Wendy Peck on mon 11 nov 02
Carol,
Thanks very much for the reply. I am not sure about the 45 degree cut with
the inlay, but I will give it a try. I'm just having a hard time imagining
how the pattern would work. Testing coming on. That is the first time I have
thought about a 45 degree join, however, and I am thrilled to add that to my
idea file. It just makes sense that it would be stronger with more area to
bond.
You delivered real gold with another suggestion. This may sound dumb, but I
never thought to let the join dry before cleaning it up. I tend to overwork
a joint ...why? I have a feeling that this little tip will be helping me for
years. You just never know what a beginner has failed to think of. Thanks
for digging through your successful methods to get that to me.
And I will go back to slip. I have been pretty lucky with just moistening -
good soft clay, and usually the chance to really muck the seams together. I
got a little lazy with the coil/pinch method that I learned in a workshop on
the Mata Oritz style of pottery. You overlap the new coil and pinch it in so
much that it really becomes part of the whole piece, not a seam. Thanks for
the reminder to get back to what I learned in the beginning for this
application. I also had heard of sliding into place in a workshop, but
forgot it. Tapping I haven't done, but I bet it would help in this case.
I appreciate your time and the suggestions. They will make a difference.
Wendy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Ross"
To:
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 10:44 PM
Subject: Re: Nerikomi/Inlay book, article, workshop? Help!
Wendy, I haven't worked with inlay, but I have done quite a bit of
hand-building. I hope this will help - I'm sure that everyone has her/his
own personal preferences for joining, but these are mine.
I like to work with nearly leather-hard slabs. Mitering the edges is easier
when the clay is stiffer. Score the 45 degree angled edge (assuming you're
making right angles) and generously apply slip (use dry clay scraps and mix
with water) - good adhesion requires more than just moistening. By scoring,
you're allowing the slip to really penetrate the clay, making the join
permanent. Vinegar isn't necessary, but if I have a problem edge, I'll use
vinegar to secure it. Then I put the edges together carefully - sliding
very slightly can help. Then I lightly tap the edges with a wooden tool.
Like everything else, it takes practice! Try not to overwork the clay -
come back in after the corners have "set" to clean them up gently with a
tool.
Good luck!
Carol
Snail Scott on tue 12 nov 02
At 11:17 PM 11/11/02 -0600, you wrote:
>...I
>got a little lazy with the coil/pinch method that I learned in a workshop
>on the Mata Oritz style of pottery....
Some clays are more forgiving of inattentive coil
connections than others. With some, it's possible
to just sort of shove some clay together and lute
them a bit, and they'll do fine, no problem. With
others, anything short of the full 'score-slip-
slide-wiggle-deep luting' techniques will result
in cracks and separations no matter how carefully
you dry and fire.
The clay they dig in Mata Ortiz has wonderful
working properties for coil-and-pinch work. You'll
be hard-pressed to find a manufactured low-fire
clay body that's comparable, but maybe you can do
better than your current one.
-Snail
Marie-Claire Stil on wed 13 nov 02
Wendy,
Another technique is to use a mould, a biscuit bowl for example.
Moisture the bowl, put inside a thick layer of slip upon which you can =
contruct
your pattern from cut off colored clay by pushing into slip.
The slip could be white or colored, the colored clay is prepared like =
Vince
described (see www.sierranevada.edu/academic/vpa/summerart/pitelka.htlm).
When nearly leatherhard take your form out and leave it to dry slowly.
When dry, use mask, gloves and fine sandpaper to get an even surface and =
reveal
the right design.
You could look up at the library to see beautiful examples from Mieke =
Everaert
(Belgium), Judith de Vries (the Netherlands) and Dorothy Feibleman =
(England) in
Contemporary Porcelain by Peter Lane - not that you have to play with =
porcelain.
Note that it's labour intensive and you have to work fast, but don't give=
up.
Good testing,
Marie Claire
On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 23:17:38 -0600, you wrote:
>Carol,
>
>Thanks very much for the reply. I am not sure about the 45 degree cut =
with
>the inlay, but I will give it a try. I'm just having a hard time =
imagining
>how the pattern would work. Testing coming on. That is the first time I =
have
>thought about a 45 degree join, however, and I am thrilled to add that =
to my
>idea file. It just makes sense that it would be stronger with more area =
to
>bond.
>
>You delivered real gold with another suggestion. This may sound dumb, =
but I
>never thought to let the join dry before cleaning it up. I tend to =
overwork
>a joint ...why? I have a feeling that this little tip will be helping me=
for
>years. You just never know what a beginner has failed to think of. =
Thanks
>for digging through your successful methods to get that to me.
>
>And I will go back to slip. I have been pretty lucky with just =
moistening -
>good soft clay, and usually the chance to really muck the seams =
together. I
>got a little lazy with the coil/pinch method that I learned in a =
workshop on
>the Mata Oritz style of pottery. You overlap the new coil and pinch it =
in so
>much that it really becomes part of the whole piece, not a seam. Thanks =
for
>the reminder to get back to what I learned in the beginning for this
>application. I also had heard of sliding into place in a workshop, but
>forgot it. Tapping I haven't done, but I bet it would help in this case.
>
>I appreciate your time and the suggestions. They will make a difference.
>
>Wendy
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Carol Ross"
>To:
>Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 10:44 PM
>Subject: Re: Nerikomi/Inlay book, article, workshop? Help!
>
>
>Wendy, I haven't worked with inlay, but I have done quite a bit of
>hand-building. I hope this will help - I'm sure that everyone has =
her/his
>own personal preferences for joining, but these are mine.
>
>I like to work with nearly leather-hard slabs. Mitering the edges is =
easier
>when the clay is stiffer. Score the 45 degree angled edge (assuming =
you're
>making right angles) and generously apply slip (use dry clay scraps and =
mix
>with water) - good adhesion requires more than just moistening. By =
scoring,
>you're allowing the slip to really penetrate the clay, making the join
>permanent. Vinegar isn't necessary, but if I have a problem edge, I'll =
use
>vinegar to secure it. Then I put the edges together carefully - sliding
>very slightly can help. Then I lightly tap the edges with a wooden =
tool.
>Like everything else, it takes practice! Try not to overwork the clay -
>come back in after the corners have "set" to clean them up gently with a
>tool.
>
>Good luck!
>Carol
>
>________________________________________________________________________=
______
>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/
>
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melpots@pclink.com.
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