I like to do some research, and to experiment new textural effects, product or color tests… but why always use little test tiles and store them in a box or a drawer? Sometimes I prefer to imagine my test tiles as decorative objects or, why not, fashion accessories ! at least we can enjoy and wear them with pleasure.
1 st exercise: the Hair Clip
The difficulty here comes from the shape : the curve of the clay should be exactly matching the curve of the mechanism. Usually the challenge is to keep the clay flat ! This time, I would like to exactly match the bended structure, - and keep the shape once dry – in order to glue the clay with more efficiency, as it will help to obtain a perfect bonding and best contact between the metal clip and the clay part.
Each size of mechanism has it’s own shape and curve. So I’m looking for an efficient method for moulding the curve of my clay to the corresponding metal clip.
The shape must be "bent" before the clay is in the leather state, and "held" in some way (very gently otherwise it may break when drying and retracting). I tried several hypothesis, (and broke most of them) to conclude that the piece of clay should be placed on the plate and not the other way around. A layer of foam to soften the pressure of the (light) weight placed on the mechanism. Earthenware shrinks less than porcelain, so it's a little easier. So with patience and insistence, in the end, it works.
It is still necessary to fire it avoiding additional warping, and small pieces of clay will support the edges on the kiln shelf, and will help maintaining the curvature.
For the decor, I choosed my inspiration: I bought a nice twinset printed with a "pottery" motif (-Nice Things, by Paloma, Barcelona) and I want my accessories to match the inspiration of this talenful designer.
The pattern of the blouse is green on a navy background, but it will be much easier (and stylish) to invert the colors: the navy will be read more easily on a green background. Let’s find (or mix ) the right green!
Now, I will test the underglaze paints ( Ducan EZ series) and then try to draw on top of colour with a nib and fluid colour. The painting is ok (the underglaze is nice, very fluid, mixes well and allows to obtain the desired tone, a little muffled before enameling but faithful in color). In the picture you can see how the transparent glaze "reveals" the color.
On the other hand, the nib over the slip is not really a good idea; the line is coarse, charged with powder, has no sharpness, does not slip. No problem, the drawing will be done over the glaze in 3rd firing. You can compare in the picture: on the left of the tile, the nib line under the clear glaze and on the right, the line over the glaze.
After the glaze firing, the green color is ok. Last step, the decor is painted with the nib and china painting pigment diluted in glycerin, freehand drawing, and last firing at 750 ° C.
( overglaze firing temperature for earthenware)
Second exercise: the brooch.
The idea to be tested: to obtain a double relief, by erosion with a sponge. I really like the relief obtained by acrylic masking and water erosion. But the difficulty will be this time not to dig a relief, but two. That is, getting a foreground and a second plan standing out from the background, to give a volume impression.
The principle: mask the surface of a pattern with Mod-Podge (acrylic glue) or acrylic varnish, and gently, with a damp sponge, "erode" the surface remained free to create a relief.
Double relief: when the first relief is finished and the plate is dry again, then I re-mask another pattern, and start over (without damaging the foreground, which we have also re-protected). This will bring out a second plan. As we can see here, there are three objets in the foreground and three second plan objects, detached from the background itself.
Be careful, the piece of clay ends up being very thin, and therefore more and more fragile. It is necessary to proceed little by little and wait until the worked area is completely dry before starting again.
And to finish the exercise, I will paint directly with Ducan Envision Glazes. Three colors (yellow, blue, green) are enough for the decor of this little painting. By mixing them and obtaining pretty shades, with a small brush, and about two superimposed layers, gives both color and gloss. With this range of colored glazes, and at least with the blue and green shades,the prepared color is fairly faithful to the color obtained after firing. This is not the case with all paintings! In fact, these glazes can blend together like watercolors. The glaze is thinner in the reliefs and accentuate its contours.
A single firing at 980 ° C (Duncan Envision Glazes are Low Temperature glazes), et voilà.
I glue the mechanism of the brooch on the back of my little painting, it's very light and the colors are very nuanced.
Test passed, and I won a pretty brooch and a lovely hairclip matching my sweater ... !
And if you never heard about Nice Things , discover here !
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