WHATCHA GOT ON YOUR WHEEL?

WHEEL THROWN BOWLS & PLATES

CERAMICS II

clay & potters wheels

glazes, wax resist, sponges & oxides

In their second semester,

I have the second year clay kids learn to throw bowls & plates on the potter's wheels.

And not only that, 

but they have to turn them over when leatherhard,

 and trim a foot that works visually with the form.

To finish them off, 

they get to choose from many surface design techniques.

A favorite is the one I'm showcasing today.

After the piece comes out of the Bisque firing,

it is dipped into the glaze color of their choice.

Then a sponge is dipped into the wax resist (combination of paraffin and motor oil),

and blotted on top of the dried powdery glaze.

When the wax dries,

the piece is re-centered onto the potter's wheel, 

As it spins,

 one of the four oxides is brushed over top.

The waxed sponge design resists the oxide and oxide only goes onto the powdered glaze areas

tcreating this very groovy textured design.

Sounds complex but really very easy to do,

and the kids love the variety of results.

The two above & below belong to Klyne Madayag.

They are the same pieces,

seen from the top and the bottom.

This next beauty was made by Sandhya Raghvan.

She has chosen our tan glaze with Cobalt Carbonate over top. 

I also like how she has altered the edges of her piece to change up the round shape.

And lastly we have Celeste Zambrano with this blue on blue piece.

Our blue glaze with Cobalt oxide.

Stunning!