Alisha Clarke on thu 5 jul 07
I'm experimenting with ball clay and stretching for surface texture.
However, the ball clay leaves buff colored blotches on my
reddish-brown ^6 stoneware (Sheffield 4D3B). It's interesting, but not
quite what I'm looking for.
I'm curious what specific properties of ball clay make it useful for
this technique, and what alternatives there might be to work better
with darker clays? I wondered about redart as an alternative, but
understand it will become glaze-like at ^6 (which could present a
problem).
Thanks,
Alisha
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alisha Clarke
www.alishaclarke.com
Lili Krakowski on thu 5 jul 07
Alissa: I do not have a clue what it is you are trying to achieve. Sorry.
You write:
"I'm experimenting with ball clay and stretching for surface texture.
...[T]he ball clay leaves buff colored blotches on my
reddish-brown ^6 ....I'm curious what specific properties of ball clay make
it useful for
this technique, and what alternatives there might be to work better
with darker clays? I wondered about redart as an alternative, but
understand it will become glaze-like at ^6....
Why would a buff clay applied to a darker body NOT leave a different color
on the pot? Nor do I know what the stretching technique is.
As to Red Art--I use it as a straight slip under a clear glaze all tube
time. no problem.
Could you/would you explain?
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Lee Love on fri 6 jul 07
You can usually buy your clay body sans water. Use your powdered/dry
claybody instead of ball clay.
I used to buy super white dry from Continental Clay and I use it as a
white slip or as a base for colored slips.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
Marcia Selsor on fri 6 jul 07
Alisha,
I didn't understand the ball clay issue either.
If you are trying to get the crackled surface, try brushing on some
sodium silicate, heat it with a blow dryer,let it set and then
stretch. The surface should crackle.
At least this works on thrown surfaces.
Marcia
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
Alisha Clarke on fri 6 jul 07
Hi Lili,
Sorry, I should have explained more. I'm spreading ball clay on wet
clay (slabs or thrown cylinders) and then stretching the slabs or --
in the case of thrown cylinders -- drying the surface covered with
ball clay with a heat gun and then expanding it out from the inside.
I've seen this process used by three potters, Robin Hopper, Randy
Brodnax and Tim Scull (of Canton CT). This creates a crackled texture.
However, much of the ball clay remains on the surface, giving the
mottled color against darker clay bodies. I believe the ball clay is
primarily working to help dry out the surface, but each of the artists
specifically use ball clay, and I was wondering if there is something
unique about ball clay for this purpose and what alternative clays
might be used with darker clays for this purpose.
Alisha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alisha Clarke
www.alishaclarke.com
On 7/5/07, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> Alissa: I do not have a clue what it is you are trying to achieve. Sorry.
>
> You write:
>
> "I'm experimenting with ball clay and stretching for surface texture.
> ...[T]he ball clay leaves buff colored blotches on my
> reddish-brown ^6 ....I'm curious what specific properties of ball clay make
> it useful for
> this technique, and what alternatives there might be to work better
> with darker clays? I wondered about redart as an alternative, but
> understand it will become glaze-like at ^6....
>
> Why would a buff clay applied to a darker body NOT leave a different color
> on the pot? Nor do I know what the stretching technique is.
>
>
>
> As to Red Art--I use it as a straight slip under a clear glaze all tube
> time. no problem.
>
>
>
> Could you/would you explain?
>
> Lili Krakowski
> Be of good courage
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
--
Michael Wendt on fri 6 jul 07
Alissa,
Rake some of the clay trimmings from
the clay body and let them dry.
Crush them with a rolling pin and
screen them (outside where dust
won't matter), then sprinkle the
dry powder on the surface you wish
to create the dry surface stretch effect.
Since it is the same clay, it becomes
invisible when fired.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, ID 83501
USA
208-746-3724
http://www.wendtpottery.com
wendtpot@lewiston.com
You write:
"I'm experimenting with ball clay and stretching for
surface texture.
...[T]he ball clay leaves buff colored blotches on my
reddish-brown ^6
Alisha Clarke on sat 7 jul 07
I've used the sodium silicate approach also. However, I prefer the
texture from the ball clay for this particular application. I'll try
using the dry powder from my regular clay body and see if that works.
I was just wondering why ball clay is typically specified and if there
is something different about it for this technique.
Leesh
On 7/6/07, Marcia Selsor wrote:
> Alisha,
> I didn't understand the ball clay issue either.
> If you are trying to get the crackled surface, try brushing on some
> sodium silicate, heat it with a blow dryer,let it set and then
> stretch. The surface should crackle.
> At least this works on thrown surfaces.
> Marcia
>
> Marcia Selsor
> http://marciaselsor.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alisha Clarke
www.alishaclarke.com
Ted Neal on sat 7 jul 07
Alisha
If my memory serves me, I believe I saw Tony Nankervis(Aussie) use flour
for a process which sounds very much like what you are trying to achieve.
He would apply to the surface of the pot before it was stretched, scratch some patterns or
designs
and then stretch from the inside. The flour burns off in the bisque with no ill effects. I guess
any organic dry powder would work, really you are only looking for its ability to absorb
water from just the surface of the clay to achieve the desired look.
He also used flour in his wadding mix to make it sticky without using a lot of clay.
(Not something you would want to leave around for any amount of time though
as it begins to devolop some 'funk' pretty quickly)
Anyway...good luck
Ted
Ted Neal
Department of Art
Ball State University
Muncie IN 47304
Jeanie Silver on fri 13 jul 07
Hi Alisha
I've done this with grolleg porcelain over a dark k body..worked well for
me..
Jeanie in Pa.
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