answering this for
you anyway). There are terra sigilata recipes (less complicated
than his) in most beginning ceramics books.
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
Shortly before I graduated from high school, one of my art
teachers told
me of a process where you burnish unglazed pots using slip. I
really
liked the finish on the pot and would like to try it on one of my
own
pieces. Does anyone know of this process and at what stage it is
done? I
would also like to know the name of this process.
Kathleen Jackwicz
The College of New Jersey
jackwic2@tcnj.edu
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