Friday, June 19, 2009

a brief detour

So many questions and decisions about how to glaze my pagoda led me to make two 'test' buildings.

I was not as careful as with the 'real' pagoda and I had my patterns from the original, so these went together quickly. I really did not want to take the time to make them or to fire and glaze them before getting to finish the original. But I want to test a couple glazes and also am considering applying a stain or engobe to the pagoda before bisquing it. In spite of how dark the clay appears when wet, it dries very light--not white but a light buff. So this seemed the way to go.
Now I've got to get busy and get a kiln load of ware made so I can do the bisque firing and then glaze these 'tests'.

3 comments:

Judy Shreve said...

Looking forward to seeing how the glazes turn out.

Barbara said...

These are some sweet pagodas for tests. Wonderful roof lines. Your "real" one is very impressive! How tall is it?

Sister Creek Potter said...

Barbara, Thanks!
The pagoda is about 14" tall. And heavy!
The bases for the small tests are 7"X6"--did not measure the height. I painted red-iron-oxide slip over one. I want to see what difference that will make under the glaze. My clay fires very light--so there should be a big contrast. We'll see! Gay