yappystudent

Thanks for the advice and the link. Mainly I'm just grumbling but the advice is appreciated. I have watched that video and some others, but that's not exactly what I'm trying to do. Her work is more Majolica, I'm trying to adapt Maiolica and go for something like an 'ancient but refined' (?) look. I'm working on three different experiments that are Maiolica/Majolica-like. It's hard to describe even to myself but I'll know it when I see it. The oxide was an impulse because I figured it would give me nice clear black, stable lines to paint underglazes over at bisque stage. I also tried one with black underglaze outlining on sandy clay, and another with a smooth black clay body with lighter values of slip painting. All are still in the greenware stage but I'm enjoying the process, except for the oxide. I may have to take a trip to buy black mason stain and ask the pottery store folks about the other materials you mentioned for outlining. Here's an image of the oxide (right) and underglaze (left) pieces as-is: 

Have you thought about pseudo mishima where you wax over a glaze and scratch in the drawing and fill with underglaze? It looks like what you are doing may work with that technique.

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Sounds like a good suggestion. I'd certainly have more control over my outlines that way. 

Make sure you get a kiln that is in sections, they are easier to rewire.  I have had a big Skutt for thirty years,  the only thing that bothers me is that I have had to replace the lid three times.  L &L kilns lists  scratch and dent  kilns on there web site,  the government auctions is also a good place to look.  I missed out on a good one near me, they were clearing out a ceramics studio at a air force base.  They sold 3 computer control Skutt for a couple of hundred a piece.   Good Luck.   Denice

A very worthwhile, and rewarding, purchase.  Congrats!

I like Skutt, and they do their job.  If I had money to spare, I'd probably go for a L&L.  But then I'd also go for a Thomas Stuart wheel, a wall mounted clay extruder, a slab roller a...

My first classroom kiln was a Skutt, computer controlled.  It worked well, but it seemed to burn through elements quickly, and that was at Cone 04 max.  I was a that District for six years.  The elements had went bad twice, in that time. 

My second District, used two Skutts, with kiln sitters and a back up timer.  They worked great.

My kiln at home is a Skutt, with just the sitter.

My current classroom kiln is a L&L, computer controlled, and I can't think of anything bad to say about it.  It fires spot on every time.  The computer controlled Skutt I used previously, I would occasionally have some glazes that didn't quite mature, leaving bubbles, that didn't have time to smooth out.  I will say, the height of the kiln, with the stand, requires me to stand, on the stand, to reach the bottom.  Obviously that means, that I have plenty of space for student projects, but it also means, that I have to hang over the edge to load some projects...

Regardless of what you get, I have no doubt you will be happy with your purchase.

Make sure you think about what your end goal is for how large of things you want to fire. I have a little kiln and its brilliant and I love it, but I can't make big platters or tall vases. In retrospect, I wish I would have gotten either wider or taller, but not much bigger. That being said any kiln is 100% better than no kiln, or a kiln you don't have control over the firings. 

Excellent!

How's it going???

It's going! I don't want to jinx anything. 

I wish you a very good recovery from the sprain. I hope the cat and the view from your studio offer some quality time while you stay off that foot. [I broke a foot a few years ago and was very lucky my dog was a bulldog who wasn't much for long and speedy walks anyway].

Ouch! Be careful of the strain. 

best,

Pres

TYVM for the well wishes. It was very exciting at the time but I'm almost back on my feet. Overextended with a fruit picker on  a steep overgrown slope, feet went out from underneath me, and to my surprise once I got rolling gravity was in control. Badly sprained right foot, much of my left leg scraped and bruised black. Managed not to hit a short metal stake that used to hold up washed-out retaining wall but lots of partly-trimmed brush trunks poking out. Did not hit head, neck, or my back on the concrete at the bottom.  Advice: don't overextend, or pick fruit wearing shorts. 

@Igusten: I do have quite a few in the freezer already, the skunks are enjoying the nearly full 5 gallon bucket sitting up under the tree at present. I'll make a stab collecting it tomorrow. 

@Denice: The idea of your toe makes me cringe. Ow.  

@Gabby thank the powers that be for lazy animal companions. whenever I'm sick or hurt the big cat abandons me completely, the little one sticks to me like glue to the point of annoyance. 

@Pres ty and I'll be careful. 

Back to clay sounds waaaay better than moving! Glad you are back! Are you on the coast?

Yes Min, southern coast. Very rainy and blustery but I like it so much better than the upper great basin!

Beaches are so beautiful along there, lucky lady!

Now you can get to work.  Congratulations

Great job!

Always nice when things work as they should.

Excellent, where do I have to drive to?

Wonderful! Enjoy!

Ooooh how cool!

TY for asking. My situation is a bit complicated, but the simple version would be to peddle a personal fantasy twist to somewhat baroque-meets-sci fi wares, in a small capacity in my local community and on Etsy. I can't quite decide how exotic to get. At this point my output will be fairly minimal so it's up to personal choice really. Any ideas? 

This is just my feeling, as someone who has bought pottery both from Etsy and at a shop. 

I don't think the store name matters on Etsy. That will be all about photos and descriptions.

I don't think it matters either for items you might sell through someone else's shop. 

For a booth, I would choose a name that draws people because it captures who they want to believe they are or how they want to live. We have participants here whose business names are, for example, Good Earth and Dirt Roads,  each of which evokes an image of a way of life. 

I'd definitely walk into a booth called Queen Agnes' Intergalactic Kitchen, but that doesn't mean the residents of Coos Bay would.  I have a card tucked under my computer from a potter who does hand-building and calls herself Earth to Annie, a name that captures both the Earth origin of her material and the fantasy embodied in the style of her work.

Sweet. I'm stealing that Queen Agnes' logo right now, it might not be to far away from the mark. Valuable insight otherwise as well. Actually you must read minds because the current working title starts with "Queen"! -anyway, the shop theme will be largely to keep my own interest over time, allow some wiggle room to my designs, build up a local reputation with original work. I am not a social flower so my work is going to have to speak for itself. Won't argue that I don't need to do this, especially in regards to paraphernalia wares, what's on the shelves currently locally and online is mainly either godawful or very bland. That won't be all I'm doing but since those stores need goods and there is one on every block here the unexploited niche is irresistible. Thanks again for your interaction, useful stuff. 

aww that's cute

Ha Glazenerd, nice try I'm not falling for that again. 

My dog tears the lizards into pieces and scatter them all over the yard.  My first dog was real mouser,  I got him when he was 6 weeks old.  The first morning I had him he comes up to me with blood all over his face.   I freaked out until he shows me his prize.   He continues bringing me mice,  sometimes they weren't dead.   Denice

First throwing class, saved nothing til the last construction week-9 pots. Mugs, still have the first in parents home-terrible reminder of wonderful first days on the wheel, Look at it and remember fondly even though the pot is for crap.

I still have all my wheel thrown wares, from my first Ceramics class. The bowls aren't too bad, the mugs on the other hand... As my instructor noted on one of them, "Well, that's insulated!"

yappy, that is the exact way that the Shenandoah potters guild was started years ago. nobody wanted to stop being together.

Rain much better than smoke.

Does this mean you are sketching? 

Will you coil build? 

Luckily no smoke on the coast. Slab over a bowl I found as well as using the big maple leaf press mold, and ty for asking. 

Glad you did not have to contend  with the smoke.  Looking forward to seeing your new works.

Congrats on the shop sink. I don't know what I would do without mine. (I think lots of people may be preparing for summer craft shows. I teach a Summer intensive starting tomorrow and going for five hectic weeks, so I will be less present until end of July).

Good luck with the teaching position. 

Actually I am running out of things to say, and most of my posts strike me as being redundant. 

Looking forward to seeing a photo!

It was mainly bisque and tests, but one was my first attempt at majolica -birdbath that's going into a yard sale tomorrow. Has a crack through the center, which I 'fixed' with aquarium sealant. I'll post a pic of it ASAP. ty for the encouragement

Still looking for the images of the bird bath. It did sell at the yard sale despite a crack going right through the bottom (sealed with aquarium silicone). 

Before you even start looking at kilns you have some research to do.  Wiring and location to start with and if you have a location will you be living at that location that it would be worth the cost of setting up a kiln.  Sometimes it is cheaper to take a pottery class where you can have work fired when your in limbo.  I  have bought two used kiln and one new test kiln in the last 45 years.   My paragon has finally gotten too old to rebuild and I just rewired my Skutt.   I use a dual digital Skutt thermocouple set up if I want to do any down firing.   Like I said a lot of research to do.   Denice

I can't imagine the time and work involved in doing a 4 hr round trip every time I wanted to fire pots. The control to fire how you want to, the convenience, glazes not getting dinged in the transport etc would make your life so much easier if you had your own kiln.

Agreed. 

would it be cheaper to order online than drive?

Not if you consider the 3 bags of clay I bought, and the indescribably beautiful drive up the coast and through the forest. If you think I was complaining clearly you misunderstand. 

Where did you decide to put the new kiln? Last word I saw, you couldn't put it in the shed. 

 Still unsettled as to it's final location. 

I made a small mosaic  small mural  18"x24" several years ago, it was for a arched inset in a wall.  I made a pattern of the arch and cut the tiles with in the arch.  It was a one time firing so I went ahead and glazed it at the leather hard stage.  The pattern I painted was a big help in putting it back together,  just like a jig saw puzzle.  with the shrinkage of the tiles I got the grout space I needed.     Denice

The pattern sounds like a great idea. 

I buy a few things from them.  Looks like a fabulous operation.  Nice you are close enough to go there.

If you ever get a chance be sure to hit them in person with enough time to browse, we only had about 20 min before they closed. I heard the one in Portland is bigger and better. 

You can put the work in your home oven at it's lowest setting,  I do this sometimes when we have a long humid period.   I have also heard about speeding up drying in a microwave but I have never tried it.    Denice

How big a kiln did you acquire? How much work do you have time to do in a typical week? (This is one reason I won't ever have a kiln. I make only a few pieces a week)

Get through this, resettle and then you can really enjoy clay time.

I completely agree. It has taken almost 10 months and still not completely set up to full capacity in my shop. Two largest kilns not functional yet.

If only life allowed us to do what we love most.

Yes, and WHEN we love it most. -TY

Are you going to be making your own molds too, or just getting a feel for the process? Have fun either way!

By slipware I meant slip decorating. That's what they call it on Youtube searches, oops. At any rate it's good fun, TY!

Tick Tick Tick  Be patient.   Denice

Congrats! Good choice! 

Wow what a bargain,  I thought we had a pretty good price at $1.99 a pound,  they have to be shipped a long way so I think that is the best they can do.    Bing cherries are suppose to build up your immune system so eat as many as you can.      Denice