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slip carving technique....

updated sun 24 oct 99

 

Meika Alberici on tue 19 oct 99

I am wondering if anyone out there has any ideas on how to keep 'slip',
applied to leather hard pots, moist during the carving process.....???

Basically, I apply slip to a pot, and then carve it back with designs. As
time moves on while carving....I am finding the slip becomes more and more
'brittle', as it dries, and breaks off in small chunks. I have tried
sraying it with water, but it doesn't last very long, and dries up quickly.

How can I keep the slip moist for a longer period of time.....??? Anyone
ever do this, and have a solution....?????

Thanks.
Meika A. Alberici

Cindy Strnad, Earthen Vessels Pottery on wed 20 oct 99

Meika,

I used to do this type of carving, but I applied the slip to my pots on the
wheel, with a large, soft hake brush. Or applied as I trimmed the bases,
but when the pots were barely dry enough to trim. This gives you a little
more time to do the carving before the slip becomes dry and begins to flake
off. Haven't done this in a long time, and my pottery isn't as thick as it
once was, so would likely be harder to apply slip to the wet pots, now.

I suggest you apply the slip to the pottery at as early a stage in the
drying process as possible. Another thing to try might be allowing the slip
to dry under plastic for a while, to encourage it to bond to the underlying
clay.

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD

Rod, Marian, and Holly Morris on wed 20 oct 99

Just an idea- never tried it. How about adding a little glycerin to the
slip. Glycerin is a humectant, it draws moisture to it. Of course that
doesn't deal with the underlying clay getting dry, which is probably the
root of the problem.
----- Original Message -----
From: Meika Alberici
To:
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 5:01 PM
Subject: Slip carving technique....


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am wondering if anyone out there has any ideas on how to keep 'slip',
> applied to leather hard pots, moist during the carving process.....???
>
> Basically, I apply slip to a pot, and then carve it back with designs. As
> time moves on while carving....I am finding the slip becomes more and more
> 'brittle', as it dries, and breaks off in small chunks. I have tried
> sraying it with water, but it doesn't last very long, and dries up
quickly.
>
> How can I keep the slip moist for a longer period of time.....??? Anyone
> ever do this, and have a solution....?????
>
> Thanks.
> Meika A. Alberici
>

Carolynn Palmer on wed 20 oct 99

I have brushed on wax resist over the slip I intended to carve. It holds the
moisture in and makes a nice "peeling" when it is carved away. It burns off
in the bisque, so you couldn't use this method if you were applying glaze to
the unfired pot.

Carolynn Palmer, Somerset Center, Michigan

Karen Hein on thu 21 oct 99

I have painted or dipped the article in slip and then poured melted wax over
the area. Allows for a slower drying time and you could certainly carve
through it.

Jeanne Wood on sat 23 oct 99

Hi Meika;
Possibly your problem could be solved with a different
slip recipe. For about 1/3 of the pottery I do I use a
base slip recipe to which I add stains or oxides. I
have carved through on a variety of clay bodies and
when the pots were at ALL stages of moisture content
and have never had flakeing. I guess it's actually
called an englobe though. If you are just using a
natural slip like bernard this is of no help, sorry.
But here's the recipe:

Bill Ferrow's White Slip
Ball clay...........50
Kaolin..............50
Flint...............10
Spar................10

Add your colorants to this.


--- Meika Alberici wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> I am wondering if anyone out there has any ideas on
> how to keep 'slip',
> applied to leather hard pots, moist during the
> carving process.....???
>
> Basically, I apply slip to a pot, and then carve it
> back with designs. As
> time moves on while carving....I am finding the slip
> becomes more and more
> 'brittle', as it dries, and breaks off in small
> chunks. I have tried
> sraying it with water, but it doesn't last very
> long, and dries up quickly.
>
> How can I keep the slip moist for a longer period of
> time.....??? Anyone
> ever do this, and have a solution....?????
>
> Thanks.
> Meika A. Alberici
>


=====

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