Lili Krakowski on tue 4 jan 05
Mary Wondrausch deserves quoting:
'I believe the principal reason for the cessation of elaborate =
slip-decorated work in England was twofold; firstly, changes in =
fashion....Secondly, slip-trailing is a very difficult medium and needs =
not only great skill but also the right workshop conditions, which did =
not somehow suit the incoming technology. Slips had to be kept in good =
condition, the cowhorn or 'bucket' clean, the goose quills clear of =
dried clay: all time consuming, individual tasks. Added to this, only =
the 'master' would have the ability to perform the skilled task of =
decorating the major pieces....." =20
She goes on to say that "Earthenware is the most difficult of ceramic =
disciplines. It can be compared to working in water-colour as opposed =
to oil. Everything you do is final, irrevocable. Fixed in the kiln are =
all the accidents of glaze application that can be so exciting in =
stoneware, but in low-fired red ware are a disaster"
And she writes "Slip-trailing is the most difficult of all methods of =
decoration."
Now. I have used the Wondrausch trailer and it is wonderful. You have =
to experiment a bit before you settle on the right length piece of =
bicycle inner tube, because the trailer is held with both hands, and =
hand size matters. My preferred length is 9" of tube . I also like a =
trailer I make out of a big balloon (the kind sold in bags as around 15' =
long.) I fill these with a rubber syringe, stick in the tube of an "eye =
dropper" close with a rubber band. This makes a very malleable =
one-handed trailer, requires little squeezing if any. It is great for =
quick freeform drawing. (There is a drawing of one in the article =
"Showing Your Slip" I had in PMI vol i, #1 Winter 1998.) Although I =
own a few big rubber bulb things, I prefer the smaller ones.as easier to =
hold. =20
There is a LOT of practice and trying out to coordinate the wetness of =
the surface slip and that of the "to be trailed with" one.
One must train the eye to recognize the exact degree of sheen on the =
slipped surface that will take the trailing best. One must know the =
ideal consistency for the slip used for the trailing. A lot of course =
depends on the aperture of the trailer, and the speed at which one =
works. Also the degree to which one wants the trailing to sink in (as =
when one feathers) or stick out--as one may in lettering.
In breve, as people always say when they run on and on, slip trailing =
takes a lot or practice, AND each session takes a lot of time to set up, =
to do, to clean up. =20
And, by the way, use the inner tube of a normal bicycle. Neither the =
extra wide, not the extra thin tire types. Obtainable at anybike repair =
shop...free.
=20
Lili Krakowski;=20
Be of good courage
Kate Johnson on tue 4 jan 05
>Mary Wondrausch deserves quoting:
She does indeed...
'I believe the principal reason for the cessation of elaborate
slip-decorated work in England was twofold; firstly, changes in
fashion....Secondly, slip-trailing is a very difficult medium and needs not
only great skill but also the right workshop conditions, which did not
somehow suit the incoming technology. Slips had to be kept in good
condition, the cowhorn or 'bucket' clean, the goose quills clear of dried
clay: all time consuming, individual tasks. Added to this, only the
'master' would have the ability to perform the skilled task of decorating
the major pieces....."
I certainly don't qualifiy as that yet.
>She goes on to say that "Earthenware is the most difficult of ceramic
>disciplines. It can be compared to working in water-colour as opposed to
>oil. Everything you do is final, irrevocable. Fixed in the kiln are all
>the accidents of glaze application that can be so exciting in stoneware,
>but in low-fired red ware are a disaster"
Well, I DO work in watercolor, write books about it, give workshops, write a
regular article in Watercolor Magic magazine, and did for years in The
Artist's Magazine, so perhaps there's hope for me yet.
>And she writes "Slip-trailing is the most difficult of all methods of
decoration."
So patience, Kate, patience...just like teaching your students watercolor...
> Now. I have used the Wondrausch trailer and it is wonderful.
It looked as though it might work best for me. I've been drawing,
professionally and otherwise, for 40 years, and it is VERY difficult to
retrain the position of the wrist...
>You have to experiment a bit before you settle on the right length piece of
>bicycle inner tube, because the trailer is held with both hands, and hand
>size matters. My preferred length is 9" of tube . I also like a trailer
>I make out of a big balloon (the kind sold in bags as around 15' long.) I
>fill these with a rubber syringe, stick in the tube of an "eye dropper"
>close with a rubber band. This makes a very malleable one-handed trailer,
>requires little squeezing if any. It is great for quick freeform drawing.
>(There is a drawing of one in the article "Showing Your Slip" I had in PMI
>vol i, #1 Winter 1998.) Although I own a few big rubber bulb things, I
>prefer the smaller ones.as easier to hold.
Thank you, I'll see if I can't track that down, Lili!
>There is a LOT of practice and trying out to coordinate the wetness of the
>surface slip and that of the "to be trailed with" one.
One must train the eye to recognize the exact degree of sheen on the slipped
surface that will take the trailing best. One must know the ideal
consistency for the slip used for the trailing. A lot of course depends on
the aperture of the trailer, and the speed at which one works. Also the
degree to which one wants the trailing to sink in (as when one feathers) or
stick out--as one may in lettering.
I don't care too much for that effect, as I've seen in some of the books, so
tend to use a thinner slip...
> In breve, as people always say when they run on and on, slip trailing
> takes a lot or practice, AND each session takes a lot of time to set up,
> to do, to clean up.
> And, by the way, use the inner tube of a normal bicycle. Neither the
> extra wide, not the extra thin tire types. Obtainable at anybike repair
> shop...free.
Excellent, and thank you. Will give this a try, too. I really want more
feeling of control, part of which comes with practice and part with the
proper tool for one's personal working modus!
Best--
Kate
| |
|
